Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i went to a local reptile shop today and was checking out there adult dragons and they were very fat but were also very healthy looking. i have several of my own dragons but none look very fat. honestly how do i fatten them up? should i just power feed crickets to them or is there an easier "cheaper" way.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

I wouldn't try to fatten them up. Just make enough fod available to them. Overweight dragons often get fatty liver desease. Easier to not let them get too fat than try to slim them down later.

Maybe you could post a pic.?

here are 2 of them that i feel are a little skinny. sorry for the messy cage im cleaning them today. the bigger one is about a year old and the other about 6 months.

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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

yea id have to say they are little on the skinny side. the muscle and fat on the arms/legs look a little low too. id boost up their feeding of crickets and insects. roaches are a good source as well, dubia and lobsters. wax worms once in a while wood be good for a fat source, maybe a pinkie once a month or so as well. make sure to supplement their insects and veggies with calicium and vitamin dust. dont cut their veggies down, id increase those as well. bathe them as well at least once a week. wrinkly skin often is a sign of dehydration
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Beach Beardies

2.2. bearded dragons
1.1. Sugar Gliders
0.2. Felines *queen athena and missy*

if anyone knows of a good site that i can order crickets from that would be great just email me with the site i know kingsnake doesnt like having other sites plugged in on here. thanks ill try doing a pinkie once a month or some wax worms

www.ghann.com for crickets
also, roaches i get from a poster in the feeders section, mike stefani..
other roach breeders
WWW.AARONPAULING.COM

www.vwmreptiles.com

www.fireballdragonz.com

www.blaberus.com
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Beach Beardies

2.2. bearded dragons
1.1. Sugar Gliders
0.2. Felines *queen athena and missy*

check out reptilefood.com real cheap prices and the crickets are in great health when they arive.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

with Ghanns what is the difference between "next day air" and "next afternoon air". i will be ordering from them and want to know if i should just go with next afternoon because its cheaper.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

I believe generally "next day" means morning delivery. Depends on your local Fedex/UPS/DHL site.

"afternoon delivery" is just that, they'll deliver it in the afternoon. My local guys deliver it around 5pm.
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.1 Okeetee Cornsnake
0.0.1 Cornsnake
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

ive stopped feeding crickets to my dragon, she eats roaches. i only have one sub adult dragon left out of my collection. when i ordered from ghanns they didnt have that option. but my crickets arrived in the afternoon with no problem. but if you need a fast delivery of crickets and its hot as hell outside, id go with the morning delivery.
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Beach Beardies

2.2. bearded dragons
1.1. Sugar Gliders
0.2. Felines *queen athena and missy*

fat dragons don't necessarily mean healthy..but your dragons are underweight... if they are under two years, feed them as much mixed greens as they want and give insects (crickets (gut loaded), superworms, silkworms, butterworms, hornworms, roaches) as a meal a couple times a week..or offer about half a dozen daily with their salad. For dragons betwen a year and two years old, give insects, all they will eat in a 5 min period, plus salad every day. For Dracos under 12 months...two insect feedings and offer salad.
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PHLdyPayne

well with a low income what is the best way to do it. i just lost my job and gas prices are rsing. so its hard for me to drive to the nearest (10 miles) reptile food store and $20 for 1000 crickets is tough. i have 9 dragons and they all could eat all day and all night. what worm is the best but still healthy for the dragons to consume frequently?
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

I use Southerncricket.com and am happy with their superworms and crix. They only eat all day because they're hungry. When they get to an acceptable weight to them they eat much less. I think yours might think it's feast or famine so they eat a lot when food is available.

if $20 to feed your pets is not affordable..I suggest you find sell a few dragons so you can afford to feed the rest. Not a nice thing to do..but it is the responsible thing to do. Unless there are unnecessary expenses you have you can cut out to ensure you have money to feed pets without your family/bills doing without.

