Getting my baby beardie to eat his veg

[Silvally]

I've had a baby for a few weeks now, he's about 3 and a bit months old. He loves his insects however I haven't been able to get him to eat veggies Yet. He happily eats dubias and calci worms and the very occasional waxworm, however I'm at a complete loss when it comes to veggies. I try to compensate for this by gut loading my dubias with sweet potatoes and red peppers, however I'm unsure if he's getting everything he needs. He appears healthy enough, he's very alert and is a quick runner, basks with his mouse open and very chill to handle, yet the one thing I cannot seem to get right is getting him to eat vegetables. Does anyone have any idea for how long he can go for without them and any tips for how to have him eat some veggies, or if he needs to really eat many at all. I know as a baby they tend to not be too keen on veggies. His enclosure is fine, temps are usually around 105 to 110, I have an arcadia uvb 10 percent and the humidity stays bellow 40. Any tips or anything would be greatly appreciated.

 

[KarrieRee]

First you need to get a glass bowl something your worms and insects cant get out of - next feed greens first thing in the morning like collard mustard turnip or kale squash raw shredded sweet potato is good -- get some calci worms that you have and some super worms 1-3 add those to the salad and make sure he sees you doing this so it entices them to the bowl - you can feed as many cacli worms as you want but limit the supers butter worms work good too along w/ silk worms -- let him eat from that bowl for say an hour or so then add your dubias to the bowl -- take a little of the salad out but leave some in you want him starting to eat those greens even if a little bit -- use the worms as lures to the bowl -- the Arcadia bulb you have is a T 8 ? I have the Arcadia 12% - so is your UVB inside the tank and 8-10 inches from basking decor? It sounds like there are no issues w/ the UVB I was just wondering -
Karrie

 

[Silvally]

Yeah it is the 12 percent. I've already get a clay bowl, I'll try that tommorow when he's a bit hungrier. Thanks. I only have the waxworks as for a few days I could only get him a few calci worms due to terribly late deliveries so I got a few waxworks to make up for it

 

[MrSpectrum]

Tear any greens up into small bite-size pieces rather than large ones he'd have to take a bite out of. Put the greens in the bowl in a little pile, then add the dubias (and or other insect feeders). When they hide under the greens, the movement should stimulate the feeding response, and he should get some mouthfuls of salad when he goes for the bugz.

That's pretty much the only way I've gotten salad into mine--with his steak. :lol: He'll take an occasional veggie/fruit bit off forceps if I wiggle it like a live bug, but almost never more than once.
Smart little bugeater.

 

[Silvally]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try it out. He seems fine right now, but hell definetly need the nutrients from these veggies

 

[KarrieRee]

yes he will get a balanced diet w/ the veggies the insects and w/ the worms ---
Karrie