I just got a beardie. what should I feed her?

[Moxxie1122]

I just got a bearded dragon from PetsMart (not the best place I know) I believe she is a hatchling. I've been feeding her dandelions. romaine lettuce. Fluker's buffet blend and crickets. mealworms twice a week and cucumbers once every other week. plus blueberries once a week. i aim to get better and more options for her but what kind of blend should I get? I googled it but all I get are a bunch of options of what I can feed her but not a specific blend. so what mix of foods should I make?

 

[RangoRocky]

If you can get her to eat greens that’s great. I have a baby she is maybe 2mos old and I’m just getting her to eat greens but she will only eat them with bee pollen on it. I was told that lettuce isn’t good so I have never fed either of mines any. But all of the veggies I use that are top staples are

Daily Greens Daily Bugs
Sweet potato Dubia
Collards. Nutrigrub
Kale. Crickets
Bak choy
Parsley
Swiss chard
Squash
Green Peppers
Turnip/Mustard greens
Dandelions
Clovers

1-2 weekly Fruits & Bugs
Strawberry
Blueberry
Blackberry

Personally I change up the greens weekly so they don’t get tired of eating the same things.

 

[KarrieRee]

I just got a bearded dragon from PetsMart (not the best place I know) I believe she is a hatchling. I've been feeding her dandelions. romaine lettuce. Fluker's buffet blend and crickets. mealworms twice a week and cucumbers once every other week. plus blueberries once a week. i aim to get better and more options for her but what kind of blend should I get? I googled it but all I get are a bunch of options of what I can feed her but not a specific blend. so what mix of foods should I make?

The main staple for the dragon is protein -- crickets dubia roaches which I recommend also BSFL -- please no meal worms they are too harsh on babies stomachs -- please get some dubias from here they are a better feeder and easier to keep and cheaper than buying from the pet store
www.dubiaroaches.com - order the size no bigger than the space between the eyes use their chart -- you can get some nutri grubs from here as well they are another great staple feeder for babies - do not dust these but dust the dubias - calcium D3 5 x per week ONCE per feeding and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding - use the nutri grubs as a salad lure - you will need a bowl like this to keep them in and they will also keep the dubias in as well for now till the roach size gets bigger-- you can use a 10 gallon tank to keep dubias in or a plastic tote -- feed them dubia food a long w/ dubia dew and what you feed your dragon fruit veggies etc---------- https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Please dont feed the dry blend stuff it is not very healthy for them but feed fresh salads every day - here is nutrition website ignore the kale thing its a great staple feeder Nutrition Content
Feed your salads first thing in the morning and add your nutri grubs to her salad in front of her do not dust them they are high in calcium- use as many as you want they will lure her to the salad bowl - then after about a hr or so later add our dubias shes gonna eat around 10-15 of them make sure you dust them -- she should be offered protein 3 times per day she is a baby and growing -- make sure you are using a long tube fixture UVB please no coils they are no good and inadequate - surface basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer no stick ons please they are giving you ambient temps only you want her basking temps 105-110 --- I can post links for good UVB's if you need them -- what size of a tank do you have?

 

[RangoRocky]

Also occasionally cabbage, broccoli and apple

 

[Moxxie1122]

The main staple for the dragon is protein -- crickets dubia roaches which I recommend also BSFL -- please no meal worms they are too harsh on babies stomachs -- please get some dubias from here they are a better feeder and easier to keep and cheaper than buying from the pet store
www.dubiaroaches.com - order the size no bigger than the space between the eyes use their chart -- you can get some nutri grubs from here as well they are another great staple feeder for babies - do not dust these but dust the dubias - calcium D3 5 x per week ONCE per feeding and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding - use the nutri grubs as a salad lure - you will need a bowl like this to keep them in and they will also keep the dubias in as well for now till the roach size gets bigger-- you can use a 10 gallon tank to keep dubias in or a plastic tote -- feed them dubia food a long w/ dubia dew and what you feed your dragon fruit veggies etc---------- https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Please dont feed the dry blend stuff it is not very healthy for them but feed fresh salads every day - here is nutrition website ignore the kale thing its a great staple feeder Nutrition Content
Feed your salads first thing in the morning and add your nutri grubs to her salad in front of her do not dust them they are high in calcium- use as many as you want they will lure her to the salad bowl - then after about a hr or so later add our dubias shes gonna eat around 10-15 of them make sure you dust them -- she should be offered protein 3 times per day she is a baby and growing -- make sure you are using a long tube fixture UVB please no coils they are no good and inadequate - surface basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer no stick ons please they are giving you ambient temps only you want her basking temps 105-110 --- I can post links for good UVB's if you need them -- what size of a tank do you have?

