Getting confused and would like your input.

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Well first of all hello my fellow Bearded Dragon owners I’m fairly new to the whole reptile thing but I’m learning as fast as I can. Only problem I have right now is that I’m getting really confused on how I should feed my bearded dragons both salad and insects. Let me start of tell you this. Saphira is 10 months old and Ember is 6 months old. The one big problem I have is that I’m very busy with work and really can only feed them once a day. I can throw in their salads in the morning quickly but that’s just about it for the morning. I don’t have enough time to feed them insects. Now after work I have about 5-6 hours to feed them/bath them and play with them and then back to sleep and work for me.

Can anyone tell me how i should be feeding them?

P.S. atm I’m feeding them crickets and collard greens. Occasionally throw in butternut squash on their greens. I will be getting dubias but only when they are available again for me to purchase.

Thanks Fam
 

VenusAndSaturn

Sub-Adult Member
In the mornings for both just throw in 10-20 crickets in each of their tanks and put their salad in as well, then when you get home give them their dusted crickets, it shouldn't be too hard. Also you dont need to bath them all the time unless they drink from the bath water, you could spray them with warm water or drip it on their nose with a syringe for hydration.
I'd only bath them once or twice a week.

If your in too much of a rush in the morning you could also just prepare two small containers of crickets the night before, one for each beardie and instead of scooping them out and having to count the exact number you'll have it all ready to go the next day.

Also heres just a bit of info on their overall diet, how you should supplement them, etc, etc.

1-4 months eat 3 times a day, 4-12 months eat 2 times a day, 12-20 months eat once a day, and then 20+ months eat every other day, every two days or twice a week. Each feeding consists of around 10-20 bugs.
Personally for me at 20 months I do every other day, then at 24 months every two days and then at around 40-48 months I do twice a week for insects. I like to gradually slow the insect intake down.

Supplementation should be calcium without d3 5x a week and multivitamins 2x a week for beardies that eat daily, so basically beardies less than 20 months.
For beardies that are 20+ months probably 4x a week for calcium and once a week for multivitamins.
I personally like the repti-cal brand.

staple feeders are usually crickets, dubia roaches, turkish roaches, silkworms, grasshoppers, and
calci-worms/phoenix worms/nutrigrubs/BSFL.
If you go with BSFL I'd also provide one of the other feeders just in case, as sometimes BSFL don't need to be dusted depending on the diet their fed from what i've heard.
It's most likely good to have another dusted staple feeder in case giving just that causes problems.

For treats you could use mealworms, superworms, hornworms, waxworms, or butterworms.
I dont recommend giving any of these treats except maybe hornworms and waxworms to a beardie below 4 or 6 months of age.
For mealworms you can offer 5-10 a day to every other day.
Superworms 3-4 max every two days or twice a week.
Hornworms most likely 6 max every other day or so.
Waxworms most likely 3-4 max every two days or so.
And then butterworms probably 3-4 max twice or once a week.

For greens you can use collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, endive, escarole, and dandelion greens for staples. This should be offered daily.
For fruit, blue berries, strawberries, black berries, red raspberries, banana and kiwi work. Only once or twice a week for these.
 

Maspethzoo

Member
Original Poster
VenusAndSaturn":2xicx4rr said:
In the mornings for both just throw in 10-20 crickets in each of their tanks and put their salad in as well, then when you get home give them their dusted crickets, it shouldn't be too hard. Also you dont need to bath them all the time unless they drink from the bath water, you could spray them with warm water or drip it on their nose with a syringe for hydration.
I'd only bath them once or twice a week.

If your in too much of a rush in the morning you could also just prepare two small containers of crickets the night before, one for each beardie and instead of scooping them out and having to count the exact number you'll have it all ready to go the next day.

Also heres just a bit of info on their overall diet, how you should supplement them, etc, etc.

1-4 months eat 3 times a day, 4-12 months eat 2 times a day, 12-20 months eat once a day, and then 20+ months eat every other day, every two days or twice a week. Each feeding consists of around 10-20 bugs.
Personally for me at 20 months I do every other day, then at 24 months every two days and then at around 40-48 months I do twice a week for insects. I like to gradually slow the insect intake down.

Supplementation should be calcium without d3 5x a week and multivitamins 2x a week for beardies that eat daily, so basically beardies less than 20 months.
For beardies that are 20+ months probably 4x a week for calcium and once a week for multivitamins.
I personally like the repti-cal brand.

staple feeders are usually crickets, dubia roaches, turkish roaches, silkworms, grasshoppers, and
calci-worms/phoenix worms/nutrigrubs/BSFL.
If you go with BSFL I'd also provide one of the other feeders just in case, as sometimes BSFL don't need to be dusted depending on the diet their fed from what i've heard.
It's most likely good to have another dusted staple feeder in case giving just that causes problems.

