Feeding

The feeding of a bearded dragon is not all that complicated and the choices are quite varied. There are few things that are considered "no-no's" and we will get to them in time. What is important to remember is the ratio of meat to vegetables changes as the dragon goes from baby to adult. As a youngster, the diet consists of more meat than vegetables and as an adult, more vegetables than meat When choosing the proper size of cricket to buy, keep in mind that the dragons food should not be larger than the space between its eyes. Dragons will not over eat. Put only the amount of live food in the tank that the dragon will eat at that meal as crickets have been known to cause injury to lizards.


Vegetables:

• Mustard, Turnip and Dandelion Greens
• Romaine Lettuce, Bok Choy, Swiss Chard
• Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Peas and Corn
• Hibiscus Flowers, Dandelion Flowers and Cactus Fruit
• Strawberry, Banana and Kiwi

Stay away from iceberg lettuce, spinach, cabbage and kale. Make your dragon a fresh salad daily. Mix up the contents a bit and introduce new foods slowly. Feeding the same thing day in and day out is not only boring, but can also create a very finicky eater.


Meaty Items:

• Crickets
• Superworms (adult dragons only)
• Mealworms
• Pinky Mice (adult dragons only)
• Fruitflies (new hatchlings)
• Silk Worms
• Roaches
• Grasshoppers
• Praying Mantis
• Waxworms (as an occasional treat only, very high in fat content)

Do not feed fireflies as they are toxic. Feed commercially bought bugs, do not feed those you can catch outside as they may bring disease or have pesticides on them that you are unaware of.

When keeping insects for feeding, be sure to feed the food! Putting slices of potato in with the crickets will gut load them and make them more nutritional for your dragons.

Vitamin Supplementation:

Dragons need a good vitamin supplement powder sprinkled on their food regularly. Dust crickets before feeding and sprinkle on salads a couple of times per week. Dragon Dust, Rep-Cal and Herptivite are a few choices you may find available.

Failure to provide calcium, vitamin D and proper lighting could result in painful skeletal disorders and shorten the lifespan of your bearded dragon.

Water Needs:

I do not leave bowls of water in with my bearded dragons. I make sure that the salad is nicely wet and then once a week they get a good "soak" in the bath. A rubbermaid tub set in the bathtub and filled with a bit of water appropriate to your dragons size will work nicely. The water should be lukewarm to start with. Set the dragon in the tub and leave it soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Babies that are too small to soak can be misted with a water bottle daily.