Got my baby bearded dragon eating… but at the cost of calcium?

[Andi_Braun]

So I have posted a couple times that I couldn’t get my baby bearded dragon to eat. Turns out she is picky as can be. Today I have had success twice in a row ! After getting rid of the bowl and putting them on ground nothing, but today I was in a hurry and didn’t dust them in calcium and dumped them on top of her hide. She ate 9 out of 10 I put in there! Only one that she didn’t eat got off hide and she wouldn’t get it off the shelf liner. (When I came home it was gone so she ate it in the next couple hours at some point)

So for lunch I came home and tried again and put 10 in and again she ate 8 out of 10, just didn’t eat the other 2 that fell off so I picked them up and put them on her hide and she ate them!

I grabbed 5 more and dusted 2 of them lightly and dropped all 5 on her hide. She smelled the 2 dusted and walked away and ate the 3 not dusted. I threw another not dusted in and she ate it. So her problem has been the calcium powder! Which also explains why she was eating the wax worms I wasn’t dusting.

So how do I get her calcium?

I buy my roaches online 1000-3000 at a time and put em in a tote with egg crates and on on a top egg crate I fill some of the slots with flukers high calcium dubia feed and the green cricket/insect gut loader. But I doubt the little bit of that that they eat really is enough to not provide calcium?

She also won’t eat the reptivite with D3. So idk how to get her the vitamins as well.

 

[KarrieRee]

So I have posted a couple times that I couldn’t get my baby bearded dragon to eat. Turns out she is picky as can be. Today I have had success twice in a row ! After getting rid of the bowl and putting them on ground nothing, but today I was in a hurry and didn’t dust them in calcium and dumped them on top of her hide. She ate 9 out of 10 I put in there! Only one that she didn’t eat got off hide and she wouldn’t get it off the shelf liner. (When I came home it was gone so she ate it in the next couple hours at some point)

So for lunch I came home and tried again and put 10 in and again she ate 8 out of 10, just didn’t eat the other 2 that fell off so I picked them up and put them on her hide and she ate them!

I grabbed 5 more and dusted 2 of them lightly and dropped all 5 on her hide. She smelled the 2 dusted and walked away and ate the 3 not dusted. I threw another not dusted in and she ate it. So her problem has been the calcium powder! Which also explains why she was eating the wax worms I wasn’t dusting.

So how do I get her calcium?

I buy my roaches online 1000-3000 at a time and put em in a tote with egg crates and on on a top egg crate I fill some of the slots with flukers high calcium dubia feed and the green cricket/insect gut loader. But I doubt the little bit of that that they eat really is enough to not provide calcium?

She also won’t eat the reptivite with D3. So idk how to get her the vitamins as well.

You can get some liquid from this site -- its Drache613's site or Tracie - I would ask her how much to give

Home

Quality reptile supplies such as liquid calcium, powdered calcium, reptile supplements, cleaners and reptile medications to keep your pet happy and healthy.

bug-de-lite.com

 

[hdochow]

i use both the calcium and the vitamins from Tracie's website. they come with dosing amounts based on weight.

 

[Andi_Braun]

I just ordered the calcium from that site.

 

[Andi_Braun]

how do I give it to babies so that I can be prepared and have everything here that I will need.

 

[hdochow]

we add it to a little water or juice, about 1/4 tsp, and then give it with a pipette. you can get a bunch on amazon for pretty cheap. drop slowly and let them lick it.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B085VXMY78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Andi_Braun]

we add it to a little water or juice, about 1/4 tsp, and then give it with a pipette. you can get a bunch on amazon for pretty cheap. drop slowly and let them lick it.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B085VXMY78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And just like drop on mouth and let them lick it off?

 

[hdochow]

yep. might take a couple times for them to figure it out so don't get discouraged

 

[Andi_Braun]

yep. might take a couple times for them to figure it out so don't get discouraged

Do you still do the 1x a day for 5 days calcium and 1x a day other 2 days with vitamins ?

 

[hdochow]

3x a week for the calcium and 1x a week for the vitamins, one "serving" on those days. but that is because sir henry is 2 and done growing. for a baby you still want the schedule you mentioned.

 

[xp29]

I'm happy you figured it out, beardies can be some of the pickiest of eaters, and they could teach a dang mule how to be more stubborn.

 

[Andi_Braun]

She is back to not even eating that way. This lizard is going to be the death of me

 

[xp29]

As you learn her personality and what works and what don't, you'll start to be more comfortable in dealing with their/ little quirks. Besides they are worth it

 

[Andi_Braun]

She is back to not eating now except for every other day and then just a few bugs. Got her bsfl and she eats more of those then dubias. But it’s still only 2-4 a day. Her vet appt is Monday, I’m assuming parasites at this point.