Loves greens, but not bugs

[uberglasses]

So my bearded dragon will only eat like 2-3 dubias/crickets a day, but a lot of greens. Is that normal? When the crickets or dubias are around her, she'll just ignore them. I thought maybe she doesn't like me watching her eat (although she'll race up to me to get greens right out of my hands), so I tried to hide and watch her, but nothing! I tried feeding her in and out of her tank, but alas, nothing. She is pooping every day and it looks like a normal amount. Is this normal at this age to like greens more than protein? She's about 7 inches long.

 

[zandi202]

For her size she should be eating way more bugs...80%bug and 20%greens. I noticed you mentioned something about hand feeding her greens, Is that the only time she eats them, when you hand feed? If so, she might be getting lazy and not want to bother hunting. If that is the case, you'll have to play tough love and leave her to go for her food on her own.

 

[uberglasses]

Yeah, she won't eat the greens on her own if they're in the dish. So I should just leave the feeder crickets in the tank? Or just leave her and the feeder bugs in a smaller tank until eaten?

 

[zandi202]

Yeah, she is probably lazy. What I did for my babies since I am away at school for most of the day was I bought a smooth sided bowl and put dubia, horn, silk, butter, and phoenix worms in it. They can't climb the smooth walls and can be left in their all day. When I got my two used to the bowl = food I would put them on the lid of the pose so that they could see the bugs and after a week of doing that, I left them alone and they go to it on their own when they are hungry. I wouldn't recommended leaving crickets free ranging just because they can harm the beardie and they don't typically stay in the bowl because they can jump, little buggers.

 

[uberglasses]

Ooh good idea about the smooth ceramic bowl and dubias! I forget they can't climb smooth walls. I will try it and tough it out, do my best not to hand-feed. Thanks!

 

[zandi202]

You're welcome. The tough love I think is tougher on us then them :lol:. I had to do it with Jace when I first got him, he was such a bum :roll:. I hope it works out, keep me updated.

Also on a side note, a Petco employee I knew had a beardie and she would hand feed them and she warned me not to. The reason was not because of laziness, but because he would bite her hand thinking hands = food. She said it took about a week for him to stop.

 

[ihdolphin]

Once they get older their bite can hurt more then a Ball Python