Rep-Cal Juvenile Bearded Dragon Food

[Dr. Phoenix]

Delfiend, when we developed Phoenix Worms and began selling them in 2005, our goal was to provide a naturally more nutritious live feeder that required no gutloading, dusting, feeding, or special care of any kind. We accomplished this and Phoenix Worms are the most uncomplicated and convenient feeder on the market. These worms have been used and enjoyed by many thousands of customers who serve them as purchased, only dusting with vitamins 2X per week. Just keep the worms in their original cup in a cool place and feed-off within 2-3 weeks.

We are aware that there is a sticky post concerning "Growing Phoenix Worms" and that is an option for folks who want to take the time and go to the trouble to grow the large size worms even larger. However, NONE OF THIS IS NECESSARY, especially for babies and growing beardies who should be fed smaller size worms anyway. Note: Although we could grow and sell larger size Phoenix Worms, they do not ship well.

Keeping Phoenix Worms is easy and convenient. You do not need a special container or special food or anything. We hope this information has removed some confusion . Good luck with your new baby!

Craig Sheppard, Ph.D.
President, Insect Science Resource LLC
Emeritus, University of Georgia
http://www.phoenixworm.com

 

[Sauzo]

@Delfiend, personally I wouldn't use any substrate for the dubias or crickets. It will just make trying to fish out small dubias and crickets a complete nightmare not to mention when you have to clean the tubs and how often you will have to clean it. I raise my dubias and crickets on no substrate and scrap veggies and fruits and dog food and I just use paper towel and toilet paper rolls which seems to work great and are free As for vendors, I say Ghann's Cricket farm for crickets. Come clean and all alive. For dubias, either Buydubiaroaches.com which are great. All alive, packed with some food to keep em alive during the trip and good prices or AF Exotics if you are looking to put together a starter colony. Just let Marcus know how much your collection is eating and he can put together a colony setup to get you going. Anyways, good luck and it's starting to sound like me. I got more bug pets than I got things to eat em :lol: My next venture is to start a silkworm colony.

 

[grannygerber]

Sounds like you've got everything you need! I can't get my beardie until July 20th I wish I could get him sooner, but I couldn't bear to leave him with some inexperienced pet sitter for several weeks!!

I'm getting 200 crickets with my order, and them I'm ordering 50 small dubia, 500 criclets, and 100 tiny mealworms, along with an Exo Terra Cricket Feeding Rock to reduce the amount of those little devils running around in my beardie's cage! I would start a dubia colony, but my mother will NOT stand to have roaches kept in the house. Even ones that are slow and can't climb or make any noise...

I'll convince her yet!!

If budget is tight consider that reptirock feeder can be replaced with a good bowl with slick sides in your kitchen, I have found plenty of cat bowls and other things that work great with my dragon instead of buying something specifically made and marketed by the zoomed people and their competitors. when I got my first dragon I looked at that bowl at petsmart and I thught, $13 bucks for WHAT? and went home and found something just as good and FREEEE!

 

[CliffsMom]

How about Fluker`s Buffet Blend?
For Juvies:
Ingredients:
Freeze Dried Mealworms, Freeze Dried Crickets, Corn, Potato Starch, Chicken Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Tomato Pomace, Fish Meal, Poultry Fat, Soybean Oil, Fish Oil, Coconut Oil, Potato Protein, Soybean Meal, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, DL Methionin, Salt, Spirulina Algae, Canthaxanthin, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Streptococcus Faecium Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermenation Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (stabilized Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, D-Biotin, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Niacinamide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin A Acetate, Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Natural and Artificial Colors, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (source of Vitamin K), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Sulfate

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min) 32%, Ash (max) 10.5%, Moisture (max) 9%, Crude Fat/Oil (min) 7.5%, Crude Fiber (max) 6.5%, Calcium (min) 2.25%, Phosphate (min) 2%

For Adults:
Ingredients:
Freeze Dried Mealworms, Freeze Dried Crickets, Corn, Chicken Meal, Tomato Pomace, Corn Gluten Meal, Fish Meal, Poultry Fat, Soybean Oil, Fish Oil, Coconut Oil, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, Salt, Dl Methionin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Kelp Meal, Spirulina Algae, Marigold Extract, Canthaxanthin, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Streptococcus Faecium Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermenation Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Choline Chloride, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (stabilized Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, D-Biotin, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Niacinamide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin A Acetate, Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Natural and Artificial Colors, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (source of Vitamin K), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Sulfate.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein (min) 29%, ash (max) 8.5%, moisture (max) 9.5%, crude fat/oil (min) 6%, crude fiber (max) 5.5%, calcium (min) 1%, phosphate (min) 2%

It doesn't say whether the included freeze-dried worms and crix are gut-loaded, but their cans of just freeze-dried insects are, so it's safe to assume the same applies here. I want to use this to bulk up my currently underweight 9-monther, so the high fat and protein content in the juvenile blend is good.

 

[icelore]

The guaranteed analysis includes the nutrition information for the bugs, so the numbers for the actual pellets are off.

Freeze dried insects are hard to digest, and mealworms are hard to digest, worth little nutritionally, AND an impaction risk when alive and fresh, so feeding them is a no-go in my book.

That said, looking at the ingredient list, once the bugs have been removed, you're left with: Corn, Potato Starch, Chicken Meal, Corn Gluten Meal.

Corn - useless and undigestable.
potato starch - no nutritional value and there to hold the pellets together
chicken meal - ok product, a lean meat source (protein content is 65% and the fat level is 12%), but third on the list.
Corn Gluten Meal - again, just a corn processing byproduct, low digestibility, no nutritional value

Corn is used as a protein in pet foods - it increases the guaranteed analysis listed, but if the animal can't digest it, there' no point. Pet foods need DIGESTIBLE sources of protein. For dragons (as well as dogs and cats) that means not corn, not by-product meal, potato, or soy. They need animal based protein - meat.

If you want to put weight on your dragon, feeding him a corn mix won't do it, and the dyes used are questionable as well. If he isn't gaining weight from eating what he should be (feeder insects and greens), I'd see a vet. If he needs supplementation past that, try baby food or even organic bee pollen to stimulate appetite.

 

[delfiend]

Okay, so this is OFFICIALLY what Im doing.

Im feeding my beardie mainly crickets and dubia for protein, with the occasional phoenix worm and silkworm when I buy them.

Im sticking to fresh fruits and veggies, but on top of that Im growing clover, French dandelion, and wheatgrass for my beardie and my guinea pig to share. Plus herbs from my garden like mint, basil, rosemary, sage, and oregano. I use organic fertilizer, so it should be okay for him to eat.

That's my dieting plan for my beardie, whom I still don't have. Getting him this week or the next at the latest!