Middle-Aged (6+ yrs) Beardie Diet

[blazinbeardie]

My 6 year old beardie, Drake, is a picky eater. He's not a big fan of any worms other than phoenix and butter worms, and he HATES salad! He also doesn't eat as much as he used to. If I try feeding him protein everyday he'll only eat a few worms, or he'll eat like 6-10 worms (or a dozen or so crickets) once or twice a week. He used to eat kale and collard greens but now he'll only eat like 1 little piece of romaine lettuce, which I know is basically completely useless nutritionally.

So my questions are: 1) Anyone with a middle-aged beardie: How much does your beardie eat? 2) Anyone with a picky beardie: How can I get my Drake to eat other worms and more salad? 3) How terrible is it that his diet basically consists of butter worms, crickets, romaine lettuce, and the occasional strawberry or grape?

Thanks!

 

[miloandrufusdragons]

I think u should try mixing a few Greenland romaine together with some carrots or yellow squash.

 

[kjinxx2]

Very weird that he only eats romaine. When is the last time that you had a fecal done? Sounds like he either has a bug or his husbandry is off.

 

[Loganator]

Our Izzy is also 6 years old now and continues to eat like a pig! Loves his protein (superworms are his fav), but enjoys salads everyday too. Everyone keeps telling me that at this age he really only needs the live feeders (protein) 2-4 times week and that he'll slow down on his own. But it does not appear that he's slowing anytime soon. If we try to skip a day here or there with the live feeders, he just eats twice as much the next time we offer them. He eats approx. 4-6 superworms a day and some crickets as well as his salads. I worry about fatty liver disease at his age with too much protein, but so far Vet says his blood test & levels are normal. Although he is very robust. 884 grams He's a big guy!

We have noticed that he goes thru phases with his salads. He tires of the same thing and we have to change it up. He loves Arugula (which is what he's getting now) and he will be satisfied with that for about 3-4 weeks. Then he'll start ignoring it and we'll switch to another green he enjoys. We go thru this rotation of sorts. Over the years we have tried every vegetable acceptable & safe for Beardies to find what he likes the best. So he has a rotating menu of:

Turnip greens (not collard or mustard or dandelion, he's picky like this!)
yellow bell peppers (not red, green or orange, only the yellow)
Arugula and/or rocket (he prefers Baby arugula)
zucchini squash
cantaloupe & Blueberries (for dessert if eats his veggies)

...and so on. Are these guys spoiled or what?!

 

[blazinbeardie]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try mixing in some carrots and squash. If that doesn't work, well I guess I'll just have to live with a picky beardie! If anyone has any other suggestions let me know!

 

[Burra]

I found as my previous beardie, Rex, got older he was more motivated by color than what the food actually was. He would dive into his bowl of greens as long at there was something red or orange in there. The brighter the color the better!