Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK i was browsing craigslist and saw a bearded dragon. They said that it ate bird food that looks like trix cereal and some fruit. Has anyone ever heard of that because I never had. when i emailed her she claimed that it has been that way for a while and has had frequent check ups all with a clean bill of health. Am I the only one that thinks this is a bunch of BS?
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Owner of:
6 ball pythons
4 crested geckos
3 iguanas
3 bearded dragon
1 bibron gecko
6 dogs
11 cats
1 hamster
1 rat
RIP:
Rocky-chow mix-11 years
Willow-lab mix-8 years
Kain-Savannah Monitor-2 years
Scooter-sulcata tortise-1 year
Mr Krabs-hermit crab-5 years
Niko-gerbil-3 years
sweet pea&niblet-dwarf hamsters-1 year
Hannibal-dwarf hamster 2 years
Scarlett- hamster-3 years
wicket-hamster-2 years
pixie- ball python- 3 years
Fira - Crested gecko age unknown

Typical bird food isn't a balanced diet for bearded dragons. Some parrot mixes would have fruit in it but an all fruit and grain/nut diet isn't healthy for dragons either.

In the past some people have used millet seeds or oak bran as a substrate for dragons (both are very bad choices) but definitely neither is a good diet option. A tiny bit of grain in a dragon's diet is ok...but typically they don't need it. Seeds etc can be acquired through consumption of some fruit...but should be less than 1-2% of the daily intake if not just by the week.

I am surprised the dragon will even eat the bird food, unless it has colorful fruits which may tempt a dragon to eat. If you are thinking of buying this dragon I would ask for recent pictures...I highly doubt it is healthy and thriving. It may be just barely surviving...especially if the owner feeds it insects in addition to the bird food. (unless the guy thinks colored bearded dragon pellets are just bird food...)
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

they said it looked like trix cereal. then after i told her that it should be eating greens and crickets etc she changed her story to say that it does eat greens as well. no i was not thinking about buying it, at least not for the price she told me,...it wasnt a bad price for a healthy dragon and cage.wasnt a great price either but anyway, im glad im not the only one who thought this wasnt right.
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Owner of:
6 ball pythons
5 crested geckos
4 iguanas
2 bearded dragon
1 bibron gecko
6 dogs
11 cats
2 hamsters
1 rat
2 hermit crabs
RIP:
Rocky-chow mix-11 years
Willow-lab mix-8 years
Kain-Savannah Monitor-2 years
Scooter-sulcata tortise-1 year
Mr Krabs-hermit crab-5 years
Niko-gerbil-3 years
sweet pea&niblet-dwarf hamsters-1 year
Hannibal-dwarf hamster 2 years
Scarlett- hamster-3 years
wicket-hamster-2 years
pixie- ball python- 3 years
Fira - Crested gecko age unknown

gee..been ages since I seen Trix cereal...isn't it pretty much colorful little balls? All I really remember is the 'silly rabbit, Trix is for kids' from the commercials while I was a kid.

But if that is what Trix cereal looks like, then it sounds like the guy is feeding Rep Cal bearded dragon pellets. The juvenile version is basically colored roundish pebbles...the adult stuff is more peanut shaped. All heavily dyed 'appetizing' colors...which tend to turn dragon poop into interesting colors.
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

Hello,

I'm actually an 'onlooker' from the Uromastyx forum. I've owned Uromastyx the last 10 years or so and had a beardie for 2 years before that. Starting to look into getting a beardie once my Uro pair outgrow their current tank so I was here brushing up on some beardie care (and very much hoping to avoid the fray that seems to occur here). I noticed your concern about millet. Can you expand on that please? It seems there is no fool proof substrate and that each comes with it's issues but I've found millet, as recommended by a very well known top Uro breeder and caretaker, a very effective, low dust, low impact substrate for my Uro's.

I will say I very recently where there was another person who used millet and their Uro used to crush his face in a corner of his enclosure resulting in rot on his lip from impacted millet. I've not had a problem even close to this but it has made me think about that issue.

Thanks for the info!
Molly