How often do I feed

[Maltier]

Hello! I think my beardie is overweight, I rescued him from someone who only fed freeze dried food from PetSmart so he was very very hungry when I got him, so I think I feed him too often the first month I had him. I was wondering what you guys feeding schedule is. I know you feed veggies every day, but what days do you guys give proteins like roaches and worms?

 

[Sue E.]

I personally do Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alternating between dubias and superworms, silkworms when I can get them, and a hornworm once a week or so. My dragon doesnt like bsfl (calciworms/phoenix worms), or I would definitely feed those on one of the days. I dont feed crickets.

 

[Maltier]

I personally do Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alternating between dubias and superworms, silkworms when I can get them, and a hornworm once a week or so. My dragon doesnt like bsfl (calciworms/phoenix worms), or I would definitely feed those on one of the days. I dont feed crickets.

Okay! That sounds like a good schedule. I've never tried silk worms or hornworms with any of my beardies. Are those supposed to act as treats or part of a meal (like feed multiple)

 

[xp29]

Okay! That sounds like a good schedule. I've never tried silk worms or hornworms with any of my beardies. Are those supposed to act as treats or part of a meal (like feed multiple)

Silkworms can be a staple. Hornworms a treat, but hornworm are very good for helping hydration. They also grow very fast so you have to feed them off pretty quickly

 

[Sue E.]

Okay! That sounds like a good schedule. I've never tried silk worms or hornworms with any of my beardies. Are those supposed to act as treats or part of a meal (like feed multiple)

Silkworms can be fed as a staple, they are not just treats. They contain some important nutrients and enzymes like serraptase that other feeders dont have. Hornworms are low in fat and have some fairly decent protein (about 19%) but not many other nutrients. They are EXCELLENT for hydration as they are like 92% water. You can feed them in place of a couple of your other insects/worms about once a week or so, probably not more often than that. Beardies love them but nutrition wise they are so-so. One advantage to hornworms is their calcium to phosphorus ratio is good, so you dont have to calcium dust them. You can gut load (feed) your roaches and worms with fruits and veggies that are good for your dragon for a couple days before giving them to your dragon to make them more nutritious. Not silkworms, though..the only thing they eat is mulberry leaves. I order my silkworms from reptilianarts.com in a cup with food.

 

[Sue E.]

Depending on the size of my silkworms, I give 6 to 10 once a week. I give 4 superworms (calcium dusted!) once a week. They have a poor calcium/phosphorus ratio as is. I feed large (3/4 inch) roaches, not adults, because adults contain more uric acid than roaches that are still growing (uric acid can contribute to gout). Im still working out the number of roaches...I think he could do more than the 6 or 7 I feed him, but Im trying to keep him leaner for health. Roaches also once a week. Calcium dust all bugs/worms except hornworms and if you feed them, the black soldier fly larva (also known as calciworms or phoenix worms). I dont feed crickets or wax worms. That is just a guideline...sometimes ill give roaches 2x week, or superworms 2xweek, or silkworms 2x week. Sometimes I mix them up..a couple of these, one or two of those. Variety is the key to get all the nutrients...I learned that here from a couple very experienced keepers!

 

[Sue E.]

As far as hornworms, i only give one or two at a time as they grow very fast and are quite big when I give them. My dragon is a year old. I fed him primarily small roaches and bsfl and silkworms when he was a baby and juvenile because of the size of the superworms and the hornworms. Young dragons need smaller feeder insects/worms. Leafy greens everyday (kale, arugula, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens..mix it up.) You can also throw in some chopped or shredded bell pepper or squashes.

 

[Sue E.]

Feed babies bugs or worms everyday, juveniles every other day, adult dragons (over 1 year old ) only 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[Zilla2025]

I've been feeding Zilla every day his salad and he gets roughly 15 crickets dusted a day...he doesn't like the roaches or the flies...I want to try the silk worms and hornworms but scared they are to big for him...

 

[Sue E.]

How old is he, roughly? Do you know? If you can measure him from tip of nose (snout) to tip of tail, you can get a *rough* estimate of his age...not 100%, all dragons grow differently. If he is missing any of his tail, you can do snout to vent (basically head and body, minus the tail)length instead. It can be tricky to measure him if he doesnt hold still, you might be best off doing it whens he is sleepy and stretched out.Are the crickets the small ones?

 

[Zilla2025]

How old is he, roughly? Do you know? If you can measure him from tip of nose (snout) to tip of tail, you can get a *rough* estimate of his age...not 100%, all dragons grow differently. If he is missing any of his tail, you can do snout to vent (basically head and body, minus the tail)length instead. It can be tricky to measure him if he doesnt hold still, you might be best off doing it whens he is sleepy and stretched out.Are the crickets the small ones?

He will be a year old in june

 

[Zilla2025]

He will be a year old in june

Yes small crickets

 

[Sue E.]

Might want to start cutting down his bugs to around 3x a week or so as he is getting into adulthood. Does he eat his greens well?

 

[Sue E.]

He is a sweet looking spikey boy by the way!

 

[Zilla2025]

How old is he, roughly? Do you know? If you can measure him from tip of nose (snout) to tip of tail, you can get a *rough* estimate of his age...not 100%, all dragons grow differently. If he is missing any of his tail, you can do snout to vent (basically head and body, minus the tail)length instead. It can be tricky to measure him if he doesnt hold still, you might be best off doing it whens he is sleepy and stretched out.Are the crickets the small ones?

He is a year old in June...and he gets small crickets (15/20 ) and a salad consisting of collard turnip mustard and dandelion greens with arugula and kale I alternate...loves butternut squash yellow bell peppers and yellow squash carrots not fond of fruits...like mealworms...he loses interest if I try anymore then 20 on the crickets