I am trying to establish a close knit bond with my juvenile bearded dragon. I know one of the best ways to do this is through treats and food. My beardie seems to only want crickets and no other meat right now (I have tried veggies which I know it is normal for them not to want veggies but I have also tried mealworms). What are some other meat insects I can feed my baby beardie as a treat so it will associate me with treats?
My little guy goes mental for hornworms! The are big and squishy, and bright green or turquoise so will generally pique their interest with the bright color. They're much better than mealworms (which are generally not recommended at all for dragons due to their hard-to-digest shells), and super juicy, so great for hydration. They are still fairly high in fat and not super high in nutrients, however, so not to be used as a staple feeder, but they are an awesome occasional treat!
Other dragon goodies are butterworms and waxworms, which are the same deal as hornworms for the occasional treats, and you might try BSFL (black soldier fly larvae, a.k.a. phoenix worms, repti worms), as those can be given any or all days, as they are high in calcium and low in fat, and have no crunchy shell!