OMG GREENS.

[phanatical92]

My beardie is about 8 months old and won't even look at his greens unless I hand feed them to him. I'm going to college soon, and I know my family won't take the time to sit with him and feed him, so how can I get him to eat on his own? I've tried adding fruit and applesauce to make them more appetizing, and I know they're not going to get baby food for the sole purpose of feeding my dragon (he's not very popular...they're afraid of him ). Does anyone know of any other tricks?

 

[Hellstrom]

My beardie is incredibly spoiled too. When I stopped handfeeding so much, it took him a few days to realize he could and should eat on his own. He still prefers handfeeding (if you're worried about bonding). Mostly, he'll only eat on his own if I'm not in the room. If I'm in the room he looks down at his food and then at me...and of course I can't say no! He will eventually catch on if you just keep a salad in there, I tried putting stuff on it like baby food to make him interested, but he totally didn't care...he always hated baby food. haha

So is anyone going to be giving him attention, like holding while you're in college? Cause his personality might change if he goes a while without attention...

 

[Nugget]

Hi

Try a bit of finely chopped red pepper.

I'm sure they are attracted to the colour, mine seems to be. Means he'll soon start to look for it at the dish and hopefully eat other veg too.

Hope it works.

 

[phanatical92]

Try a bit of finely chopped red pepper.

Thanks! I'll see if it gets him interested

So is anyone going to be giving him attention, like holding while you're in college?

My parents insist that I call/video chat with them every day, so every time I do I'll force them to get him out so I can see him :whip: My little sister is also okay with handling him a bit- I just have to remind her. He's not going to be quite so spoiled, but I'll make up for it during the holidays XD

 

[Sapphire]

Try strawberries and blackberries. Also, maybe if you pick him up and physically put him next to his salad dish a few times, he'll pay attention to it.

 

[Trogdorpheus]

I had the same problem, to get her to realize the bowl's purpose I would hand feed a few, then gradually hold them farther away from her and make her walk to them. Eventually I got her to walk all the way to the salad dish and I just picked a couple up and dropped them back in, then stood there. She stared at me a few minutes, glancing at the salad a few times, then finally decided she'd do it herself. Eats from the dish like a champ now, and even sits in it when it is empty to make sure I notice.

Why can't you take him with you to college? My girl comes up with me when I go, and I'm pretty sure most places have a "No fur, No feathers!" type of deal... this is usually to allow people to have fish or something, but lizards skate by through the loophole.

 

[nair88]

i second the red pepper idea. i tried that this morning for the first time and he immediately ran over to his salad and started munching away. this is the same little guy who has only nibbled on his salad in the past - and only once a week at the most. i'm definitely going to continue with the red peppers

 

[bkelley]

Just to be sure, you're talking about red bell peppers, correct?

 

[nair88]

yes, bell peppers. not the red pepper seeds.

 

[ATLBeardedDragons]

Ive Trained alot of my "stubborn green eaters" to eat their greens by putting some mealworms or small superworms on top of their greens. It works as a way for them to dig through the greens to catch the worms and mistakingly miss the bug every now and then and get a good taste of the greens. They will eventually favor them as a part of their diet. Sometimes its harder for some beardies to actually get them to chow down on some greens.

*** You can even do it with your crickets. Rattle them up a bit when you dust them or "stun" them by putting them in a zip-lock baggie and smack em' hard against something. When you pour them onto the greens they will be stunned, yet still moving, grasping your beardie's attention to go and eat His Protien-filled Salad!

[email protected]

www.AtlantaBeardedDragons.com

sincerely,
ABD

 

[phanatical92]

Thanks for all the suggestions! He has to cave sometime... And the rule at my college is that we can't keep anything that can't live in a 10 gallon aquarium. Though I have heard of people keeping their beardies in totes...>

 

[Freeie]

Ive Trained alot of my "stubborn green eaters" to eat their greens by putting some mealworms or small superworms on top of their greens. It works as a way for them to dig through the greens to catch the worms and mistakingly miss the bug every now and then and get a good taste of the greens. They will eventually favor them as a part of their diet. Sometimes its harder for some beardies to actually get them to chow down on some greens.

*** You can even do it with your crickets. Rattle them up a bit when you dust them or "stun" them by putting them in a zip-lock baggie and smack em' hard against something. When you pour them onto the greens they will be stunned, yet still moving, grasping your beardie's attention to go and eat His Protien-filled Salad!

[email protected]

http://www.AtlantaBeardedDragons.com

sincerely,
ABD

Thats what i had to do too lol Everyone looked at me funny when id shake the crud out of the crickets. But it works.