Chinese water dragon food chart
- Live feeder insects and some whole prey – 80% (up to 85% for young Chinese water dragons of up to 12 months old). ...
- Vegetables and greens – 15%
- Fruit – up to 5%
- Mice/baby rats of appropriate size – 1-2 times a month
What do you feed a Chinese water dragon?
Feeding Chinese Water Dragons. You can feed crickets, mealworms, waxworms, earthworms, grasshoppers, butter worms, locusts, and possibly small feeder fish. Adults can also be fed pinkie mice on occasion and kingworms. All insect prey should be gut loaded.
Is a Chinese water dragon a good pet?
They are popular pet reptiles due to their smaller size, but their care requirements are more intense than most people anticipate. Chinese water dragons range from a dark to quite light green. They have vertical, slanted stripes of green or turquoise on their bodies.
What size tank do you need for a baby water dragon?
Small water dragons or hatchlings – Hatchlings can stay in a 20+ gallon fish tank. If 1 foot long – go for at least a 2 ft long by 1 ft wide by 2 ft tall enclosure. If 2 feet long – your tank should be 3 ft long by 2 ft broad by 3 ft tall.
Where can I buy a water dragon?
The pet market has many vendors of water dragons all over the world. While the market has many wild-caught imported lizards, some breeders have captive-bred water dragons. Captive-bred lizards are expensive than wild-caught ones. However, they are the best choice.
What can a baby water dragon eat?
A variety of whole prey, including crickets, roaches, mealworms, CalciWorms, waxworms, hornworms, Superworms and earthworms (which can be fed daily) and frozen and thawed pinkie or fuzzy mice and small common goldfish (which can be offered to juveniles 2–3 times/week and to adults less often); whole prey provides ...
How often do you feed baby Chinese water dragons?
Your baby Chinese water dragon is going to eat more now than it will when it gets older. Babies should be fed daily until they are around six months of age, thereafter they should be fed every two days. Once they reach eighteen months you can feed every two to three days.
How do you take care of a baby Chinese water dragon?
Live plants and substrates that hold moisture also help increase cage humidity, as does misting the cage once or twice a day with a spray bottle. Water dragons enjoy swimming and soaking in water. Provide a large pan that's deep enough to allow soaking (hatchlings do fine with a shallow pan).
What fruits and vegetables can Chinese water dragons eat?
Produce — blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, figs, collard greens, sweet potato, carrots, and green beans. Other tasty treats — small feeder fish, newborn mice (pinkie mice), and fuzzie mice (juvenile mice)
Can Chinese water dragons eat bananas?
Yes, Chinese water dragons can eat bananas, but they are extremely high in sugar and phosphorus. Offer once a month or less as a treat.
Can Chinese water dragons eat apples?
Can Chinese water dragon eat apples? However, this is not always easy. Only a few Chinese water dragon owners find it easy to feed their pets fruits and vegetables as most water dragons simply won't eat fruits and vegetables.
What vegetables can water dragons eat?
Peas, green beans, corn, squash, carrots, sweet potato, cucumber, zucchini, green peppers and parsley can also be added. Offer adult dragons coarsely chopped, salad; juveniles prefer finely chopped greens. Fruit should make up no more than 5% to 10% of the diet.
How long can a Chinese water dragon go without eating?
In general, Chinese water dragons are shy creatures, but get used to their new environment and owners with time. If you have just got your Chinese water dragon, it will be scared and shy. Most new lizards don't eat for the first 1-2 weeks.
Do Chinese water dragons need heat at night?
Water dragons are diurnal lizards, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night. The lights, therefore, need to go off at night. For this reason, a lightless heat source, such as a ceramic heat emitter for day and night heating might also prove beneficial.
How long does it take for a Chinese water dragon to reach full size?
Most Chinese water dragons reach their potential full size by the age of 18-24 months, with growth spurts at around 6-12 months of age.
How many crickets does a water dragon eat?
If he's over 60 g throw in about 50 medium crickets.
Will Chinese water dragon eat fish?