For treats you could use mealworms, superworms, hornworms, waxworms, or butterworms.
I dont recommend giving any of these treats except maybe hornworms and waxworms to a beardie below 4 or 6 months of age.
For mealworms you can offer 5-10 a day to every other day.
Superworms 3-4 max every two days or twice a week.
Hornworms most likely 6 max every other day or so.
Waxworms most likely 3-4 max every two days or so.
And then butterworms probably 3-4 max twice or once a week.

For greens you can use collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, endive, escarole, and dandelion greens for staples. This should be offered daily.
For fruit, blue berries, strawberries, black berries, red raspberries, banana and kiwi work. Only once or twice a week for these.

Now the problem with that is, when I leave to work in the mornings their lights are still off. Will it be okay to throw them in anyway? And on top of that I use paper towel as my substrate. Should I change my substrate? Besides that this is a great idea and it wouldn’t be hard at all to prep the morning feedings the night before.
 

VenusAndSaturn

Sub-Adult Member
What lighting schedule do you currently have? And what time do you usually get up to put the salad in, it wouldn't be best while they're asleep so you may just have to change a bit with their schedule, make it longer possibly depending on what it is now.

Paper towel substrate is one of the best for beardies, I prefer a mixture of paper towels and tile. The paper towels usually in the hides or where the tile doesn't cover, and the tile usually being on the warm side or on the sides and the paper towels in the middle of the enclosure.
 

Maspethzoo

Member
Original Poster
VenusAndSaturn":3jlqxmhp said:
What lighting schedule do you currently have? And what time do you usually get up to put the salad in, it wouldn't be best while they're asleep so you may just have to change a bit with their schedule, make it longer possibly depending on what it is now.

Paper towel substrate is one of the best for beardies, I prefer a mixture of paper towels and tile. The paper towels usually in the hides or where the tile doesn't cover, and the tile usually being on the warm side or on the sides and the paper towels in the middle of the enclosure.

I’m up and out by 530-630 and their lights goes on at 8. And yes I was going to add tile to their substrate just never had the chance to go get.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
What if you cheat their lighting schedule a little later so they are awake the whole time you are home? As long as they have a consistent routine and enough daylight time (12-14hrs or so) it doesn't matter so much when that block of time sits. Salad when you leave and maybe a bowl of black soldier fly larvae. Then when you get home you can give them a big meal of crickets or roaches etc and give them some time to come out and play.
 

Maspethzoo

Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":26543ja3 said:
What if you cheat their lighting schedule a little later so they are awake the whole time you are home? As long as they have a consistent routine and enough daylight time (12-14hrs or so) it doesn't matter so much when that block of time sits. Salad when you leave and maybe a bowl of black soldier fly larvae. Then when you get home you can give them a big meal of crickets or roaches etc and give them some time to come out and play.

But in order for me to cheat their light schedule I would have to have it turn on 6 am and then have it turn off at least 7-8 pm which will be 13-14 hours of light. Because if I don’t have it on that late I won’t really have much time to feed and play with them. And let’s say I do cheat the light schedule a bit, can I play with them before or after feeding? Or is there a time limit before or after feeding that I shouldn’t really play with them.
 

VenusAndSaturn

Sub-Adult Member
14 hours is the recommended hours of time they should have, usually my reptiles are on a 14 hour light schedule but occasionally I may forget the time and sometimes it goes up to 15-16 hours of light.

It may be best to play with them before feeding as they need at least two hours to digest their meal before lights go off. However if you can setup a portable basking spot when one is out after feeding that may work.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Maspethzoo":2csljedx said:
Well first of all hello my fellow Bearded Dragon owners I’m fairly new to the whole reptile thing but I’m learning as fast as I can. Only problem I have right now is that I’m getting really confused on how I should feed my bearded dragons both salad and insects. Let me start of tell you this. Saphira is 10 months old
<<<< 2 live insect feeds per day (as many as she wants each me) for another few months , I generally cut my juveniles from 2 meals of insects per day to 1 meal of live insect per day at about 12 months old

and Ember is 6 months old.

<<<<< 2 to 3 live insect meals per day , moving to 2 per live insect meals per day about 6 months, depending on the dragons growth and body development, if it's being dominated , I'd separate and keep on 3 insect meals per day for another few months and transition to 1 meal of insects per at about 14 -15 months old (will help with growth rate enhancement).

In both cases the suitable live insects for use as staples are
>> Black Soldier Fly Lavae & Flies
>> silkworms (small (about mealworm size) & medium about 2 inches
>> crickets or roaches or locusts (gutloaded with high calcium greens) and dusted with calcium powder.

If you can't find silkworms or BSFL (phoenix worms) , Repashi GrubPie is OK to offer in the am.

Offer greens / salad daily but don't be too worried if they prefer the live insects , they need live insect proteins and fats more as fast growing juveniles than the vegs.


The one big problem I have is that I’m very busy with work and really can only feed them once a day. I can throw in their salads in the morning quickly but that’s just about it for the morning. I don’t have enough time to feed them insects. Now after work I have about 5-6 hours to feed them/bath them and play with them and then back to sleep and work for me.

