Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it possible to overfeed a BD?

Here's his/her diet...I'm concerned I'm not feeding enough, or too much.

-Free access to fresh fruits/veggies (primarily greens)
-24 prewing/large crickets 2-3 times a week
-10 superworms 2-3 times a week

I made a bit of a boo boo and was dusting crix and worms every time with calcium powder. Oops...I have since dropped that to twice a week after finding out daily calcium was just as bad as none at all. I have not picked up a regular vitamin powder - what brand do you recommend? How often should I dust with the vitamin and how often with calcium?

I am thinking I will just break down and start buying silkworms, though they seem fairly expensive considering how many he'll go through. But they sound so healthy and nurticious. I really don't want to be breeding misc critters, so I'll probably end up just buying them over and over.

If this is an incorrect feeding program, what would you suggest instead? He eats greens really well, and I rotate day to day fresh meat (crix one day, worms next, crix again, and so forth).

He gets a really pudgy belly after downing all his crix - he also LOVES his worms. Is that normal?

What's your take on wax worms?

And for anyone on the no sand bandwagon, you'll be happy to hear (hopefully) that I switched to repti bark. I liked the sand and had no issues with it, but my god did it stink! I use sand with my mali with no probs and no smell (and he's 6 years old - been on sand his entire life), but even with daily spot cleaning and weekly 100% cleaning, it stank up the entire room when he made a poo. Maybe it's the meat in his diet that makes it stink? The mali doesn't get bugs. I use the bark for my snakes and have always liked it, so I just switched him to that and he seems content. I will miss seeing him snuggle up at night in the sand, but oh well..bark will have to do. I figure if the smell bothered me walking in the room, what must he be thinking?

Thanks in advance.
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1 Thoroughbred
1 Mali Uromastyx
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Corn Snake
1 Milk Snake
3 German Shepherds
2 Birds (Conure and Cockatiel)
2 Rabbits
4 Fish tanks (SW and FW)

Much depends on the age of your dragon. Visit the care sheet at www.beardiecrazy.com. She has age appropriate feeding plans listed.
RepCal is a good vitamin and so is MinerAll. Refer to the site given for dusting w/vitamins. (You also need a Calcium with D-3, no phosphorus)
Waxworms should be used as a treat, they're very fatty.
The reptibark probably isn't a good thing for your dragon either. Any type of bark can cause impaction. Maybe you could give bran flakes a try.
I'm not a snake person, but my daughter is. I recall her telling me that snakes shouldn't be on bark either, it draws moisture from their skin.
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www.classylizard.com

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Signature file edited. [phw 9/2/04]

and while I appreciate your concern reagarding impaction, anything can cause an impaction if proper husbandry isn't put to use. The bark stays. I've already gone through it with this board regarding sand...don't wish to do it again.

Thanks for the reply on food.
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1 Thoroughbred
1 Mali Uromastyx
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Corn Snake
1 Milk Snake
3 German Shepherds
2 Birds (Conure and Cockatiel)
2 Rabbits
4 Fish tanks (SW and FW)

n/p
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1.0 Bearded Dragons
2.1 Cats

Matt

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1 Thoroughbred
1 Mali Uromastyx
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Corn Snake
1 Milk Snake
3 German Shepherds
2 Birds (Conure and Cockatiel)
2 Rabbits
4 Fish tanks (SW and FW)

.

all the animals in the world snuggled up on a flat, hard surface with no way to tell us how they really feel.

So tell me, what do YOU sleep on at night? mmm thought so...a nice comfy bed with blankets that you can snuggle up in.

If you want your animals to be uncomfortable, so be it. There is a difference between being ALIVE and THRIVING. You could make a person sleep on a hardwood floor every night, but would they be as comfortable and happy as they could be? Certainly not. Would they be alive? Of course. The average outsider wouldn't know the difference if we couldn't communicate with them to tell them otherwise.

This is my last post on this shelfliner topic, reply if you wish but I'm done. It's an endless debate. You'll never change my mind and I'll probably never change yours.

I asked about feeding, if you have a response regarding that, I'd love to her it. If not, go read another topic.
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1 Thoroughbred
1 Mali Uromastyx
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Corn Snake
1 Milk Snake
3 German Shepherds
2 Birds (Conure and Cockatiel)
2 Rabbits
4 Fish tanks (SW and FW)

So you think my beardies are not thriving...then can you tell me why my 15 week beardie is 90 grams??? Please tell me what I am doing wrong!!! Oh and do you sleep on wood chips when you go to bed at night, you should try that once and you might open your eyes! If you thing sleeping on splintered wood chips is comfy you got issues man. Later!!

A 9 month old bearded dragon should still get insects every day. Let him eat as much crickets (or silkworms, butterworms or roaches) as he can eat in 10-15 minutes. Mixed greens should be offered all day long.
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PHLdyPayne

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1 Thoroughbred
1 Mali Uromastyx
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Corn Snake
1 Milk Snake
3 German Shepherds
2 Birds (Conure and Cockatiel)
2 Rabbits
4 Fish tanks (SW and FW)

np
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1.0 Bearded Dragons
2.1 Cats

Matt