Staples...do they realy taste bad :D

[Mojorisin3381]

Hi,
My beardies are about 4 mo old and im having a hard time finding a staple that they will eat. Ive tried almost everything but have had very little luck. They dont like any greens like collard, turnip, mustard etc. It seems like the only things they like, are the foods that are supposed to be fed occasionally. They like Bok Choy, red cabbage, alphalpha sprouts, bean sprouts. When I chop up their bok choy i sneak some turnip greens in there too, but they are literally taking the time to pick through it
They do like yellow squash but will only eat a peice that has color on it and they leave the rest alone.

I have considered skipping a feeding so they were super hungry with the intensions of, if they are hungry enough, they will eat their staples, but i dont know if I have the heart for that. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Again, its not really the issue that they dont eat veggies.. cuz they do.. alot, they just wont eat the ones that are really good for them
Ive offered over and over...Lois has actually taken a collard green leaf and she would bite it and flip it out of her mouth.. bite it again and FLIp acrossed the cage... so they have attitude about it too lol.

 

[neecie]

You haven't mentioned any crickets, or worms. That's their primary staple at a young age.....you offer veggies, but it takes a while and probably near a year or more will they REALLY go for the salad. Please check the feeder section -- time should not be passing without calcium and protein from live feeders.

 

[Mojorisin3381]

Sry I didnt mention that but ya, ofc they eat crickets I use reptical calcium dust on them.

Ive offered salads since they were very tiny and here in the last 6 to 8 weeks they have been eating a salad everyday. They absolutely love what they do eat. But just like a small child.. getting them to eat the ones that are good for them is proving to be difficult.

If it was up to them they would eat Bok Choy all day every day but..I understand that this is an "occasional" veggie.

As of now their feeding schedule is as follows...

7am.. lights on Morning!

8:30 am.. mmmm crickets!

noon.. salad..currently It is Bok Choy, red cabbage, and turnip greens chopped up...but they pick around the turnip greens

4pm I will offer them a snack of some kind of veggie.. generally sprouts

7pm.. crickets again

9pm..lights out.. nanight

Like I said the only real staple that they will eat voluntarily is yellow squash but they only eat the colored part and leave the rest of the white.

 

[peera]

Looking at your schedule, I would flip around the first 2 feedings. Salad first in the morning when they're really hungry and more likely to be less picky, than crickets later. but for now, just don't worry to much about it. They're young and the protein matters a lot more. Have you tried cactus? Mine adore it, and it's at most grocery stores I've tried with the exception of Fred Meyers.

 

[Mojorisin3381]

Thx! Im glad to realize that it really doesnt matter yet.
I was just afraid that if I didnt offer greens, they would snub them.. ive heard the stories lol.

So basically as long as they are eating crickets like they are supposed to, I can offer any kind of salad they want as a snack? and since it isnt currently what they rely on for thier main meal.. its all good?

And yea, making their morning feeding the salad does make more sense.

Oh! and no about the cactus.. we live in a very small town with a tiny grocery and...walmart. I havent seen either one carry it

 

[peera]

It should be fine, but keep offering the good stuff too and observing the rules of how often it's ok to give what. It's even more important to offer a variety when it's not a staple... Check the beautiful dragons list for why it's in the black section and try only offering high oxalate veggies twice a week, high vit A a couple times, etc...

 

[Mojorisin3381]

Wonderful! Thx a bunch, much appreciated