Bearded dragons should be fed a variety of insects and vegetables in order to get the most balanced diet. A juvenile (less than 1 year old) should typically eat 10-20 crickets (or other feeder insects such as waxworms or mealworms) each day, as well as a variety of vegetables which should make up around 25 to 50 percent of the diet.
Young dragon’s diets should contain more protein than older dragons. Offer the insects by hand, using tweezers or a small cup. For adult bearded dragons over 1 year old, the total amount of food should be reduced to 8-12 crickets per day, and the proportion of vegetables can be increased as they become less active and require less energy.
Gut-loaded, or presoaked or dusted feeder insects should be fed two to three times per week, and dark, leafy greens should be offered daily. It’s usually best to cut the items into quarter-inch pieces and to remove any uneaten portions after about 20 minutes.
They should also receive a few pinky mice per month, but this should only make up about 5% of their total diet. All feeder insects should always be appropriately sized and dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement.
Should my bearded dragon eat everyday?
It is advisable to feed your bearded dragon on a daily basis but the amount of food they need is dependent on the age of the dragon. Babies should be fed every day, while juveniles or adults should be fed every other day.
Young bearded dragons need a very nutrient-dense diet and, as such, their diet should consist of around 80–90% plant-based food, such as dandelion greens and rocket, combined with occasional feeder insects, such as Dubia roaches, crickets or mealworms.
The remaining 10–20% should be supplements, such as vitamins, to ensure your bearded dragon gets the nutrition it needs. Adult dragons can be fed fewer insects, with more vegetable matter (up to 95%).
It’s important to be aware that your bearded dragon may not eat every day, especially if they have recently shed their skin or if they have a more laid back attitude than some other reptiles. Also, as they get older their metabolism will slow down and they will require less food.
Bearded dragons need variety in their diet to stay healthy, and they should always be fed a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. Feeding them the same food day in and day out can lead to boredom, loss of appetite and an imbalanced diet, so make sure to offer them different types of food on different days.
What are the times to feed a bearded dragon?
When it comes to feeding your bearded dragon it’s important to remember that their diet should consist of a combination of vegetables, fruits, and insects. As they are diurnal animals, it is best to feed them in the morning and in the afternoon, typically two or three hours after they wake up.
In the morning, offer them vegetables such as dandelion greens, turnip greens, collard greens, and mustard greens. You can also offer them fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, mangoes and apples.
You can feed them mealworms, crickets, and Dubia roaches as their source of protein.
In the afternoon, offer them more vegetables such as endive, escarole, parsley, carrot tops, and alfalfa hay. Fruits should be offered no more than once a day and you can offer them oranges and pears.
For insects, you can offer dubia roaches, crickets and mealworms.
It’s important not to overfeed a bearded dragon, so offer them enough food that they can eat in five to 10 minutes and remove any leftover food. Feeding your bearded dragon twice a day is a good routine to develop and will enable them to receive all the nutrition they need.
Why is my bearded dragon active but not eating?
If your bearded dragon is active but not eating, it could be normal behavior as a result of their natural lifestyle in the wild, or it may be a sign of an underlying health issue. In the wild, bearded dragons will hunt for their food during the day and become more active at night, so it could be that your dragon is simply following its natural instinct.
Another possibility is that the dragon has become disturbed by a change in its environment, such as a loud noise, bright lights, or a new object placed in its tank. Additionally, it may be something more serious, such as parasites, an illness, or any other health problem.
In this case, it is best to take your dragon to an exotic animal veterinarian to rule out any medical conditions.
Do bearded dragons need vegetables daily?
Yes, bearded dragons need vegetables daily to stay healthy. Vegetables provide much needed vitamins and minerals that bearded dragons require to stay healthy. They should be offered daily in the form of a salad, which typically consists of vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, endive, escarole, dandelion greens, carrots, bell peppers, squash, and sometimes fruit.
The vegetables should be dark green, leafy and fresh. They should be chopped into small pieces so your dragon can easily feed on them. If your dragon is a picky eater, you can also purchase prepared frozen mixed salads as they are a great option.