Thank you so much. I'll make sure not to give her any more mealworms. I'll stop giving her pellet food as well Luckily we already got a digital probe. And yes good UVBs would be much appreciated. I believe we have a twenty gallon long. Do i keep giving her a new salad or can i leave hers in until the next day?

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you so much. I'll make sure not to give her any more mealworms. I'll stop giving her pellet food as well Luckily we already got a digital probe. And yes good UVBs would be much appreciated. I believe we have a twenty gallon long. Do i keep giving her a new salad or can i leave hers in until the next day?

Ok so for a 20 gallon I would recommend getting the 24" Zoo Med Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood
this is going to come w/ a 5.0 bulb use that for the tank now -- it will need to be unobstructed NO screen please and the distance is going to be 6-8 inches directly over the basking decor --- when you upgrade to a bigger tank 40+ I recommend a 75-120 gallon tank then the bulb will need to be upgraded as well - a 22" Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb - it will fit right into the fixture now --
Please give her fresh salads every day - rinse the greens before serving and she will most of her hydration from them -- they should eat 2-3 hrs before lights out -- gives them time to bask

 

[Moxxie1122]

If you can get her to eat greens that’s great. I have a baby she is maybe 2mos old and I’m just getting her to eat greens but she will only eat them with bee pollen on it. I was told that lettuce isn’t good so I have never fed either of mines any. But all of the veggies I use that are top staples are

Daily Greens Daily Bugs
Sweet potato Dubia
Collards. Nutrigrub
Kale. Crickets
Bak choy
Parsley
Swiss chard
Squash
Green Peppers
Turnip/Mustard greens
Dandelions
Clovers

1-2 weekly Fruits & Bugs
Strawberry
Blueberry
Blackberry

Personally I change up the greens weekly so they don’t get tired of eating the same things.

If you can get her to eat greens that’s great. I have a baby she is maybe 2mos old and I’m just getting her to eat greens but she will only eat them with bee pollen on it. I was told that lettuce isn’t good so I have never fed either of mines any. But all of the veggies I use that are top staples are

Daily Greens Daily Bugs
Sweet potato Dubia
Collards. Nutrigrub
Kale. Crickets
Bak choy
Parsley
Swiss chard
Squash
Green Peppers
Turnip/Mustard greens
Dandelions
Clovers

1-2 weekly Fruits & Bugs
Strawberry
Blueberry
Blackberry

Personally I change up the greens weekly so they don’t get tired of eating the same things.

Yep! she eats greens. I prefer not to feed her lettuce but we were short on greens so i didnt have much else (of course the time i get a bearded dragon is the time we're short, lol) Would I be able to feed her clovers and dandileons from outside? we have not used any chemicals in our backyard in atleast 12 years. with the daily greens. do i have to mix all of them or is it just all the ones i can feed daily? Also, Do you know of anything i can feed her that resembles hair? Cause she always trys to eat mine and a dog hair somehow fell in her enclorsure and she ate it right up. I was mortifed lol. But would a mix of dandelions, Clovers. Green peppers and parsley be okay? or would that be too little of a salad/too much?

 

[Ngoctk73]

I just got a bearded dragon from PetsMart (not the best place I know) I believe she is a hatchling. I've been feeding her dandelions. romaine lettuce. Fluker's buffet blend and crickets. mealworms twice a week and cucumbers once every other week. plus blueberries once a week. i aim to get better and more options for her but what kind of blend should I get? I googled it but all I get are a bunch of options of what I can feed her but not a specific blend. so what mix of foods should I make?

I got my little one at Petsmart and he got gout! But love the little one anyway. He is on med for the rest of his life. But make sure your little one get natural sunlight too. It beats all the lights we set up for them.

