Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Kameron had posted on the old forum about using eggs as a food supplement for dragons with no response. Does anyone know of any good or bad outcomes from using eggs? I'm sure if you feed too much it would be fattening but what if you used like 4 eggs and only used "one yoke" and mixed it all up, just like making a plain omelet, perhaps even adding some Calcium?

Let's hear some you your thoughts.
Thanks
Joel R

I don't mean to only feed eggs, but to include a small amount to a diet of mixed veggies & pellets.
I know a lot of people are looking for alternatives to crickets because of the parasite problems not to mention the care for the crickets.
Eggs definitely have the animal protein and I know they have a lot of cholesterol but that's why I'm thinking one yoke with 4 whites.

Joel R

Thanks for posting this. I was going to repost my original post, since it didn't get any responses and the forum changed. I am, indeed, interested in info on using eggs supplementally in a beardie diet. I was, however, thinking hard boiled, since that is what we use at the zoo where I work - with mammals and birds. I don't think we currently have any reptiles that get eggs. I have three young adult females that I would like to see gain a little weight. They live outside, and are healthy, and have a varied green/pellets/insect diet, but just aren't gaining like I'd like to see.

Any thoughts?

Kameron

I found this breakdown of egg composition.
Doesn't look like it's too great of an idea, unfortunately.
Though, I've given mine a taste of hard boiled yolk now and then with no problems.
EGG

Okay...call me ignorant...can you explain why, based on that chart, that eggs are a bad idea? Like I said, we feed them quite often as supplements at the zoo - to everything from tamarins to kangaroos...

Kameron

The calcium/phosphorus ratio is off and they have alot of vitamin A.

.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me

I'm not sure that anyone knows how much is too much. I do know that I've always read to stay away from foods with high content Vit-A as much as possible because BD's are highly susceptible to vitamin A toxicity..

Maybee I'm reading the chart you posted wrong, but there is zero vit. A in egg white.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me

n/p

I'm no nutritionalist so please tell me what you see that makes it a not so good idea.

Thanks.
Joel R

I am not sure but could be the high amount of phosphorous and fats...eggs are quite rich.

A better alternative to crickets would be silkworms. They have all the same incredients as crickets but tend to have more water content, more calcium, more protein and less fat. Somebody had posted a comparison chart between the popular feeder insects and silkworms seemed to be the best of the lot. Only real downside with silkworms is they can get pretty big (3 or 4 inches), cost about trice as much as crickets...need specialized food (Mulberry leaves, or pre made food derived from mulberry leaves that needs to be cooked before feeding).

I know that would help the "rich/fat" part, not sure about the other though.

Joel R

Does anyone else see anything that could cause a problem?

This may be something worth a try?

Joel R

For a human, eggs are one of the most bioavailable forms of protien (Until Isolated whey came along). In fact, in the field of nutrition, all other protiens are rated using egg protien as the standard. I sprinkle 100% powdered egg protien over there salads every so often. You can also look into the Sandfire Superfoods Dragon veggie blend. It is distributed by t-rex, but was deveploped at the ranch by Allen Repashy. It uses Whey protien as its main source. All ingredients are from whole food sources. I've been using it for about a month now.
good luck,
Bill
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me

I don't see a problem with it in small amounts, eggs would constitute a part of a natural beardie diet in the wild. 1 yolk to 4 whites sounds like a lot to offer, I hope that you intend to parcel that out over a period of time. Like weeks. I would think that no more than a level tablespoon per week would be sufficient. If you're to feed that though I would eliminate rodents from the diet. As we all know as beardies get older they need less of the animal proteins and more of the veggies. I think there is still a lot of room for study in captive diets for lizards and uros. I've been doing some work using combined vegetables to make complete proteins for my older beardies. A lot less fattening yet more complete nutrition than the salad diets that most people offer.

Just my 2 cents.
BigT

Get real nobody would give 1 full yolk and 4 egg whites at once.
The majority of people here are refineing their skills at providing the nutrients that Bearded Dragons need. I for one will sprinkle this ratio on my colony of bearded draqgons occasionally and I believe the overall health of the lizard will improve. Thanks Joel for bringing up this thread....Richard

I am not suggesting that that much be fed at one time,, I'm just using that ratio as the amount to prepare. When it's cooked & refrigerated you can cut it into small squares and divide out among the herd. It would be hard to prepare 1/3 of a white to 1oz. of yoke, so that's why I used the 1 yoke to 4 whites ratio.
Once again, I'm also not suggesting that it be the sole diet. I am talking about adding a small amount to the already provided veggies and rep cal pellets for the added protein value. I know the pellets claim to have enough so they can be the sole protein intake but I don't trust it that much.
I am just trying to figure out if it would be a safe replacement for Crickets.

Joel R