Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i just wondering how many of you feed your bearded dragon pinkies? I know not as a staple but just on occasion?

Most people just give pinkies to gravid females after they lay eggs to get them back up to wieght and during gravidity {is that a word? lol) to increase calcium intake for the production of the eggs. Most people also agree that pinkies have too much fatty content and could be harmfull if given to them on a regular basis.
I would say that pinkies are great for getting sick dragons back to wieght after treatment and for gravid females or for feamles during breeding... and I don't think that a once a month treat for any dragon would hurt... but even for the breeding females or sickly dragons I woulodn't over do it... maybe one a day untill they are back to wieght? please correct me if I'm wrong gang, but this is what I did...

Robert Wood
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Edited signature for TOS violation.

Edited on August 22, 2004 at 22:42:50 by phwyvern.

can u only buy pinkies frozen? or do/can u get them live to feed to BD's?
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My baby Beardie!(aka the Fugative)

You can buy them frozen or you can feed live pinkies to your dragons. Just make sure the live mouse is eaten before you leave. I prefer the frozen ones because they don't squeal.

"I prefer the frozen ones because they don't squeal."

...or have parasites.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
1.0 pictus gecko (Nicodemus)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
0.0.1 tarantula (Calcifer)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

Not me....IMO they are high in fat, have an increased risk of parasite introduction, and have been known to cause impactions....so for me the risks and the lack of benefits that I see in adding them to my dragons diet keep me from using them even as treats....
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Tracey
Tracey's Beardies
www.beardiecrazy.com
"Whining is not only graceless, but can be dangerous.
It can alert a brute that a victim is in the neighborhood" ~Maya Angelou

Wouldn't the frozen ones be parasite-free?

yes...they would, but most people I've talked to that use them, use live as the dragons won't eat the f/t....if the dragon would eat f/t then that risk would be gone
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Tracey
Tracey's Beardies
www.beardiecrazy.com
"Whining is not only graceless, but can be dangerous.
It can alert a brute that a victim is in the neighborhood" ~Maya Angelou

We need to make clear that "Frozen" refers to Frozen "Thawed". Do not give a still frozen pink to any reptile. lol

Mine take frozen thawed easily from feeding tongs.

I agree with Robert, only gravid, post lay, and recovering weak dragons.

Size is an important issue when feeding pinks. The younger the pinks, the softer their bones & easier digested. Don't offer large pinks, or small mice to a small dragon. You can wind up with an impacted dragon. I don't recommend anything above pinky to any size dragon.
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Joel R

Coming some day.
www.SpikesAndScales.com