I found some people on Ebay that were selling the pads. I bought a couple from there. I am in WI, and have been unable to find any around here also. The pads I got didn't have big spikes on them, they were really smooth. My beardie loved them. I wish I could grow my own, or I could find them to buy locally.
Anyway, I would check Ebay and search Prickly pear cactus, if nothing else works for you.
Thank you. I think I read somewhere in these forums they sell them at Hispanic Supermarkets. I'm going to check. I live in California, so I am sure they have to sell them somewhere close-by!
I live in Texas and you can find already cleaned, skinned, and chopped cactus here in the Mexican grocery stores... it's called Nopalitos or Nopales. It's not uncommon to see it as a filling for breakfast tacos lol
Yeah yeah they are called Nopales commonly. I have some growing where I live however they are mostly planted for decor. I see them ALLL the time at Walmart for $0.33 each on the produce wall ( those are kinda big and last a while too) also at Brookshires, sometimes at Home Depot but those are sooo small. Beardies love then and it is a staple food however getting them fresh they are very slimey after you cut them :O I wouldnt recondmend getting the canned kind because of the preservatives and sodium. Im sure to beardies the fresh raw ones taste better anyways!
I wish I could find a plant. Gizmo loves prickly pear cactus and the pads I bought (2) I tried growing one of them and it didn't work. It is expensive to keep buying pads on ebay. I will have to keep looking I guess! It is hard to find cactus in Wisconsin!! lol.
If you can get them, great! My beardies love them - pads, not so much. Make sure the fruit is deep purple in color, that's when they're sweet. Tip on prepping the fruit - use a paring knife to the skin peel skin. You may have to watch for spikes but where I get mine, the spikes are off. Mash up the inside of the fruit, and it's perfect for feeding... really messy though. My dragons look like they have pink lipstick on until they shed.
You have to be careful feeding the fruits because they have a lot of seeds, which are indigestible and can cause intestinal blockage if eaten too much. :wink:
You have to be careful feeding the fruits because they have a lot of seeds, which are indigestible and can cause intestinal blockage if eaten too much. :wink:
I was just going to ask that! My girl is picky, so I picked up a couple only to find a TON of seeds inside! How do you deal with the seeds? There were so many that it seems impossible to pick them all out. My girl didn't eat any of the prickly pear that I put in there yesterday. I'm going to try to put some onto her nose next time and see if she'll lick it off.