 

[Moxxie1122]

Ok so for a 20 gallon I would recommend getting the 24" Zoo Med Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood
this is going to come w/ a 5.0 bulb use that for the tank now -- it will need to be unobstructed NO screen please and the distance is going to be 6-8 inches directly over the basking decor --- when you upgrade to a bigger tank 40+ I recommend a 75-120 gallon tank then the bulb will need to be upgraded as well - a 22" Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb - it will fit right into the fixture now --
Please give her fresh salads every day - rinse the greens before serving and she will most of her hydration from them -- they should eat 2-3 hrs before lights out -- gives them time to bask

Alrighty tysm Will the basking light be emitting light 24/7 or is there a reg light and a basking light? I share a room with people and they may not allow me to have a bright light on during night time. or do i turn it off at night?

 

[RangoRocky]

I take my bigger dragon and let him eat the clovers and dandelions but for the baby as in your case as well I pick them and put them in her bowl. I just make sure they smaller pieces. You can mix them with daily greens but don’t have to. Yes the dandelions, Clovers, Green peppers and parsley would be okay. They’re only going to eat so much of it anyway. If that doesn’t working try mixing them with other greens like the kale or collard. For the hair, have you maybe tried spaghetti squash? Or even try thinly shredding a carrot.

 

[Moxxie1122]

I take my bigger dragon and let him eat the clovers and dandelions but for the baby as in your case as well I pick them and put them in her bowl. I just make sure they smaller pieces. You can mix them with daily greens but don’t have to. Yes the dandelions, Clovers, Green peppers and parsley would be okay. They’re only going to eat so much of it anyway. If that doesn’t working try mixing them with other greens like the kale or collard. For the hair, have you maybe tried spaghetti squash? Or even try thinly shredding a carrot.

I'll try that thank you I plan to get carrots so ill try that! thank you so much

 

[Moxxie1122]

The main staple for the dragon is protein -- crickets dubia roaches which I recommend also BSFL -- please no meal worms they are too harsh on babies stomachs -- please get some dubias from here they are a better feeder and easier to keep and cheaper than buying from the pet store
www.dubiaroaches.com - order the size no bigger than the space between the eyes use their chart -- you can get some nutri grubs from here as well they are another great staple feeder for babies - do not dust these but dust the dubias - calcium D3 5 x per week ONCE per feeding and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding - use the nutri grubs as a salad lure - you will need a bowl like this to keep them in and they will also keep the dubias in as well for now till the roach size gets bigger-- you can use a 10 gallon tank to keep dubias in or a plastic tote -- feed them dubia food a long w/ dubia dew and what you feed your dragon fruit veggies etc---------- https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Please dont feed the dry blend stuff it is not very healthy for them but feed fresh salads every day - here is nutrition website ignore the kale thing its a great staple feeder Nutrition Content
Feed your salads first thing in the morning and add your nutri grubs to her salad in front of her do not dust them they are high in calcium- use as many as you want they will lure her to the salad bowl - then after about a hr or so later add our dubias shes gonna eat around 10-15 of them make sure you dust them -- she should be offered protein 3 times per day she is a baby and growing -- make sure you are using a long tube fixture UVB please no coils they are no good and inadequate - surface basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer no stick ons please they are giving you ambient temps only you want her basking temps 105-110 --- I can post links for good UVB's if you need them -- what size of a tank do you have?

In total id be feeding her about 30-40 dubias a day correct? and would 1-3 nutri grubs be okay? she already eats her salad but I do need nutri grubs correct? also what size bowl should I get?

 

[hdochow]

Alrighty tysm Will the basking light be emitting light 24/7 or is there a reg light and a basking light? I share a room with people and they may not allow me to have a bright light on during night time. or do i turn it off at night?

all lights should be turned off at night. they like it dark and cooler to sleep. i have a timer for my lights and it is set to an 8am -8pm schedule. red lights or other colored lights should never be used, no matter what time of day.

 

[KarrieRee]

In total id be feeding her about 30-40 dubias a day correct? and would 1-3 nutri grubs be okay? she already eats her salad but I do need nutri grubs correct? also what size bowl should I get?

I sent you a link for the bowl - posted above dubias are filling my 2 month old at 15 at most at one sitting- the bsfl I fed about 20 of them the dubias were the main feeder-

 

[klika]

please no meal worms they are too harsh on babies stomachs --

This theory was debunked by experienced breeders (20+ years) who raised hundreds of baby dragons mostly on mealworms.