Meat is the basic part of the Chinese water dragon's diet. The animal eats things such as butter worms, small fishes, cockroaches, king worms, gut-loaded crickets, mealworms, earthworms, pinkie mice, and wax worms.
How do you make a baby water dragon?
8:3411:16How to Set Up a Baby Chinese Water Dragon - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLong as the cages. So well again while this works for a baby you don't want to put an animal as bigMoreLong as the cages. So well again while this works for a baby you don't want to put an animal as big as the cage into a space of small water dragons in particular. Move a whole bunch.
Do Chinese water dragons have to eat mice?
Chinese water dragons are able to consume small prey items like pinkie mice, you may hear of "feeder lizards" being advocated as an optional feeder, but this isn't a necessary part of their diet and is up to you if you wish to incorporate them.
How long can a Chinese water dragon stay underwater?
90 minutesWater Dragons dive into water to escape from danger. They can remain underwater for up to 90 minutes.
How do I get my water dragon to eat?
Chinese water dragons are omnivorous. So, you need to offer a big variety of feeder insects, worms and occasionally – fuzzy/pinky mice (once a month or so).
Why do Chinese water dragons need calcium?
Chinese water dragons have a tendency to suffer from calcium deficiency while in captivity. Not getting enough calcium may lead to diminished bone density and various metabolic diseases. So, mixing calcium powder with their diet is necessary for ensuring your water dragon’s health.
How to grow a water dragon?
Baby water dragons will need daily feeding to grow fast. Add fruits and veggies to their diet for better nutrition. Mix up their menu often to prevent monotony. Provide enough water for them to drink and splash around. The water container should be at least twice as tall as them. Replace the water regularly.
Can a squid eat carrots?
They won’t really like to eat them but it’s good for their health. They can eat carrots, collard greens, sweet potatoes, raspberries, figs, blueberries, and some other fruits and greens. It’s good to check out whether a certain food is safe for them before feeding.
Do Chinese water dragons eat bugs?
The insects provided should be gut loaded. This means the insects should be fed properly with nutritious foods so that they can pass that nutrition to your water dragon. Avoid wild bugs.
What do you feed a baby water dragon?
Baby Chinese water dragons need more insects than fruits and vegetables, so ensure that at least 85% of their diet is insects and whole prey until they are at least a year of age. From here you can feed up to 60% insects and 30% worms.
What is a Chinese water dragon?
Chinese water dragons are Chinese and Southeast Asia lizards. These green dragons have white markings on the lower jaw with fine lines running along the tail. They are distinguished by their large spines which run along the crest of the head, spine, and tail. They are popular pets and can be interesting and fun to watch.
Why do Chinese water dragons stop eating?
Impaction. Chinese water dragons are going to stop eating if they are impacted . Impacted is constipated and often results from your dragon eating some substrate when capturing their prey. Some Chinese water dragon owners feed their dragons in a separate container to reduce the risk of this happening.
What does it mean to bring a baby water dragon home?
Preparing to bring your baby Chinese water dragon home means setting up their enclosure to achieve the most hospitable habitat that will meet your dragon’s tropical needs with confidence.
Why is my baby water dragon not eating?
Temperature too Low. One of the most common reasons your baby Chinese water dragon may not be eating is because the enclosure temperature is too low, which is causing stress. Low temperatures will make digestion hard for your dragon.
What happens if your dragon basks too high?
When basking areas are too high you may notice your dragon avoiding the area or digging close to the area to escape the heat. High temperatures can result in weakness and even death. Monitor regularly using a digital thermometer with a probe, enabling you to measure the temperature anywhere in the enclosure.
How to keep Chinese water dragons warm?
Ensure you use a good quality digital thermometer to easily and accurately monitor your temperature levels. You are also going to want to provide your Chinese water dragon with imitation sunshine, which comes as a UVB bulb. This helps your dragon absorb calcium and reduce the risk of metabolic bone disease.
Chinese Water Dragon Diet Overview
When cared for correctly, Chinese water dragons can live up to 20 years, so be sure to give them the best foods possible! They are omnivorous creatures (they eat living things and vegetables), but their diet is 90-95 percent living things consisting of mostly insects.
How Often Should You Feed A Chinese Water Dragon?
