getting a baby to eat salad/pet store advice

[Dragongrlwi]

Hello, New to this board. Just got my first baby dragon this past Saturday, hatched June 8 from a breeder. He's eating dusted crickets great, but I can't get him to touch his salad. I was getting crickets from the pet store today and their baby beards had completely demolished their salad. I asked what they did to get them to eat it, they recommended NOT feeding him ANYTHING but salad in the morning and just crickets at night. I'm completely against this as he's SO small. Should I do this for a day to get him to eat it. I was appalled that they said that. Suggestions?

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Most babies don't eat salad. Just keep offering it everyday.

 

[Taterbug]

You could try offering the salad in the morning and insects towards midday if you want, instead of at night. Another user on here dices the salad small and sprinkles it like confetti to catch the babies attention. You can try an put the crickets into the salad so the little one catches some salad with his bugs.

 

[Dragongrlwi]

Ok, thanks. I can't offer bugs mid day as I work. But I'll just keep offering it.

 

[MyBilbo]

Hi, Bilbo was a pain to start, I was changing it every day making it all pretty for him, didn't touch it. one day I sad to my self fine be like that I left it in an extra day bam he ate it, turns out even to this day, he NEVER eats it the day I put it in, always the day after.

 

[hmdavi01]

Absolutely do not follow the pet store advice.It's normal for them to not be interested in salad at all for a while (although you should still keep offering salad!), but they should be eating way more insects anyway. I take my little Albus out and put him in a feeding cage for his crickets but leave a salad in his normal terrarium at all times. You could try mixing in Nature Zone bearded dragon bites (most beardies love these) and your beardie should become more interested in his/her salad. If you're still having trouble feeding veggies, get different veggie baby foods and feed your beardie this until it gets used to real veggies (squash, carrot, and kale-if you can find it-are probably the best baby foods to get). Albus loves when I feed him baby food! It's also good bonding to feed your little cutie although a possibility of spoiling them

 

[MyBilbo]

Just offer salad, and feed dusted crickets x3 a day.
Offer salad and leave in for 2-3 days between changes, as I said before Bilbo never eats the same day I put in even if it's in the morning.
I have heard about feeding bearded dragons 3-4 times a week crickets when an adult, I think this is bull, they would eat everyday in the wild.
So I fed him
0-9 months old x3 feeds a day
9-12 months old x2 feeds a day
12+ months old x1 feed a day
Unless some days I am unable to feed him because I'm out all day, this is very rare, I will feed him x2 feeds the day before and make sure he has pleantly of salad. He has crickets and roaches to mix it up and wax worms as a treat once or twice a week (mainly my 4 year old son gives him the worms as he loves to do it).
He eats, kale, spring greens, bok choy, red pepper, romain lettuce (not often as I dont really buy it) I mix this up too so he does not have to much of the same stuff every day. He does not eat strawberries or squash some owners find they love these though? All beardies are different and so it's just finding what yours likes. I think Bilbo was about 5 months old maybe 6 when he stated to pick at his salad bowl.
Good luck hope all is well

 

[Devinsmom]

My advice is to offer different types of greens in the salad, make sure they are the darker greens like kale, romaine lettuce or collards. Do not give them Ice-burg lettuce their is no nutrition for us or them.The new environment can stress them out a bit, but they will get the idea when they get hungry enough. It took almost a week for my first bearded to eat greens, but my second was a little older when purchased only took a day or two to eat mixed greens. Variety is key at all stages, try mixing in some fresh fruits to attract your juvenile over to the greens. Blueberries, strawberries, banana and apple seem to be a favorite for my two.
-Heather AKA: Devinsmom