Industrial vs Crickets

[littleassassin2]

Was talking to my mom on the phone today when she said (because shes looking into getting her own beardie) "Oh! I was reading today and i read that you can train a baby bearded dragon to mainly eat an industrial diet (that prepacked/made pellet BS they sell in stores)!"

I'm like like don't its stupid and they won't eat it because it doesn't move. They show no interest in it. I had some in my bearded dragon's dish for 3 days and he licked 1 pellet once and that was it, don't waste your time.

She then says "but why? it's cheaper to just do the industrial pellet stuff"

If she's going to take the cheap route with her dragon i'm just going to advise her not to get one because i'm not going to stand idle while this thing gets malnurished and whatnot.

So what's you're take on the industrial pellet food? Would you use it as a staple or would you say hell no and go the route of crickets as a staple with the pellets as a treat or even just sticking them in the salad? Also, i asked my mom about investing in dubias and she said hell no, never, not in this house. (i guess shes afraid of an infestation? oh well, there's no changing her mind :roll: )

 

[SoleSky]

In my eyes pellets are no better than cricket food. If she's worried about money at this point then a bearded dragon is not for her. Babies should be eating 50 crix a day sometimes more. It's important that they get live food and a variety of it. If she wants to feed industrial food then she should get a crested gecko and feed it repashy. Other than that please encourage her to buy crickets or dubia and make sure they're the distance between the beardies eyes.

 

[Catalyst]

The pellets can be useful for adding variety to your dragon's diet, or as a gutload when fed to the insects, but I wouldn't rely on them as a staple for your dragon. I used to sprinkle it over my dragon's salad and sometimes she'd eat it, sometimes not. If your mom doesn't want to deal with a lot of live bugs then she'd be best either getting an adult dragon who will only need 25-50 bugs a week, or go with a different pet entirely. Just because something is sold for an animal doesn't mean it's good for them, especially not as the main part of their diet.

 

[littleassassin2]

Thank you all, keep the opinion/facts coming so i can show my mom this and finally convince her to put up or just don't get one

 

[littleassassin2]

Also, was rereading the 2 replies and you both didn't say why she should use crickets, just that she should. I want to know WHY because if i keep telling her "just because" shes gonna do whatever she wants and the dragon is going to end up not eating like i know it won't.

 

[TheWerewolf]

Was talking to my mom on the phone today when she said (because shes looking into getting her own beardie) "Oh! I was reading today and i read that you can train a baby bearded dragon to mainly eat an industrial diet (that prepacked/made pellet BS they sell in stores)!"

I'm like like don't its stupid and they won't eat it because it doesn't move. They show no interest in it. I had some in my bearded dragon's dish for 3 days and he licked 1 pellet once and that was it, don't waste your time.

She then says "but why? it's cheaper to just do the industrial pellet stuff"

If she's going to take the cheap route with her dragon i'm just going to advise her not to get one because i'm not going to stand idle while this thing gets malnurished and whatnot.

So what's you're take on the industrial pellet food? Would you use it as a staple or would you say hell no and go the route of crickets as a staple with the pellets as a treat or even just sticking them in the salad? Also, i asked my mom about investing in dubias and she said hell no, never, not in this house. (i guess shes afraid of an infestation? oh well, there's no changing her mind :roll: )

I think pellet food is worthless. I own birds and we have NEVER given them pellets. Even though the books say to, I think the birds get enough nutrition from their seeds. And a little bit of human food. They are out of their cage all day and have clipped wings. Spoiled little things!
But feeding pellets to a baby doesn't sound good. At least not as a staple. They need protein. Like the others said, if she is concerned about money then she should get another pet. Beardies need things other than pellets. I can't help you on the other question. But hope this helps!

 

[Catalyst]

Crickets and other live bugs are "all natural" and as close to replicating the dragon's natural diet as you can get. They provide the protein, among other things, that a dragon needs to grow and thrive and they do it without any additives, chemicals, or other junk mixed in. They also help to satisfy the dragon's natural instinct to hunt / chase down their food and in doing so help to keep the dragon mentally stimulated.

 

[TheWerewolf]

Crickets and other live bugs are "all natural" and as close to replicating the dragon's natural diet as you can get. They provide the protein, among other things, that a dragon needs to grow and thrive and they do it without any additives, chemicals, or other junk mixed in. They also help to satisfy the dragon's natural instinct to hunt / chase down their food and in doing so help to keep the dragon mentally stimulated.

Sorry to hijack the thread. But maybe that's why my Nim has been glass dancing. Since we have been buying crickets bit by bit from the petstore we stopped doing that and got canned crickets. We will order 250 crickets in bulk soon. But now I know why my Nim has been glass dancing. He needs mental stimulation! Duh! Thanks Catalyst!

 

[littleassassin2]

Crickets and other live bugs are "all natural" and as close to replicating the dragon's natural diet as you can get. They provide the protein, among other things, that a dragon needs to grow and thrive and they do it without any additives, chemicals, or other junk mixed in. They also help to satisfy the dragon's natural instinct to hunt / chase down their food and in doing so help to keep the dragon mentally stimulated.

Sorry to hijack the thread. But maybe that's why my Nim has been glass dancing. Since we have been buying crickets bit by bit from the petstore we stopped doing that and got canned crickets. We will order 250 crickets in bulk soon. But now I know why my Nim has been glass dancing. He needs mental stimulation! Duh! Thanks Catalyst!

Leeroy glass dances every day, and he also runs around his tank chasing after his reflection, even rubbing his head against it at times lol. So far everything that I've managed to google just says that it should be used as an occasional treat, and even may cause severe dehydration. The only place i've ever read that it can be used as a main food source without ever buying crickets is *drum roll* THE COMMERCIAL FOOD CONTAINER that it comes in :roll:

And yeah, i know if shes in it for the money for her not to bother, i even told her that tonight while i was eating dinner and she was in the kitchen cleaning

 

[TheWerewolf]

Leeroy glass dances every day, and he also runs around his tank chasing after his reflection, even rubbing his head against it at times lol.

Well, I know that Nim's glass dancing isn't reflection related because he tries to JUMP at the lid knowing that is where he can leave. The glass also has water stains on one of the sides and it gives a little bit of traction on his nails. So he knows that he has a chance to escape that way. That reptile is WAY too smart for me! LOL :lol:

 

[littleassassin2]

Alright, well i went to petsmart today for more crickets while i waited for my mail order of Armstrong crickets to arrive (hopefully tomorrow/today depending on where you are at the time of this post) i picked up a guide/introduction book to taking care of bearded dragons. Yes, this was a book, not one of those stupid pamphlets, and inside it said, and i quote:

It is our experience that very young bearded dragons really do need live prey, despite what one may hear or read in the contrary. Without life food, there is a high risk of stunting growth, malnutrition, and even death from starvation

I even told her it carries the risk of dehydration due to the lack of liquid commercial food provides compared to crickets.

I read her that (took a picture of the paragraph with my phone) and told her that there will be no commercial food in this house for the dragons, and if she insists that i refuse to let it happen and she won't be getting a dragon (yes this is her son talking to her that way too :roll: i care too much about these guys to let harm come to them from neglectfulness)