Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I'm wanting to start feeding my 18mnth male beardie locusts.

How many should i offer in one sitting? Should i offer a few when i feed him his crickets twice a week or should i replace one of his feeds with the locusts.

Also, I know u can feed waxmoths but can u feed the adult meal worm beetles?

Thanx
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Kat

1 male beardie 'Khan'

It is best to feed an assortment of insect to your BD anyway. Somedays give it crickets, others locusts, others supers and if you do get the beetles, give it them aswell. The only thing I would say about morio beetles (superworms) is that you will notice when they are first beetles, the shell is red and not black. this is the best time to feed them as the shell is softer. My BD's love the beetles!!
I also feed them the waxworm moths, they jump from their logs and catch them in mid-air!! Fantastic to watch!!
I dont really have a regular routine for feeding insects. As long as they have veg every day I feed insects daily, sometimes I miss a day or two and just leave veg (unless young of course then they get fed 2-3 times a day). They seem happy enough with this so I just carry on. You could give them a mixture of insects but I think if you feed one insect type per sitting, it will be less likely they will become bored.

Hope this helps!!!!!

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AndyD

0.0.1 Mexican Kingsnake
0.1.0 Bearded Dragon
0.1.0 Bearded Dragon (Hypo-Green)
0.1.0 Bearded Dragon (Red Phase)
0.1.0 Bearded Dragon (Hypo Red X Purple Tiger)
1.0.0 Egyptian Uromastyx
0.0.1 Frilled Dragon
0.1.0 Chile Rose Tarantula

UK Beardies Rule!!

As your dragon is 18 months, I would only feed a few insects a day (about half dozen) and deffinitely salad. Adult dragons don't need alot of protein once they are full grown. Gravid females do need more protein but other than that, a few insects a day or a couple normal insect feedings a week, is more than enough. A variety of insects deffinitely is great as well. Just remember that adult dragons only need about 10% of their daily diet as insects, the rest should be greens.

I suggest cutting out the waxworms altogether, offering them maybe once a month or less. Silkworms, butterworms, roaches, etc are great to feed as well. You can feed locusts much as you feed any other insect, just remove the large hind legs on adult locusts, as these may damage the dragon's mouth or throat because of the sharp spurs.

The waxworm/superworm/mealworm beetles are fine to feed, but in moderation. They do have a hard shell and if too many are fed (ie say a dozen at a sitting) may cause impaction. The moths are fine, they can be fed freely. Silkworm moths are great as well.
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PHLdyPayne

Can your dragon get parasites from locusts? Mine loves locuts and grasshoppers but the only way I can find them is from the wild. Thats a great tip on removing the legs, I did that so the hoppers don't climb out but now i usaly just hand feed them.
I had heard for "human consumption" it was sugjested to remove the head as it pulls the gut out with and lessened the chance of parasites, but that was for a human's digestive system?