What and how much should I be feeding

[Louise0425]

Hi, I'm a new beardie owner. Alvin is my first reptile and is around 12mths old. Had him around 2 weeks now and he is doing great. Currently has mixed veggies, around 4 crickets and a couple mealworms everyday. I feed him the live food in the morning. Does this sound normal? I'm looking into buying silkworm, dubia's and calci worms to give him a good variety. What size should he be having and how many per day? Should I split up the live feeds?

Another question I have is, his light is on for 12hrs per day (8am-8pm), I get him out for an hour a couple times a day but when I get him out in the evening (around 7pm) he seems tired, just tries to go to shade and sleep, should I be turning his light sooner?

Thanks in advance ?

 

[kornel351]

I would feed the veggies in the morning as beardies would more likely eat the veggies when they are already hungry and gives them less of a chance of being picky.Feed as much as they can eat in 10 minutes but let the dragon tell u when he is full. Ask for size I assume he would be the appropriate weight and size for his age so he should be able to eat those u have mention but follow the space between the eyes rule if he is a bit on the small scale . U could lower the light to 10 hours a day if that helps .

 

[Louise0425]

Great info, will try that, thank you ?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hi, I'm a new beardie owner. Alvin is my first reptile and is around 12mths old. Had him around 2 weeks now and he is doing great. Currently has mixed veggies, around 4 crickets and a couple mealworms everyday. <<< cut the mealworms they are not a good staple feeder insect , offer him more crickets (12 x 2/3 size) a few at a time once a day.
I feed him the live food in the morning. Does this sound normal? I'm looking into buying silkworm <<< are excellent , slow moving, soft , very nutritious and most beardies love them once they get a taste of them , he can hand medium (2inch) and full size (3in) silkworms , maybe 3 or 4 f/sice per day, dubia's <<<< roaches are bigger than crickets and about the same , a good staple feeder insect if gutloaded and dusted with calcium and calci worms <<<< an excellent slow moving soft staple feeder insect to give him a good variety. What size should he be having and how many per day? Should I split up the live feeds?

Peppa and Toothless were eating 12 medium (2/3 size) crickets each per day at the same age.
A rough equivalent is 1 superworm = 4 x 2/3 size crickets
1 medium silkworm = 4 x 2/3 size crickets
1 large silkworm = 6 - 8 x 2/3 size crickets

Another question I have is, his light is on for 12hrs per day (8am-8pm) <<< I run 16hr per day is better for them, I get him out for an hour a couple times a day but when I get him out in the evening (around 7pm) he seems tired, just tries to go to shade and sleep, should I be turning his light sooner? <<< no. leave the lights on .... he'll often come back out after a nap afterwards - all mine do so, usually in hope of a snuggle.

Thanks in advance ?

I think he's "going down early" because he is not getting enough fuel / high energy dense insect protein and fats , if he was eating like mine did at his age he'd be basking a lot longer and more lively , that said a nap in the afternoon wont hurt him .

I'd offer the salad after he's had his bugs.

I regular mix up the bugs, some crickets + some silkworms . Other times crickets + superworms (my mob are all over 16 months old now so can handle superworms).

 

[AHBD]

Hi Louise, can you post a full body shot of him and a few pics of his tank ? Here's how:
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then hit the XIMG to attach pics

I run my lights about 14 hrs. a day, so like was mentioned it would be good to have a longer " daylight" period. He may need a little more food daily depending on his size.