Quantity of crickets.

[BDPerson9]

My bearded dragon is now around 6-7 months old, and his size is large enough for the standard crickets now.
I gave him 5 crickets in the morning, and 5 in the evening, and everyone two days a bowl of veg.
Is this enough, he always seems to go crazy for his crickets and act like he's never eaten.
Thank you!

 

[BeardieGrandma]

You should feed him as many crickets as he'll eat in a 10 minute period 2X a day.
What you are feeding him is not nearly enough. You can mail order them online, much cheaper than buying from the pet store, if you aren't doing that already.
At that age my dragon ate 45 crickets 2X a day. You should also offer veggies every day.

 

[beardie parents]

At his age, he still should be eating all he wants of the cricket variety. Depending on his length, you can feed him superworms. If he's like 10 inches or a little more, you need to order the medium superworms. They are about 1/2 the size of the regular superworms. Because of the potential of impaction in juvie beardies, it's best to wait until they are 16 inches long to feed them regular size supers. Mulberry farms is a great place to get supers they also have crickets, butterworms, hornworms (these get really large but they are a soft boddied worm and it isn't as critical to keep to the 'between the eyes' rule with them) they also have silkworms.

 

[BDPerson9]

Yea, my supplier said that was enough for him though.

If I let him eat as many as he wants, he would actally eat the whole tub, and I don't want him getting fat. :?

 

[BeardieGrandma]

He won't get fat - he's growing still. If he ate like that (which he won't) when he's full grown, then yes, he'd be a big fatty...
You want your beardie to have a little chub, nice thick tail. Crickets are protein-based food necessary to ensure he optimally grows to his full potential. Your supplier gave you incorrect information.

I'd suggest searching the board here on other conversations thread along this topic and you'll see the common response "as much as they can eat in a 10-15 minute period 2X a day" - this is particularly for the juvi crowd (3-12 mos old). I fed mine at this rate for several months, and she naturally slowed down at 8 mos...gave up crickets altogether actually :roll:

 

[BDPerson9]

Ok, thanks very much.

 

[terriandgriffin]

Hi, dont mean to thread jack but its very similar to my question...my bearded dragon doesnt seem the slightest bit interested in crickets. I offer them to him 2x daily with no luck. He's eating meal worms and veggies but thats it.
He's aprox 5 months old and ive only had im 6 days...
is he eating enough, and what else could I offer him?

 

[BeardieGrandma]

I'd get him off the mealworms (not very nutritious), and offer reptiworms, dubia roaches, hornworms, or silkworms...he should be eating much more, and mealworms are not a good staple (high in chitin, hard to digest, not enough protein).

He also may be eating light while he's settling in. some beardies suffer from relocation stress that can affect their appetite as well. While you try different foods, please evaluate your husbandry as well, and make sure it's optimum to promote good health and growth. That includes the type of lighting you have, the temperatures you keep your tank at, substrate, humidity, and how you are hydrating him. All these can be factors as much as a preference for a particular bug, so watch the details...

 

[terriandgriffin]

Thanks beardiegrandma. Il get some of the things you suggested tomorrow (no on we will be open this late here). I didnt think he was eating enough but I imagine its due to stress. Hopefully I can change his mind!!

As far as I can tell from the million other questions I've asked, husbandry should be ok..temps, lighting, tank and decorations etc all ok to my knowledge gained from here. I got hydration advice yesterday too so hopefully got that covered too

thanks again for your help, il keep u posted

Terri & Griffin

 

[NurseKrista1014]

does any know the answer to this-- If you are feeding them a variety of worms on the side, should you feed them less crickets or keep feeding them the same amount of crickets as usual?

 

[FBradshaw]

does any know the answer to this-- If you are feeding them a variety of worms on the side, should you feed them less crickets or keep feeding them the same amount of crickets as usual?

That depends on the worms you are feeding and how many of them you are feeding. You can replace a feeding of crickets with a full feeding of worms with no problems, it's actually a good idea to offer some variety. If it's just a couple worms every now and then, then no you should still be giving the normal cricket feedings. The "as many as they can eat in a 10 to 15 minute period 2 to 3 times a day" guideline is meant towards all live feeders not just crickets. I actually use Reptiworms only as live feeders and don't use crickets at all.

 

[NurseKrista1014]

well I know certain worms are only meant as a treat. Like waxworms because they are too fatty and mealworms because of their hard exoskeletal shell. And silkies are apparently good but they are expensive. I use to feed my bearded dragons about 15-20 mealworms a day and they did not have a reaction to it like constipation/impaction/blood in stool. But I did feed about 20 crickets as well each on top of the 15-20 meal worms.