Medium sized crickets?

[beardiesrock123]

My beardie is 8 1/2 inches long and either 2-3 months old. He eats collard greens/crickets every day, about maybe 25-40 crickets, so I'm starting to breed crickets. The pet store (Petsmart) person who sold me this bearded dragon says that he should be eating medium sized crickets now. I know that you can't always rely on them, and even though this employee apparently owns a beardie, should mine really be eating medium crickets at this age/size? Also, I would like to know if he needs to eat more-I feed him collard greens (he eats a large amount of greens), then 15-20 crickets every feeding. I feed him two or three times a day, depending on how hungry he seems. He is still interested in the last of the crickets I feed him every day, so I wonder if he isn't eating enough, yet he doesn't act hungry afterwards and seems content until the next feeding. He's also grown and gotten kind of wide, so I think he's eating enough, but I want to be sure.

 

[Sapphire]

Feed him crickets that are no bigger than the space between his eyes, 2-3 times a day, as many as he can eat in about 10-15 minutes.

 

[Hellstrom]

The general rule is crickets no longer than the space between the eyes. So if you hold up the same size as a medium cricket to his head would the length fit between his eyes. If the answer is yes, he can eat it. If the answer is maybe, I wouldn't do it. With babies I would have them eat more tiny crickets than fewer crickets that might be too big if that makes sense. 25-40 tiny crickets sounds about right. If they are a bit larger, you might be feeding him a little too much. 2 or 3 times a day sounds right. He should be about 80% protein (crickets) and 20% greens, so if that sounds like what you're doing than you should be fine. It should gradually switch to more greens, less protein by the time he reaches about a year.

 

[beardiesrock123]

The general rule is crickets no longer than the space between the eyes. So if you hold up the same size as a medium cricket to his head would the length fit between his eyes. If the answer is yes, he can eat it. If the answer is maybe, I wouldn't do it. With babies I would have them eat more tiny crickets than fewer crickets that might be too big if that makes sense. 25-40 tiny crickets sounds about right. If they are a bit larger, you might be feeding him a little too much. 2 or 3 times a day sounds right. He should be about 80% protein (crickets) and 20% greens, so if that sounds like what you're doing than you should be fine. It should gradually switch to more greens, less protein by the time he reaches about a year.

I'll look at some life size images of medium crickets and compare. He's eating pinhead crickets right now, so I think he's not being overfed. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't underfeeding, because some websites have mixed answers about how much you should feed a beardie. On the subject of greens-he probably eats 60%-40%, because he loves collard greens and squash. He eats a full leaf every day/two days. I hope that that's okay.

 

[Hellstrom]

It shouldn't be a problem. It gradually changes over, so he might have decided he's more of a greens baby, which is great cause some babies won't eat any greens! If they're pinheads he might could eat a few more, he is definitely not being overfed. At his size it sounds like he could be eating the 3/8 inch http://www.nyworms.com/cricketchart.htm

 

[beardiesrock123]

It shouldn't be a problem. It gradually changes over, so he might have decided he's more of a greens baby, which is great cause some babies won't eat any greens! If they're pinheads he might could eat a few more, he is definitely not being overfed. At his size it sounds like he could be eating the 3/8 inch http://www.nyworms.com/cricketchart.htm

Actually, though they are sold as pinheads, most are actually a bit larger (not too large). Looking at the chart, he eats pinheads (not many, actually) through 3/8 inches. Most are about 1/4. Also, I'm glad about the greens. Apparently, my beardie used to not eat at all and he had to be hand raised! He was so skinny when I got him, and now he's getting large. Thanks for the help! I'm new to taking care of bearded dragons (he's my first) so I'm not extremely confident, even though he seems really happy.

 

[diamc]

At his young age, he needs all the protein he wants so offering all he can eat 2 to 3 times a day in about a 10 to 15 minute timeframe would be a good idea. Good that he likes his collards too.