Meet Yoda

[bmjelken]

The name isn't very original but the kids picked it. We have had him a week and he is about a month old. So I offer him kale, squash, crickets, butterworms twice a day. It doesn't touch the kale or squash much.

I cut up all the food so that it is smaller than his head. I want to make sure he has no trouble eating it. He has only ate one cricket that we have witnessed. And there are still several jumping around in there. I remove the food once it has all dried up. I offer him a butterworm twice a day and he usually eats both. But wont take more than that. He doesn't eat much salad either - I did see him eat a good size piece today. I worry that he isn't eating enough but I offer him food several times a day. Today he wouldn't eat a worm and I tried multiple times. He is pooping plenty So I know he is eating something when I am not watching.

Some people have said their dragons eat tons of crickets a day. But I am not seeing this happen. I know every beardie is different. And as long as he is pooping and active I am not going to worry a whole bunch.

Would still like anyone's input.

 

[TheReptile838]

Yoda looks very cute :wink:

Cutting the veg smaller than his head is correct. People usually say "No bigger than the length in between their eyes".
Don't worry if you think he isn't eating enough. This should get better as moving into a new home can cause them to go off food for a few days. Babies eat 80% protein (which is in the bugs) and 20% veg. It switches around for when they are adults. Babies will be more into insects than veg usually.
One cricket is not enough. Babies should be fed as many crickets as they want in 10 minutes 2 times a day. Make sure they don't eat 2 or something per feeding as they will need more. 10 Crickets per feeding is perfect. When they are adults they should have one feeding per day, or every other day. You should not leave any crickets inside the cage whilst not looking. Crickets can nibble at the dragon whilst it is asleep or not noticing them. You can hand feed them or use small feeding tongs to feed crickets or worms with. You can put crickets in the cage for them to hunt (as you do not want a lazy beardie), but make sure your Bearded Dragon eats it.
They can get roughly 30 worms a week. Possibly 10 a day? Stay away from meal worms and morio worms (bigger meal worms) as they cause impaction. You can use super worms, but only once your dragon is an adult as super worms are quite big. Phoenix Worms are a Beardies favourite. You can give Horn Worms as treats.

You should do a variety of different veg and greens. I recommend using Mustard Greens or Collard Greens as well as Kale. Your Bearded Dragon can be left the veggies after one hour from the lights being turned on and being waking up so he has time to heat up. Take away veg one hour before turning lights off.

Hope I helped. Have fun with your Bearded Dragon
~Abi

 

[Isbe]

Try placing the crickets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so to slow them down so your Dragon can catch them. Mine won't eat just any cricket they have to be half froze and dropped in front of him picky eater kind of like my kids but I won't go there.

 

[Taterbug]

What a cute little baby!
Hopefully his appetite for bugs will pick up once he is better settled in. It's great that he is eating his worms and veggies and they are coming out the other end.

If you haven't planned to already, mix up you green of choice. It's easiest just to get something different each time you run out or it goes bad. Long term feeding of just one green can have some health effects down the road. You might also find your little guy has favorites that he will eat more of. They don't always eat a lot of greens when they are little, especially if they didn't get them at the petstore. He might be taking little nibbles when you aren't looking so keep offering.

 

[bmjelken]

Thanks everyone. I knew about the worms. Didn't eat any today - yet. He did get a new cricket though, that was nice to see. I did not know you're not supposed to leave them in the cage with him. This could be an issue. As the little buggers like to hide in the holes in the underside of the log. I am home all day - so I check on him a lot I will shake the log a couple times a day to get them a runnin' :lol: and that does get the dragon excited.

He tasted a grape today when I tried to give it to him, but still wouldn't eat it. Crazy lizard.

 

[Isbe]

My dragon looks insulted when I put him in a feeder tank with crickets. Cool them in the refrigerator and drop them in front of him is the only way he eats crickets. Pain in the butt that is why I switched to dubia roaches.

 

[Tonja]

Personally I would not recommend kale as a staple but once in a while is fine. Kale binds calcium and makes it so it cant be properly utilized by your dragon. I would feed collard, mustard, turnip, arugala, endive and bok choy leaves. Spinach is the same, will bind calcium. They can have squash, green pepper, carrots in moderation, NO citrus fruits at all. Deseeded strawberry <I just take the skin off>, blueberries, occasionally banana, black berry and raspberry. Apples and pears are ok along with prickly pear cactus skinned and dethorned. There is a great nutritional chart most of us use at beautifuldragons.com that will tell you what they should or should not have and how often. I also would not feed waxworms as they are very fatty and to many can cause fatty liver in them.

 

[bmjelken]

My dragon looks insulted when I put him in a feeder tank with crickets. Cool them in the refrigerator and drop them in front of him is the only way he eats crickets. Pain in the butt that is why I switched to dubia roaches.

I cooled the crickets (hehehehe) but he still didn't seem interested. He did eat better today though so that makes me feel better.

 

[bmjelken]

Thanks - I used that list before I even got him. And it said Kale was a staple. Guess I am confused there. I knew about waxworms - and I don't use them - no one sells them around here anyway.

 

[Taterbug]

Kale should be OK, it won't harm your dragon in moderation, and its no where near the same as spinach when it comes to available calcium. I've heard it make for some rank poos in some dragons though.
Its best to try to rotate or mix the greens/veggies you offer so he isn't getting too much of one nutrient and not enough of another. Each plant has something good to offer, and something not so good.

 

[bmjelken]

I have been giving him fresh Brussel sprout pieces. He likes those too.

 

[CaveJohnson]

I'm sorry but, may the force be with him. Star Wars fan..

 

[bmjelken]

I am a fan if all things sci fi .

 

[bmjelken]

Yoda is doing great. Still wont eat crickets - so I have given up on them for now. He still eats his butterworms and will occasionally eat the greens I give him everyday. He has been through his first shed already

I do have a question about bugs. We live on a farm and have no small shortage of flies. They get in the house some how and we can't get rid of them unless we fumigate on a regular basis - and that costs too much money. So we just live with them, they don't live long and I just sweep them up. A few have found their way into Yoda's cage in-between the glass. AND HE LOVES THEM. He will chase them across the cage to eat them. He just goes right after them. He has never shown that much interest in any other bug I've tried to give him. So I figured if he will eat them I will give him some. He will eat 5 at a time. Anything that he will eat that wont harm him and gets him excited is a good thing. Now I have not seen anything on here about flies being bad - so that is my question. Are flies ok? I can't keep them from getting into his cage. But if they are bad - I wont purposely feed them to him. And yes I even dust them with the vitamins and calcium powders.

 

[Tonja]

I would not give him any flies. Flies carry parasites and can pass them on to your dragon and they also eat off garbage and animal waste which can carry parasites not to mention you don't know if they have been in an area where pesticides are used. Remember what your beardies food eats or carries also your beardie eats. I would hang the no pest strip above his tank or something to catch the flies to keep them out of the tank.