Talk with friends or family in your area who also keep lizards, maybe you can pool your cricket orders so shipping will be less or can get the cheaper cost for bulk ordering.
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PHLdyPayne

but its about 20 a week i would like to find a site online that i can get them cheaper. nobody in my area keeps reptiles that i know of. i am an 18 year old who had a great paying job but because of my age and years of experience i was laid off from my job. i will not get rid of any of my dragons. i am asking for help not criticism. thank you.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

Dude, he's not criticizing. If $20 bucks a week is too expensive for you to feed your dragons right now, it would be wise to do *something* to make that money to feed them. Think of how much higher the vet bill will be when your dragons start suffering from malnourishment.

Yes, money's tight right now. Everyone's feeling the pinch. But I doubt that if you had a couple of dogs and couldn't afford enough food for both of them, that you would keep half-starving them.

You were asking about feeding them pinkies or waxworms. If crickets are too expensive, how were you figuring on purchasing them?

They don't need the extra "bulk fat" that would come from a diet heavy in waxworms and pinkies. They need a normal dragon diet of unlimited salad and as many crickets as they will eat at least one or two days per week.

That's my .01 (reduced due to recession ), do with it what you will.
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.1 Okeetee Cornsnake
0.0.1 Cornsnake
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

no one here is trying to put you down, just trying to be honest and if you cant afford to take care of them the proper way then you need to find them homes that can. 20 bucks a week for 9 dragons isnt going to cover the food for all of them. i was going through a few thousand crickets every week with 8-12 dragons. plus if youre planning on breeding, good luck with those feeding bills. my fiance and i had a baby 6 months ago and we knew money would be tight, she lost her job too and with the baby, less money and less time we had to do the responsible thing and sell most of our dragons to ensure the proper care for them. i have one dragon left out of like 12 dragons i once had.

www.ghanns.com its like 13 bucks per 1000 and cheaper the more you buy
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Beach Beardies

2.2. bearded dragons
1.1. Sugar Gliders
0.2. Felines *queen athena and missy*

yea i realied how much it is. i just went out and bought a box of a thousand thursday and i only have about 20 crickets left from the box. i need to find a site where i only need to spend about 20-30 dollars a week. im sorry but i cant get rid of them i dont trust random people around here.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

Well, if that's the case then, lllreptile has 2000 crickets for about 30 bucks, which includes shipping.
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.1 Okeetee Cornsnake
0.0.1 Cornsnake
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Suggesting selling some of your dragons, even though that isn't an easy decision as we all love our reptiles..was an option to make it easier for you to pay for food for the rest. Selling a couple dragons so you don't need as much food to ensure all dragons are getting enough to eat without exceeding your budget is a valid option. Better to have 5 or 6 well fed and thriving dragons than 9 half starved and sickly dragons if you are unable to provide them a healthy diet. If you truly love your pets, providing a new home for a few to ensure all are healthy and thriving is not that hard to do.

As for cheaper sites online, there have been various suggestions alright. I won't recommend any suppliers as I don't live in the states so where I get my bugs isn't going to be of any benefit to you. Best suggestion I can make on cheapest place that sells bugs is find one that is close by or one that has free shipping. The shipping cost is what will make the difference between which is best.

Below is a link to a large list of feeder suppliers in the US. Check their websites and compare prices and shipping.

www.kingsnake.com/breeder.html
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PHLdyPayne

look at the companies people have posted already, you can get them cheap. ive said 2 times already check www.ghann.com
also numerous other places to get them from.

as for selling some of your dragons, i know its hard but sometimes better to do. if you wont do it fine, but no one is telling you to sell them to random people. sell them on kingsnake just like 100s of others do
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Beach Beardies

2.2. bearded dragons
1.1. Sugar Gliders
0.2. Felines *queen athena and missy*

i went to ghanns and they have a great deal on 2000 crickets for 36 shipped. where are they located? i looked at lllreptile and they can get me 2000 for 32 but i know they are on the west coast and im east so i dont know how the crickets willl hold up. i also found coldblood.com where he sells 1000 for 8.50 but i cant find the shipping charges.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink (Wolfgang)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
1.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Peanut, Almond, Iggy)
1.1.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Freddy, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)