OMW I have to buy crickets every DAY for my baby beardie... is this normal? It's getting pricey and my mom isn't too happy. Thoughts?

[annieandziggy]

Hi everyone, new member here. My bearded dragon Ziggy, (or Cleo, if it's a girl) is maybe around 2 to 3 months old, and I got him about four days ago. I've read that you should feed baby beardies about twice or three times a day in 10 to 15 min intervals. Well, we bought 80 crickets yesterday- fed him some yesterday, and now today for breakfast, he ate the rest. My mom's frustrated bc its getting pricey and she just went to the store. This is normal right?

 

[Doogit]

This is normal. Baby beardies can eat 50+ crickets a day and normally do this for months. I would recommend looking into black soldier fly larvae. It's better for the dragon, less chance of coccidia from the crickets and you can set up a monthly subscription where they ship 1,2 or 3 thousand each month. Sadly, many people get beardies because they're cheap and cute, but they require a ton of care and food. Look through all the guides here for proper feeding schedules, enclosure temperatures, etc. It's a lot more than people realize when they see them at the pet store. Good luck with Ziggy!

 

[Claudiusx]

It's LOADS cheaper buying insects online in bulk. you can typically get 1000 crickets for around 20-30 bucks. Plus, when ordering online you open yourself up to loads of other insects that are great for your dragon. Variety is key.

-Brandon

 

[annieandziggy]

Thanks guys! I'll look into it. I guess I knew this was normal, (I've been researching for quite some time) but just didn't know if I was overfeeding him or not.