what to feed my bearded dragon and how often

• Babies. Baby bearded dragons (0-2 months) should be fed three to four times per day. ...
• Juveniles. Juveniles that are 3 to 9 months old should be fed around two or three times a day. ...
• Sub-Adults. Sub adults (12 to 18 months) should be fed twice a day. They should have access to a variety of plant based items throughout the day.
• Adults. Adults over 18 months old should only be fed insect protein once a day. ...

Full Answer

What is the best diet for a bearded dragon?

• Crickets: Crickets are, without a doubt, the most preferred protein- and calcium-rich appetizer for bearded dragons. ...
• Dubia Roaches. ...
• Butterworms: This worm, which is high in calcium and protein, is an excellent food supplement for your dragon’s primary feeder insects.

More items...

What is the best thing to feed a bearded dragon?

What Vegetables to Feed a Baby Bearded Dragon?

• Artichoke Heart
• Bell Pepper
• Orca
• Butternut Squash
• Celery
• Mustard Greens
• Yellow Squash
• Carrots
• Bok Choy
• Sweet Potato

More items...

What fruits can bearded dragons 'actually' eat?

What Fruits Can Bearded Dragons Eat?

• Apple
• Banana
• Blackberry
• Blueberries
• Grapes
• Mango
• Peach
• Pears
• Strawberry
• Kiwi

What are the best tips for feeding a bearded dragon?

Juvenile

• a. Feeders. When your baby is a little older, you should let your juvenile bearded dragon eat as many crickets as possible 2-3 times a day for 5-10 minute intervals ...
• b. Greens & Veggies. Just be free to apply the 80/20 rule if you like until your beardie is about 9 months old. ...
• c. Calcium & Vitamins. ...

What should I feed my bearded dragon every day?

Insects - Feed gut-loaded insects (crickets or dubia roaches) 1x daily. Mealworms, superworms and waxworms should be offered in only small amounts. Young bearded dragons need a diet that's more insects than vegetables because they need the added protein to grow and develop.

How much should I feed my bearded dragon daily?

A typical juvenile can eat 20 to 50 insects each day. Adults will consume more greens than insects, fresh greens should be introduced daily. When using supplements such as waxworms, or Calciworms® dragons should be fed 3 to 5 worms 3 times a week.

How often do you feed a pet bearded dragon?

They can be fed up to three times a day. If you leave vegetables and greens in their cage they'll munch on them whenever they want and then you can add insects over three 10 - 15 minute feeding periods. Baby Dragons can eat several insects during this time, but it's fine if they stop eating.

What greens can bearded dragons eat everyday?

Best Greens Bearded Dragons Can Eat: Daily StaplesCactus pad, or prickly pear (2.3 to 1). This desert delicacy is high in calcium and rich in antioxidants, fiber, and Vitamin C. ... Collard greens (14.5 to 1). ... Dandelion leaves (2.8 to 1). ... Endive or escarole (1.9 to 1). ... Mustard greens (2.4 to 1). ... Turnip greens (4.5 to 1).

How often should bearded dragons eat crickets?

Adult bearded dragons should eat as many crickets as they like in a 10-15 minute session, once a day (or spaced out during mealtimes).

Should bearded dragons eat everyday?

How Often Do Adult Bearded Dragons Eat? Adult bearded dragons, or those older than 18 months, will need to be fed just once a day every day. Now, if you miss a day here and there it will by no means be the end of the world. But, you really should strive to feed your bearded dragon once daily.

How often should I bathe my bearded dragon?

three times a weekAs a general rule, bath time three times a week should be sufficient to keep your dragon clean and hydrated. If your dragon absolutely hates baths, then once a week may be a reasonable goal. If your dragon can't get enough bath time, you may want to do it more frequently, maybe even once a day.

How many mealworms should I feed my bearded dragon?

Adult bearded dragons should eat 5 to 6 mealworms in a single feeding session but only once a week. For baby bearded dragons, provide a maximum of two mealworms 1-2 times a week and use them only as a treat rather than the main meal.

How much food can a bearded dragon eat?

Bearded Dragon Feeding Chart By AgeAge of Bearded DragonQuantity & Types of FoodNumber of Meals per Day1-3 monthsAs many crickets as they'll eat in 5-10 minutes + 20% veggies53-6 months50% veggies, 50% insects46-12 months50% veggies, 50% insects312-18 months50% veggies, 50% insects21 more row•Jan 12, 2022

Can you overfeed a bearded dragon?