<<< can be sorted
>> get a domestic plug in timer. Set so the lights are on 15 - 16 hours per day.
>> leave BSF and or silkworms (on a bit of mulberry leaf or bit of soft chow) in an escape proof feeding dish (this is what I made for my BSFL in the lank in the cool zone (so the insects aren't cooked) in the am before leaving for work : viewtopic.php?f=75&t=239661&p=1837017#p1837017
advantages of silkworms are they are soft bodies and slow moving and one silkworm is equivalent to several crickets ie

a 30mm long silkworm weighs 0.5g each
a 40mm long silkworm weighs 1.3g each
a 2in long silkworm weighs 1.8g each
large silkworms weigh 2.3g each

whereas 12 medium (1/3 size) crickets weigh in at 3g.

Then in the pm , you can collect the left over BSFL and or silkworms (return to the keeper or the box where the other worms are kept) and you can then offer crickets or roaches or locusts a few at a time until each dragon looses interest (is full) and leave some salad with each dragon to nibble on.

==> two live insect meals are easy to do if you use the right insects.


Can anyone tell me how i should be feeding them?

P.S. atm I’m feeding them crickets and collard greens. Occasionally throw in butternut squash on their greens. I will be getting dubias but only when they are available again for me to purchase.

Thanks Fam
 

Maspethzoo

Member
Original Poster
VenusAndSaturn":21dkwe34 said:
14 hours is the recommended hours of time they should have, usually my reptiles are on a 14 hour light schedule but occasionally I may forget the time and sometimes it goes up to 15-16 hours of light.

It may be best to play with them before feeding as they need at least two hours to digest their meal before lights go off. However if you can setup a portable basking spot when one is out after feeding that may work.

Thanks, I’m going to cheat the time and have it run for 14-15 hours.
 

Maspethzoo

Member
Original Poster
kingofnobbys":1afg6w1d said:
Maspethzoo":1afg6w1d said:
Well first of all hello my fellow Bearded Dragon owners I’m fairly new to the whole reptile thing but I’m learning as fast as I can. Only problem I have right now is that I’m getting really confused on how I should feed my bearded dragons both salad and insects. Let me start of tell you this. Saphira is 10 months old
<<<< 2 live insect feeds per day (as many as she wants each me) for another few months , I generally cut my juveniles from 2 meals of insects per day to 1 meal of live insect per day at about 12 months old

and Ember is 6 months old.

<<<<< 2 to 3 live insect meals per day , moving to 2 per live insect meals per day about 6 months, depending on the dragons growth and body development, if it's being dominated , I'd separate and keep on 3 insect meals per day for another few months and transition to 1 meal of insects per at about 14 -15 months old (will help with growth rate enhancement).

In both cases the suitable live insects for use as staples are
>> Black Soldier Fly Lavae & Flies
>> silkworms (small (about mealworm size) & medium about 2 inches
>> crickets or roaches or locusts (gutloaded with high calcium greens) and dusted with calcium powder.

If you can't find silkworms or BSFL (phoenix worms) , Repashi GrubPie is OK to offer in the am.

Offer greens / salad daily but don't be too worried if they prefer the live insects , they need live insect proteins and fats more as fast growing juveniles than the vegs.


The one big problem I have is that I’m very busy with work and really can only feed them once a day. I can throw in their salads in the morning quickly but that’s just about it for the morning. I don’t have enough time to feed them insects. Now after work I have about 5-6 hours to feed them/bath them and play with them and then back to sleep and work for me.

<<< can be sorted
>> get a domestic plug in timer. Set so the lights are on 15 - 16 hours per day.
>> leave BSF and or silkworms (on a bit of mulberry leaf or bit of soft chow) in an escape proof feeding dish (this is what I made for my BSFL in the lank in the cool zone (so the insects aren't cooked) in the am before leaving for work : viewtopic.php?f=75&t=239661&p=1837017#p1837017
advantages of silkworms are they are soft bodies and slow moving and one silkworm is equivalent to several crickets ie

a 30mm long silkworm weighs 0.5g each
a 40mm long silkworm weighs 1.3g each
a 2in long silkworm weighs 1.8g each
large silkworms weigh 2.3g each

whereas 12 medium (1/3 size) crickets weigh in at 3g.

Then in the pm , you can collect the left over BSFL and or silkworms (return to the keeper or the box where the other worms are kept) and you can then offer crickets or roaches or locusts a few at a time until each dragon looses interest (is full) and leave some salad with each dragon to nibble on.

==> two live insect meals are easy to do if you use the right insects.


Can anyone tell me how i should be feeding them?

P.S. atm I’m feeding them crickets and collard greens. Occasionally throw in butternut squash on their greens. I will be getting dubias but only when they are available again for me to purchase.

Thanks Fam

Thanks for the input. I’m going to order some BSFL today, hopefully my dragons like them.
 
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