Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My adopted beardie doesn't seem to eat crickets very often. She may eat 3-5 per week. She loves superworms and has never refused them. She does really like her salads pretty much every day.

Should I be concerned that she isn't eating more crickets? I only give her 3-4 mealworms a couple of times per week. Should I not give her salad for several days to see if she will eat the crickets? Someone I talked with said that she really should be eating a lot of crickets as she needs the protein.

She is very active and has quite the personality.
Thanks, Linda

Since she is a large dragon, you don't have to be worried at all. The healthy diet is a diet full of turnip, mustard, collard and other greens. Superworms are fine. Don't take away her salad that would be a big mistake. Babies and juvies need the extra protein...but they should get the vital nutrients from greens as well. You can try horn worms, silk worms and roaches as well, but never cut out the greens.

I agree. Your dragon does look like a full sized adult (how old is she anyway?). Greens are far more important to an adult dragon, than eating crickets. In fact only about 10-20% of the adult diet should be insects, the rest mixed greens. Adding a couple superworms, or silkworms, butterworms, roaches or hornworms daily or a couple times a week (just more if you feed insects a few times a week instead of daily) is plenty for an adult dragon. It is also fine if she doesn't eat any more crickets. I rarely give my dragon crickets, only time I do is when I buy a few dozen for my T and need to get rid of the males (as I buy close to adult size and some males start singing before i use them up for my Tarantula).
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

OK, thanks! I won't worry then.

Her previous owner said she is 4 years old

Linda

Yeah, at 4 years old or older, a few superworms a day is fine (or other kinds of insects). WHen I feed my girl I just drop 3-5 superworms onto her salad...half the time she doesn't even eat them (or they just burrow to the bottom of her salad and she's full by the time she gets down to them) When she misses them I typically just dig them out and hand feed them to her. She likes that.

Every month or so I buy 50 butterworms and give them to her over a couple weeks (they can keep in the fridge for a few weeks fine). They are a great feeder insect but tend to be on the expensive side, so I don't buy them as a staple insect. Variety in insect diet works well, especially with a variety of salad. Keeps their interest too. Also not, that adults don't always eat every day, but judge from your own dragon's eating habits and weight for her size. I offer greens ever day, most times my dragon won't eat hardly anything...but if I offer every other day, she eats alot more. Her weight stays constant as well, even between clutches, so I don't worry about her not eating enough to keep her weight.

Hence why I do feel having a decent gram scale (most can be found in the kitchen department of any department store like Walmart) for under $20 or around that price. They go on sale every once in awhile too.
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

Try beaver bait company for butterworms. Their butterworms and prices always exceed my expectations. I've kept butters @ room temperature for more than 8 weeks, and they could probably go 3-4 months in the fridge too. They aren't as an exciteable feeder as supers or roaches, but some dragons like them very much. Plus their size, calcium content, and longetivity make them great to keep around for tough times.