I have an approximately 8 r 9 month old beardie, who is about 11 1/4 inches. He was only around 54g when I took him to the vet a month ago, and I don't think he's gotten much bigger. He doesn't eat his veggies, at all. I've tried Kale and Collard greens, and turnip greens, and he's not interested at all. I was told to give him a little chicken baby food to fatten him up, and he loves it. Before I give him more then the little bit I gave him, I wanted to ask if it is a healthy thing for him to eat? Also, what age/size should I start to worry if he still isnt eating his veggies? I was considering giving him some of his greens with a bit of the baby food on it, see if it tricks him into trying it. Thanks for any advice you might have!
Bearded Dragon and veggies
- Thread starter Laceface
- Start date
someoen sent me this guide recently.
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
its a great guide. has a list of stuff to not feed them marked in red and yellow is questionable.
when they are younger they don't eat veggies that much. mine hates his collards. but he loves squash. i have to trick him into takign a bite of collards sometimes. hope this helps.
BTW processed meat isnt really good for them its VERY fattening. even pinky mice should be fed sparingly.
silkworms,phoenix worms, hornworms and dusted crickets and captive bred roaches are the best for them.
meal worms arent rly that great a food item, hard skin and a lot of fat.
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
its a great guide. has a list of stuff to not feed them marked in red and yellow is questionable.
when they are younger they don't eat veggies that much. mine hates his collards. but he loves squash. i have to trick him into takign a bite of collards sometimes. hope this helps.
BTW processed meat isnt really good for them its VERY fattening. even pinky mice should be fed sparingly.
silkworms,phoenix worms, hornworms and dusted crickets and captive bred roaches are the best for them.
meal worms arent rly that great a food item, hard skin and a lot of fat.
I don't have any experience with beardies but I found this on the web, http://www.bio.miami.edu/ktosney/file/BDveg.html and then I found this interesting http://www.bio.miami.edu/ktosney/file/BDbrumate.html. Here's something on the chicken baby food and mixing it with other baby veggie food (although they are talking about a baby beardie here) http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/viewtopic.php?p=726892. Best of luck.
Thanks guys. If he is the age the old owner told me, he's like... 4 o 5 inches too small. And, he is thin for his length. So, a little fattening was the goal. I don't think he realizes that thing's that don't move are food. I got him to lick a bi of the chicken off my finger yesterday, and he started to lick the squash off today, but there were too many distractions and he changed his mind, so I'm gonna try again. Not knowing his age and that sort of stuff makes it hard. Is it something to worry about if he doesn't start eating his veggies?
well at some poitn they are gonan need veggies but it gets easier as they get older. jsut be sure to offer fresh veggies EVERYDAY and change them if your heating lamps dry them out. I have to change mines veggies twice a day but there are soem days where they dotn evne touch them.
try olives and english peas. they are fairly healthy and will fatten them up a lil if they are underweight.
try olives and english peas. they are fairly healthy and will fatten them up a lil if they are underweight.
- Joined
- May 12, 2006
- Messages
- 658
Mine was a year old before he was even remotely interested in most green things. He'd eat fruit and slightly cooked squash or yams like no one's business, but green things were apparently poisonous. I'd chop up greens really small so they'd get stuck to his fruit and yams, which was the only way I could get him to eat them.
Once mine did start eating greens, he loved spinach and mustard greens more than collard greens. One thing I found he really liked was fresh dandelion leaves and dandelion flowers. Dandelions are very nutritious, just be sure they're not sprayed with any weed killer.
I'd keep the meat-based treats to a minimum of once or twice a week offering. It's just fattening without much else nutritionally. Meat baby food however is a good way to get them to eat their mineral and vitamin powders though. Mine hated the taste of the powders, and he'd ignore his food if I sprinkled it on. So feeding him the paste with the powders mixed in worked great.
Once mine did start eating greens, he loved spinach and mustard greens more than collard greens. One thing I found he really liked was fresh dandelion leaves and dandelion flowers. Dandelions are very nutritious, just be sure they're not sprayed with any weed killer.
I'd keep the meat-based treats to a minimum of once or twice a week offering. It's just fattening without much else nutritionally. Meat baby food however is a good way to get them to eat their mineral and vitamin powders though. Mine hated the taste of the powders, and he'd ignore his food if I sprinkled it on. So feeding him the paste with the powders mixed in worked great.
Thanks for the replies!! He won't eat anything that doesn't move, lol. I have to try the squash again when I'm the only one home, so there isn't any distractions to scare him. He's such a chicken!! He doesn't mind his supplements, he'll eat a cricket covered in anything!
When I have money to spend, I'm going to try to find dandelion seeds to grow myself, see if he'll eat those. Has anyone tried it?
When I have money to spend, I'm going to try to find dandelion seeds to grow myself, see if he'll eat those. Has anyone tried it?
- Joined
- May 12, 2006
- Messages
- 658
I never thought I'd see the need to buy dandelion seeds, they're so copious throughout the US, but here ya go! I rarely find the big plants here, mostly little ones. I do pick them in the spring to add to our own salads, and they taste pretty good.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/product.aspx?category=205&subcategory=230&item=951
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/product.aspx?category=205&subcategory=230&item=951