Feeding schedules mainly depend on the age of the Chinese water dragon. A baby’s diet will vary significantly from an adult’s food schedule. Implementing the best feeding schedule for your reptile will ensure it grows and flourishes.
Picking The Right Size Food For Your Chinese Water Dragon
Chinese water dragons enjoy eating smaller particles of food. Chop up fruits and vegetables to make it easy to chew and digest. Feed juvenile and baby dragons small insects. Graduate to larger insects as your reptile gets bigger.
Vitamins and Supplements
As noted above, gut-loaded insects are fed nutrients at least 24 hours before feeding to Chinese water dragons. If you care for insects, look for high-calcium foods, such as cricket food. Fruits and veggies are good options as well. Simply feed your crickets fruits and veggies that you would feed your dragon.
Watering For Water Dragons
While adult water dragons only need food every few days, every water dragon needs fresh water daily (it is in their name, after all!). Clean the water dish every day as well – some dragons like to use it as a bathroom in addition to a watering hole. Water dragons also love to hang out in their water dish.
Conclusion
Chinese water dragons are a fun and unique pet to add to your home. Feeding them the right foods at the right time will ensure it grows, prospers, and lives a happy life. The best proteins for water dragons are worms, insects, small goldfish, and baby mice.
What do Chinese water dragons need to drink?
All they need to drink is water. As the name would suggest, the Chinese Water Dragon is semi-aquatic. This means they need to have a large water bowl, which they can swim in. This will help them regulate their temperature, preventing them from overheating. It will also make sure that they are happy.
What supplements should I take for a Chinese water dragon?
This will help protect them from disease. In most cases, you might need to use a nutritional supplement to do this. One of the most common supplements is calcium.
How to keep Chinese water dragons healthy?
If you don’t provide a varied diet, they won’t eat anything. To make sure they stay healthy, consider “gut loaded” insects and a calcium supplement. Change the water at least once a day.
What do water dragons eat?
The Chinese Water Dragon eats small prey items like king mealworms, waxworms, earthworms, pinky mice, locusts, and feeder fish. Preferably, the prey will be live. The other dietary essentials are fruits and vegetables. This includes foods like raspberries, figs, carrots, green beans, and kale.
How often should I feed my water dragon?
As they grow older, you can reduce the number of times you feed them. Often, one large meal every two to three days will be sufficient. When feeding, make sure to monitor the types of food that you are providing and how often you are providing it.
Can you change the diet of a Chinese water dragon?
This will make it easier for you to change their diet in the future. It will also give you a better indication of the types of foods that they like, and which ones they don’t. This can help you create a Chinese Water Dragon diet that your pet will love. You should also keep an eye on the animal’s size.
Do water dragons refuse food?
For many other breeds of animals, it would be rare for them to refuse food. Dogs are notorious for scrounging for any scraps they can find. But a Chinese Water Dragon has been known to deny food. As you can imagine, this can be very alarming for their owners.
What Insects Should A Chinese Water Dragon Eat?
Chinese Water Dragons need a diverse range of feeders on offer; the majority of their menu consists of insects, but what insects should you be feeding your pet? Below is a comprehensive list of insects that can be offered to your Chinese Water Dragon.
Small Game, Mice, and Fish
Chinese water dragons are able to consume small prey items like pinkie mice, you may hear of "feeder lizards" being advocated as an optional feeder, but this isn't a necessary part of their diet and is up to you if you wish to incorporate them.
What Vegetables Does A Chinese Water Dragon Eat
Fruits and vegetables do need to be offered to your Chinese Water Dragon, although some seem to be able to live without eating them, it is still essential to provide them with to to your pet. However, it should only make up around ten to fifteen percent of their diet.
How Often Should Water Dragons Eat?
The age of your Chinese water dragon determines how much they need to eat every feeding. Baby dragons need feeding daily, and their food must be cut up into small pieces, the size of their feeder insects also needs to be small sizes, to enable them to be able to eat and digest.
Supplementation
One of the other most important aspects of their diet are supplements. They need three different types; a calcium powder supplement, calcium powder with D3, and a multivitamin powder. These need to be rotated, but only need one of their meals dusted per day, with one of the different supplements.
