Vegetable Crazed

[GlassesTho]

So,

I'm not sure how old Skywalker is, but my best estimate would be 6-8 months. But in the last month or so (maybe closer to 3 weeks) he's been turning his nose up at crickets and roaches, but goes NUTS over vegetables.

I know they eventually switch ratios to eat more veggies than bugs, but isn't it a bit soon for him to be doing that?

 

[kingofnobbys]

So,

I'm not sure how old Skywalker is, but my best estimate would be 6-8 months. But in the last month or so (maybe closer to 3 weeks) he's been turning his nose up at crickets and roaches, but goes NUTS over vegetables.

I know they eventually switch ratios to eat more veggies than bugs, but isn't it a bit soon for him to be doing that?

I had this with Peppa and a bit with Toothless, my solution, I held back the greens and veg until they had at least eaten one big meal of crickets, then gave them their greens and veg in mid afternoons with their second insect meal. This worked for us.

 

[SHBailey]

You guys are lucky your beardies like veggies. We have the opposite problem with ours. He's 5 years old and seems to have gotten the idea that "if it isn't moving, it probably won't taste good", as well as being too smart to fall for any attempts to wiggle a leaf around in front of him to make him think it's a bug.

We all got the lecture at the vet last week about how bearded dragons are adapted to be omnivores, not carnivores, and how a diet of too many bugs and not enough greens is not healthy for them. The human "parents" listened and agreed, but the beardie sat there giving us all "The Look", maybe something like "Oh yeah? Says you and who else?"

We've already tried the don't-feed-him-too-many-bugs-so-he'll-get-hungry-enough-to-eat-the-veggies strategy. He holds out for bugs. We do manage to get a few small bits of greens into him at a time by slipping them in his mouth whiles he's chewing on a bug.

He does seem to like the taste of Repashy Grub Pie, so I plan to try putting some little bits of it in his salad, but he'll probably pick them out. I suppose the next step would be to use the powder to make some salad dressing... :roll:

 

[GlassesTho]

I had this with Peppa and a bit with Toothless, my solution, I held back the greens and veg until they had at least eaten one big meal of crickets, then gave them their greens and veg in mid afternoons with their second insect meal. This worked for us.

I tried that last week and it's like he knows if he waits long enough, he'll get vegetables. So the crickets remain un-chased and un-eaten, as do the dubias. :lol:

I'll give it another try, though! Maybe if I'm persistent he'll give in Thank you for the feedback!

 

[AHBD]

How big is Skywalker ? Some fast growing dragons kind of even out their growth rate on their own and it's part of a phase where he's developing the norm of adult eating. It's fine if he wants plenty of greens....as long as he's healthy there's no problem.

 

[travisgould]

I am having a similar yet different issue with my beardie..ever since I gave him superworms he hasnt really been into anything else..except veggies. It took him a while to get over superworms (still probably isnt 100% over it) but now he just doesnt want to go after his roaches at all. He ate 2 today when i put them on his log, but that is it. He however does eat collard greens and squash no prob (not a crazy amount, but he eats several pieces out of our hands and also goes to his veggie bowl by himself). He is approx 5-6 months old, 16 inches and 265 grams

any insight?? could this be the same thing, him going through some sort of transitional phase?

 

[Mysty]

It is a bit soon but poses well for tge future. Temember tgat tgey can have random fussy stages so they might snap out of out soon, especially if you keep witholding veg or perhaps scatter a small no. of veg pieces around the viv when you put the live food in so they have to hunt anyway.

 

[AHBD]

A beardie can develop their preferences but eating a lot of veggies, even during the growing stage is a bonus, not a hindrance to a healthy dragon. No need to hold veggies back at all.

 

[CooperDragon]

I agree. Fresh veges offer a great deal of nutrients that are beneficial at any stage. A young dragon may need more bugs but I would still offer as much salad as they want.

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

Richter did this as well. He would still eat his roaches but was not really into it, but LOVES his veggies right now. He's just about 8 1/2 months old and nearing 500g and over 19".
Good news, too, because he just had a vet visit this week and was told he's growing too fast and getting too big, so to slow down on his protein to once a day, or once every other day, and offer him lots of veggies. Clearly Richter knew he was getting too big. The vet called him "monster sized", a t-rex, and had "Arnold Schwarzenegger" arms...

 

[BeardieLover232]

yeah with bugs. they make the little ones grow fast
squishy does the same too, where he turns his head to "astronaut food." freeze dried salad, way to make your dragon hate sals for life

 

[kingofnobbys]

I am having a similar yet different issue with my beardie..ever since I gave him superworms he hasnt really been into anything else..except veggies. It took him a while to get over superworms (still probably isnt 100% over it) but now he just doesnt want to go after his roaches at all. He ate 2 today when i put them on his log, but that is it. He however does eat collard greens and squash no prob (not a crazy amount, but he eats several pieces out of our hands and also goes to his veggie bowl by himself). He is approx 5-6 months old, 16 inches and 265 grams

any insight?? could this be the same thing, him going through some sort of transitional phase?

I tell mine the superworms are a treat. Eat the yucky green stuff and you can have a couple, and I put the superworms in a little tub on the coffee table and make sure they can see them.
I do have to be insistent with Peppa wrt greens lately, she's going through a stubborn phase, loves the crickets , loves the superworms even more !!

 

[SHBailey]

It seems that superworms can be addictive to most beardies.

I think that I would tend to agree with the idea of letting your beardies eat as much "salad" (greens and veggies) as they want, even if they're a little young for it, especially if they're growing very large very quickly, and it's great if they learn to like veggies when they're young so they don't grow up thinking they're supposed to be strict carnivores. But don't take my word for it because I've never actually raised one from a baby; ours was around a year old when we got him.

And lately, ours has been giving up on even roaches if he doesn't catch them on the first try, so his being a lousy shot with his tongue is getting to be a real problem. At least he seems to like the taste of Repashy Grub Pie once we can get him to recognize it as food. Catch 22 -- if it's not moving, he's not interested, but if it is moving, he can't catch it... :roll: