Too many crickets?

[bimac6]

I have a young bearded dragon, around 7 inches or so in length including tail. All ive been feeding his has been crickets and a mixture of cole slaw and collard greens. Is it okay to be feeding him only crickets and no other types insects?

 

[Paradon]

Yes, you can use crickets as the main staple as long as you properly gutload them.

 

[bimac6]

Ive been feeding the crickets this

ive heard about dusting them with calcium but im not sure how thats done or where you would buy the stuff for it. Is feeding the crickets those blocks with the vitamins enough or should you dust them with calcium as well?

 

[LJean]

You should still dust with calcium. You can get the calcium powder from most pet stores. I put a little bit of the powder in a freezer bag, put the crickets in the bag and then shake them up. Then I just dump them in the feeding tank. Dust with calcium only one feeding per day, 5 days per week. The other two days most people dust with a vitamin suppliment.

 

[Lunamatron]

What you are feeding them can get very costly. I recommend buying water crystals online. You can buy a bag that will last you the lifetime of the BD for under $50. I also throw in scraps like potato peel, carrot shavings and occasionally scoops of cat food. I do not have a problem with cricket die off and just recently they started breeding.

My 12 week old eats about 80 4 week old crickets and a bowl of a freash collard mix a day. My adult doesn't like them, so he gets superworms and his greens.

 

[bimac6]

it eats 80 crickets a day? that just seems like, wow. Thats a lot. How do their stomachs hold that much?

 

[Lunamatron]

I have no idea, I just know I go threw 1000 crickets in just over a week. Now that I have a new hatchling in the house, I have a feeling that number is going to double. Luckily the local reptile shop sells 1000 for $17, otherwise I would be broke.

 

[bimac6]

I see. I think mine will start eating more once the replacement UV bulb comes in, as he only has the heat lamp on him at the moment. Also quick random question, is it normal for a beardie to bask a lot while they're shedding?

 

[Lunamatron]

It is normal for them to bask a lot shedding or not shedding... My hatchling spends the entire day basking unless I take her out for some one on one time. Otherwise she spends the day on her log.... and eating.

 

[kmarie24]

my beardie is 7weeks old and Im currently feeding him about 7 crickets per day and veggies and fruits dusted with a calcium supplement (vitamins already combined).he loves the crickets, problem is I think he'd eat the lot if I let him near the tub!!!.he seems to love veggies as well especially broccoli tops+dandelion leaves.im quite happy that hes eating well coz ive heard not all baby beardies are keen on veggies, not sure how true this is though??

 

[bimac6]

Yeah from what I've gathered most young bearded dragon don't like veggies when they're young. But some don't like them still even when they're adults. And then there's ones that just always love them. So congrats on your beardie enjoying a nice varied diet mine loves the carrots in cole slaw. Trying to get him to eat some collard greens though

 

[LJean]

I have a pair of dragons, one baby, one adult that do not enjoy eating their veggies. It's great when you can get a baby to eat them.

 

[kmarie24]

yeah, I think im lucky to get one that eats so well........most of the thanks goes to the breeders for that though because from what they told me, theyve given him a varied diet of veggies from a young age.ill try him with the collard greens as soon as I find them, been to my local store and they looked at me funny when I asked if they had any?????.

 

[eltigre]

is it really necessary to dust the crickets? i have been using a bearded dragon supplement food in with the greens/veggies and it contains some amount of calcium and protein etc. my beardie loves crickets as is.

 

[patrickb]

my beardie is 7weeks old and Im currently feeding him about 7 crickets per day and veggies and fruits dusted with a calcium supplement (vitamins already combined).he loves the crickets, problem is I think he'd eat the lot if I let him near the tub!!!.he seems to love veggies as well especially broccoli tops+dandelion leaves.im quite happy that hes eating well coz ive heard not all baby beardies are keen on veggies, not sure how true this is though??

You should give him more crickets, many more crickets. I believe the recommendation is feed him 3 times a day and let him eat as many in a 15 minute period as he will eat, then remove the uneaten ones. The crickets provide protein which is very critical to their growth and development. Juveniles can eat anywhere from 50-100 crickets a day as part of their daily diet. The fact that he eats veggies so young is great, but the live feeder insects is where he will get the protein from.

is it really necessary to dust the crickets? i have been using a bearded dragon supplement food in with the greens/veggies and it contains some amount of calcium and protein etc. my beardie loves crickets as is.

Yes, not sure on the supplement, but it is most likely not enough calcium for him. The other thing is that you need to be supplementing their D3 vitamins as well (unless you have one of those Megaray UV bulbs). Using a calcium dust with D3 is important. It should be used for one feeding per a day, 5 days a week. Then the other two days you should be using a multi-vitamin dust for one of the daily feedings.