Bearded Dragon Diet

[LizardGirl]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, and somewhat new to beardies. I've had 2 males for 3 1/2 years, but I never really gave a lot of thought to what I fed them and just went off the petstore's advice. (ugh, you know how that can sometimes be...)

Anyways, I currently feed them around 2 mealies a week, 30 crickets every other week, (I'm expecting to need to feed more) and veggies such as lettuce (low nutritional value), peas, squash, and the occasional cactus pad.

I also feed bearded dragon pellets every meal, and sometimes I syringe feed babyfood b/c they like it.



So, what suggestions/improvements can I make? I'd like to make sure they are getting properly cared for.


Kimberly

[Riddick]

Ohhhhhhhhh dear.....sorry to break it to you, but your beardies' diets are horrible!!! Most petstores do have it very wrong all the time...

here are two great websites to help you with correct bearded dragon care.

www.reptilerooms.com

www.bearded-dragons.com/boards

I'll give you a short version...first...if your boys are housed together, seperate them immediately. Beardies are solitary creatures, and they are very territorial. They may seem fine and happy now, but they can be stressing each other out, and they can snap and turn on each other...if you need more explaination, those two sites explain it.

Now diet...veggies should be given everyday to a dragon over a year old here is a website for good and bad foods to feed:
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtrem...Nutrition.html

protein should be given once a week. Crickets, goliath worms, silkworms, phoenix worms...mealworms are addictive, very poor in nutritional value, and somewhat dangerous (hard exoskeleton could cause impaction)

the dragon pellets can be used as a garnish on their greens, but alone they have as much nutritional value as cardboard.

Read through the websites, they are a great learning tool!!!

[LizardGirl]

Hehe, kinda thought so.

I suppose I've been somewhat good with my researching, I've been using beautiful dragons and the reptile rooms, except there were a couple grouchy people on the reptile rooms forum...

They are both housed separately and never come in contact with eachother. Originally, they were together in a 60 gal. tank, until Spikey was biting Sydney by the nape of her neck, and I quickly got another identical tank, so now they each have their own low heat pad, basking lamp, UV light, etc. I separated them around... 6 mo old? Not quite sure.

So, I'm going to try and grow/ buy a larger (definitely!) variety of veggies for them. I have a reptile multi-vitamin and calcium powder supplement that I dust crickets and mealies with.

As for the mealies, unfortunately, I found out the hard way about the chitin shell. That's all I'll say for now... poor Spiney. He was my brothers...


Thanks for the help! I have one more question. Are the "Bearded Dragon Bites" the little red ham lookin thingies good for them? I've fed them before, and they loved them. I'm hoping they are a little better than cardboard, lol!