Question: How To Feed Cactus Leaves to Beardie?

[ButterflyGirl89]

Ok, so I've been reading how great cacti are for beardies. Well we live in So-Cal and my dad has a veritable ARMY of cactus plants in his backyard. :roll:
He doesn't use any pesticides or anything (super nature lover) and the cacti he has do seem to be the same flat leaf kind like the ones I see in the grocery store.
So I figure it would be ok to just feed from my dad's supply (correct me if I'm wrong) but my question is how to prepare this stuff??? It's so messy!

I watched a video and mimicked it to get all the thorns off of it and then decided to just kind of peel the whole pad and then cut it into itty bitty bites raw. (my beardie is around 10 weeks and 10 inches)
But this stuff is SUPER STICKY AND GOOEY!!! It's kind of icky, and because it's so sticky/gooey, it isn't mixing very well into a nice collard salad. I thought cooking it would decrease the nutrient value, but maybe that's more logical? :|

So: any tips for the best ways of preparing cactus pads as beardie food??


Help is so greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!! :notworthy:

 

[omahadragon]

Your doing it pretty much the right way. I like to put all my cut up bits in a container and very lightly sprinkle some calcium powder on it and shake it nicely. Being diced up and containered in the fridge seems to help dry it up a bit. Maybe even poke a few holes in the lid for ventilation.

 

[ButterflyGirl89]

Hmm, that might be a good idea. Natural dehydration, sort of? Haha.

 

[omahadragon]

Bingo!

 

[Midnytefire]

you peel the cactus? so the dark outside isn't good for your beardie? Mine are 3 1/2 years old I've had them about 2 weeks they weren't feed a wide varity of things so I'm looking to expand their diet..and i have cactus that grow in my yard and i don't use any pestisides either just wasn't sure hot to give them to them

 

[omahadragon]

No the outside is ok, but I at least get all of the pricklies off. Then I kind of skin it a little. It's a little tough with the skin on