Need Clarification on Bearded Dragon Diet

[Gail]

Hi all - I've seen them, held them, never owned one until today. I was told he is less than a year old but he's about 14" already (including tail). He is in excellent health and was very well cared for with proper lighting, heat, vitamins, etc. No signs of any disease or deformity. Struggles a bit when picked up due to he hasn't been worked with in about 2 or 3 months (daughter lost interest and that is why he was being given away). But these folks really cared about him and carefully screened all prospective owners.

Now, the problem - I have read nothing but conflicting information on what the ratio of vegies to insects should be in the diet. The only consistent thing I've read is that babies will need a higher percentage of insects and adults less. Beyond that, for adults I have read online everything from insects should be 20% of the diet to insects should be 80% of the diet. Can anyone who actually KNOWS please let me in on the secret of what the percentage should actually be?

The previous owner warned me to give him his chow pellets and thawed frozen mixed vegies in the AM when he was really hungry, or he wouldn't eat them if he had crix first. I will be trying him on fresh chopped greens and shredded carrots as well as what he has been used to eating.

FYI - this dude went crazy when he saw my cricket container. I thought it was because the previous owner had mentioned she had only one cricket left to give him this morning. He ate about 6 vitamin dusted crix and was still begging for more, but I didn't want to over do it.

 

[whitewolf]

Food chart: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

Forum I've found helpful: http://www.beardeddragon.org/

 

[GailC]

Adult diet is 80% greens, 20% bugs or around 30 crickets a week. Since your guy is still under a year, a diet of 50/50 should be ok for now.

Good idea to get him switched to greens, frozen veggies are ok in moderation but not as a staple diet.

Beardeddragon.org is a great website, its the only place I ever went when I had my dragon.

 

[scorpio1]

hey, my guy is under a year and 14" also and i feed him a ratio of 50/50 for his diet, also if hes as big as you say he is six crix is ok but you could give more with out over doing it, about ten would be good, my boy has two big locusts (the ones with wings) when i give him his live food and i know he would love more but that WOULD be greedy lol

 

[Gail]

Thanks for the info folks
Great chart whitewolf - thank you for the link.

Yeah, if it was up to him, he would eat all bugs, all the time. Kinda like a kid and chocolate I guess.

He is not taming down as quickly as I had hoped (considering they are supposed to be fairly docile) - and, in fact, seems to be getting a little worse. He struggles enough to do some serious scratching damage - then calms down for a bit, then starts back up again. I actually bought a pair of leather gloves today and cut the fingers off, just to protect my palms and wrists - they are shredded (me, not the gloves lol). He also started to gape at me now when in the cage and I reach for him, and whip his tail. I really think that he is so used to frightening the daughter into not picking him up that he is trying any tactic at this point lol. Once I get him in hand though, no biting, just scratching as he struggles.

I know I need to keep up the handling a couple of times a day to get him used to it, but any idea how long it may take for him to calm down? Should I handle him more than twice a day? I would love for him to get as docile as others I have seen so that he can go out on walk-about with a halter to see the sights and get some "real" sun.

 

[Moose9]

Mine have been on a mixture of greens, yellow squash, roaches and superworms. I offer greens (collard, mustard, turnip) and squash from AM through afternon. Sub-adult - adult (1"+) B. dubia roaches, a few at a feeding 2-3 times a day. They get superworms every other day, just a couple at a time. I don't recommend superworms unless your dragon is 16" or larger. To many at once could cause impaction problems. I've been doing this for awhile now without any problems. You should offer your dragon greens all through the morning and afternoon even if s/he isn't eating them. Remove leftovers a couple hours before your lights go off. Somedays mine eat there greens and somedays not. Alternative to roaches and supers is crickets. I got away from crickets, to much work and they smell bad, die to quickly and take more to satisfy my dragons. Congratulations on your new Bearded dragon.

 

[GailC]

His behavior sounds typical of drago who has had very little contact and is used to scaring the humans away. You are doing great with continuing to hold him even if he doesn't like it. I'd say take him out as often as you like, you can even get a leash now so he can spend time out of his cage without have to be "held". If possible, create a dragon proof room and let him have a nice run around, a bathroom works great for this.
He should calm down fairly quickly but some take longer then others, just don't give up and never let hm have his way when being snotty.

 

[Gail]

waldo - that is exactly what I think he is doing - trying to get his way by scaring me since he is used to doing that - I don't let him have his way but we did have one day where he decided to throw a complete fit because he was going to scare me and that was all there was too it - didn't work ;P

That was 2 days ago - as of this morning, he is taking food from my hand. He gives me a threat posture for good measure, then calmly walks over and takes the food. I think he is figuring out that I am one of the good guys and that he isn't going to get rid of me

 

[flamesbane]

Personally I like to feed young dragons just about as much as they will eat twice a day. Greens/veggies in the morning, crickets mid-morning, greens again early afternoon, and then another feeding of crickets/roaches. I let them eat as many crickets as they want for about 20 minutes.