What do water dragons eat?
Water dragons are omnivores. They feed both on plant and animal matter. While in the wild, they will prey on insects, small mammals, reptiles, and fish as well as some plants and flowers.
What animals can you feed dragons?
Small fish, reptiles, and mammals – They include common goldfish and other feeder fish, pink ie mice, fuzzy mice, and other small reptiles, fish, and mammals. Feed them as only as treats 1-2 times a week to adult dragons. Others – worms including earthworms and nightcrawlers. 2.
How to handle water dragons?
As your water dragon try to pick food from your hand, lift it from their belly and allow it to crawl up on your palm. Don’t grab them. Finally, if your lizards seem uneasy or struggle to go away, leave them alone. Try handling them another time.
What to avoid when choosing food for a water dragon?
When choosing food for your water dragon, there are some you need to avoid which you need to strictly not provide them, and they include: Avoid centipedes, millipedes, fireflies, hornets, wasps, bees, scorpions, houseflies, glowing worms or lighting bugs, and so on.
What are some insects that you can feed on?
Some of the popular insects and small animals to feed them include: Feeder insects – Crickets (including black and brown crickets), roaches, locusts, silkworms, and beetle grubs like mealworms, waxworms, kingworms (superworms or morio worms), butterworms, and so on.
How big should a fish tank be for a water dragon?
Ideal tank size should be: Small water dragons or hatchlings – Hatchlings can stay in a 20+ gallon fish tank. If 1 foot long – go for at least a 2 ft long by 1 ft wide by 2 ft tall enclosure. If 2 feet long – your tank should be 3 ft long by 2 ft broad by 3 ft tall.
Is a Chinese water dragon a good pet?
The Chinese water dragons make good docile, charming, and adorable pets. They are not expensive to maintain and accept handling. However, while these lizards make excellent pets, they are ideal for advanced keepers who will provide the intense care they need. Poor care will stress, make them ill, and reduce their lifespan.
How to keep Chinese water dragons healthy?
A kitty litter box works nicely, but if you can, you should designate half of the enclosure to water and the other half as a beach area (using the substrates to create a shore). You need to be able to remove and clean the water tub daily, especially if your dragon uses it for a toilet. Otherwise, you will need to have a quality water filter. The humidity should be kept at around 80 percent. Mist the enclosure once or twice daily as needed. Potted live plants can help keep humidity up as well.
What color are Chinese water dragons?
Chinese water dragons range from a dark to quite light green. They have vertical, slanted stripes of green or turquoise on their bodies. Their bellies are white or pale yellow, and their throats are a blend of yellow, orange, and peach. The long tail is narrow and banded with green and brown. Adult males have larger heads than females, ...
Why do water dragons bang their noses?
There are a few common health problems seen in Chinese water dragons, including: Mouth Rot: This is the most common issue and the result of an improperly treated infection or injury. A water dragon often rubs or bangs its head, nose, or chin onto the enclosure walls.
Why do Chinese water dragons bite?
Regular handling is essential to prevent them from becoming too aggressive. If the Chinese water dragon is scared or feels threatened, it may bite or whip its tail. They are pretty active in their environment and like to climb on rocks, up trees, on branches, or in plants.
What is the cause of a dragon's bone disease?
Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD): This often fatal condition is caused by a lack of calcium in the dragon’s diet or inadequate exposure to UVB light. Skin infections and parasites: Skin infections occur on the outside of the body and are usually a result of a dirty, poorly maintained cage.
How big do water dragons get?
COMMON NAMES: Chinese water dragon, water dragon, green water dragon, Asian water dragon, and Thai water dragon (not to be confused with the Australian water dragon) ADULT SIZE: Male adults reach about 3 feet, while females average 2 feet long; a large portion of the overall length is made up of the tail.
Can Chinese water dragons be kept in captivity?
Buy your pet from a reputable breeder or pet store. Captive-bred Chinese water dragons will adapt better to captivity than wild-caught. Additionally, wild-caught water dragons are usually rife with internal and external parasites.