The greens should make up the majority of the salad and should be alternated occasionally to make sure the dragon is obtaining a balanced diet. The vegetables should be supplemented with calcium two to three times a week and should always be dusted with a multivitamin supplement once to twice a week.
How often should you hold your bearded dragon?
It is important to handle your bearded dragon, as it helps build trust and provide enrichment. However, it’s best to let the bearded dragon come to you rather than you handling them. Try to handle your dragon for 15 minutes, 2 to 3 days a week.
If the bearded dragon is less active, it is okay to reduce handling time. Do not handle your dragon if they are shedding, feeling grumpy, or eating. On a daily basis, you can provide interaction with your dragon in other ways like talking to them, providing mental stimulation through games, and offering them food with tongs.
When should I worry about my bearded dragon not eating?
If your bearded dragon is not eating, you should start to worry if it has gone more than a couple of days without eating. Bearded dragons are usually quite responsive when it comes to food, so if you’re noticing that your dragon isn’t eating, it’s important to take action.
Before worrying too much, try offering your dragon their favorite food or fresh greens and monitor their reaction to see if it helps. If not, then it’s time to look into the potential causes.
These could include incorrect temperatures, incorrect UVB exposure, poor nutrition, low humidity, or a new or stressful environment that your beardie isn’t used to. Furthermore, another factor to consider is if there is something physically wrong with your dragon, such as a parasitic infection or metabolic bone disease that could prevent them from feeling strong enough to eat.
If you still find your dragon not eating after considering these factors, it’s important to take your dragon to the vet for a check-up, as not eating for more than a few days can be very harmful for the health of your beardie.
How often can bearded dragons go without eating?
Bearded dragons are omnivorous lizards that can go without eating for a few days up to two weeks, depending on their age, health, size, and weight. Juveniles and hatchlings typically need to eat more often than adults, and should ideally eat small meals every day or two.
Adult bearded dragons typically eat every 2-4 days, and can sometimes even go up to a week without eating.
Bearded dragons have low metabolic rates and do well when fed less often; however, it’s important to ensure they have a complete diet of insects and vegetables. If a bearded dragon goes more than a week without eating, it should be monitored by a vet to determine if there is an underlying health issue.
It’s also important to make sure a bearded dragon gets enough fluids, as dehydration can be a concern. Providing a shallow water dish that can be lapped up, or misting the enclosure with a spray bottle, can both help keep hydration levels high.
Do bearded dragons get bored with their food?
Yes, bearded dragons can get bored with their food. In the wild, bearded dragons are constantly searching for food, so it is natural for them to become bored with the same food if they are kept in captivity.
To prevent your bearded dragon from getting bored with food, it is important to vary its diet. This can be done by providing them with a variety of vegetables, fruits, and insects to choose from. Additionally, you can also try offering different textures of food, such as chopped vegetables or pieces of fruits, so your beardie will have to search for them.
Additionally, it is important to keep the food fresh and lively to make it more interesting for your bearded dragon. Lastly, providing puzzle feeders, treats and live feeders such as crickets or mealworms can encourage your bearded dragon to explore and search for the food, which will not only prevent them from getting bored but will also provide valuable exercise.
What should I feed my bearded dragon daily?
It is important to feed your bearded dragon a balanced diet of insects and vegetables every day. A diet rich in protein should be the base of the food given to your bearded dragon. This can include crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and other gut-loaded (recently fed nutritious food) insects.
In order to provide variety and more nutrition, you can also give your beardie dark, leafy greens such as kale, mustard greens, dandelion greens, and collard greens, as well as other vegetables such as carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes.
These vegetables should be lightly steamed or pureed and mixed with the insects before feeding. You will also want to vary the sizes of insects given to your bearded dragon. While large insects should be given once a week, smaller ones can be given daily.
You should also ensure you dust all food items with a vitamin and mineral supplement at least once a day, to ensure that your dragon is getting the proper nutrition. Lastly, it is important to remember that when it comes to bearded dragons, less is more.
These reptiles can become obese if they are overfed, so it is important to feed your dragon in moderation and monitor its weight.
