Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, just curious..Those of you who have young little beardies, what are your feeding techniques? I know most dragons eat whatever they feast their eyes on. I just aquired a baby and he is new to his cage and all (I know he needs time to adapt), but it is only when a cricket is super close that he eats it. My old beardie ran all over the place eatin' em up. The thing is, my new baby is super friendly and super active, he seems just fine, he hops from branch to branch all day long. That's my concern though. He spends all his time in the upper half of the tank while the crickets are all on the bottom. I tried feeding him in another container but he seemed too nervous and did not attempt to get a cricket. Bottom line, he eats when it's in front of him but I'd feel better if i could get a more accurate estimate of how much he was eating and when. A cricket or so when it comes along just doesn't sit right with me. I'm thinking of partitioning the tank off during feeding so that he is on the floor of the tank he's familiar with but is down on the ground with the crickets all around him. ANyways, I'd appreciate any advice given. By the way, just for reference..how many crickets do your beardies eat in one day?

seems like we have the same problem only mines dont really eat alot. when i take out the bigger one he'll eat them but very slow. i say try taking the bigger one out and letting the other eat thats what i did and it worked good luck.

you completely misunderstood my entire passage. I only have ONE bearded dragon as of present moment. My other was a bearded i had years and years ago who has long since passed. My emphasis in writing this passage was to get advice or tips on my current situation. That situation being that my baby dragon only seems to eat when crickets are right in front of him. I must emphasize he is eating a decent portion, but I'd like to be able to monitor how many he takes in by feeding him in a partitioned section of his tank or perhaps another way. Maybe I could remove all object from his tank so he's on floor level with the crickets. Ideas ideas! Here's where experts come in and help!!!

Mine does the same thing. I think mine is a temperature problem. I raised a baby beardie several years ago (and like you, mine passed). I have the same set-up EXCEPT I am using paper towels as a substrate instead of Calci-Sand (you know, you live you learn). The temperature on the bottom of the tank is ridiculously low. (~77 on the side of the heat lamp!) While the basking spot is 95 (I want it to be around 105).

Check your temps, then I would take the furniture out and only put in a select number of crickets (about 5). Leave your baby alone for awhile and come back and count the crickets. (Mine is shy about eating in front of me...but she does get the job done when I am gone). You can also tell by the waste. They should be pooping EVERYDAY when they are babies...mine poops about 2-3 times a day.

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Hangin with the Herps
ZZ

I do the same thing. Take all the furniture out. That way the crickets have nowhere to hide, and you get a pretty good idea how many he's eating. That way it's also easier to get them back out of the cage once the feeding period is over.

My lizard when he's really hungry will chase them, but sometimes he does like yours and waits for them to come to him. I don't think it's anything to worry about there, some lizards just have different habits like that.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)

0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

Thanks for all the advice guys. My baby was just nervous. In her first feeding today I removed all of the cage objects yet she was still nervous and only managed to eat a mere 5 crickets. However she calmed down later and because I was so patient with her I was rewarded. In her second feeding she had eighteen crickets. I guess she just needs to become familiar and comfortable with her new home.

Yay! Glad to hear it.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)

0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
0.0.1 tarantula (Otto)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

Is to place the crickets in a slick sided bowl or ashtray, shallow enough that your beardie can get in, but the cricx can't get out.
(1)This method helps prevent crix from hiding and chewing on your beardie at night and
(2)they don't have to chase them down.
(3) You can keep much better count of how many he/she is eating.

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www.classylizard.com

if the bowl idea does not work for you, it was recently suggested (sorry cant remember who here said it) to put the crix in the refrigerator for a couple minutes to slow them down so they make an easier target.
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Bennett

Home of the Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com