Overfeeding your baby bearded dragon can cause painful constipation, or worse, the formation of a food bolus, or mass, in his stomach. As a result of the bolus, pressure is placed on the spinal nerves, causing paralysis in the hind quarters. If not treated immediately, this condition is usually fatal.

Do bearded dragons need to eat everyday?

How Often Do Adult Bearded Dragons Eat? Adult bearded dragons, or those older than 18 months, will need to be fed just once a day every day. Now, if you miss a day here and there it will by no means be the end of the world. But, you really should strive to feed your bearded dragon once daily.

What time of day should I feed my bearded dragon?

As soon as you get your bearded dragon, no matter their age, their first feeding of the day must always be 2 hours after their lights first are turned on. Similarly, their last feeding needs to come at least two hours before the lights are turned off for the day.

How much food do bearded dragons need?

These baby dragons need 75% of their nutrition to come from live insects and just 25% to come from plants. You can split their feeding into five meals.

What is the best food for bearded dragons?

Dubia roaches are widely considered to be the absolute best live food for bearded dragons due to their incredibly high protein content. Furthermore, they’re very clean insects and tend to be much safer than crickets, which have been known to carry parasites. Phoenix worms are also a great choice.

Why is my bearded dragon not eating?

What to Do if Your Bearded Dragon Isn’t Eating. There are many reasons that dragons could refuse to eat. Stress is a big one. If you’ve recently changed your dragon’s environment, lighting, or diet, then they could be refusing to eat as a reaction to this, which will take a short time to sort out.

How many crickets should a dragon eat?

During insect feedings, allow them 10 minutes to eat as many as they can. This could be as many as 50 crickets each day. Once a dragon reaches three months, it’s considered to be a juvenile. Juvenile dragons need a diet that’s about 50/50 plants and live insects.

What is gut loading in dragons?

Gut loading is when you stuff the insects full of nutritious food before feeding them to your dragon.

What to do if your dragon is eating everything?

If your dragon is eating every bit of the food you provide within the feeding window, then you might need to offer more food. On the other hand, if there’s always a lot of food leftover when the feeding window closes, then you should start reducing the amount of food you’re offering.

How long should I let my dragon eat?

When feeding insects, you should allow just 10 minutes for your dragon to eat the insects, removing uneaten insects at the end of the time.

What do bearded dragons eat?

Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning they consume both plant and animal matter. In the wild, they are not picky eaters! They will eat a variety of insects using their strong jaws to crush through shells and exoskeletons. They will also consume various plant matter such as leaves, flowers, buds and fruit.

How long can a bearded dragon go without food?

At the extreme, an adult bearded dragon in good condition may go up to 2 months without food. This is by no means encouraged in captivity, they should be fed daily. Mature bearded dragons can go longer without food if they are in better condition and have fat reserves to sustain themselves on.

What does it mean when a bearded dragon is gravid?

If you have a female bearded dragon that is housed with or was recently housed with a male and she is having a significantly higher appetite you may find she is gravid.

How many eggs do bearded dragons have?

If you incubate and hatch bearded dragons you will have up to 20 or so from a clutch of eggs. These little guys will be hungry constantly and need a lot of attention and feeding. Baby bearded dragons have a high metabolism and will digest food and absorb nutrients very quickly so they will need to be offered food often.

Why are bearded dragons more active?

Seasonal Changes. Bearded dragons will be more active when they are in ideal temperatures. In the wild, this will happen seasonally as the differences will be dramatic. In a captive setting, you should still provide them with seasonal changes to biologically stimulate them, but these changes may be more subtle.

Do bearded dragons stop eating?

Adult bearded dragons will stop eating when they are full are will rarely overindulge. It’s best to pay more attention to the quality of food they are consuming rather than the quantity, but you may find that your bearded dragon is eating more than normal. There is likely a valid reason for this.

Can bearded dragons eat insects?

This is most likely to occur if you only feed the foods your bearded dragon likes the most, such as insect s and do not offer enough veggies.

How Often to Feed Bearded Dragons Based on Age

Your dragon’s age plays a large role in how much and how often you will feed them. Babies will eat more often and mostly eat insect protein, while adults will eat less frequently and mostly eat plant matter.

What About Water?

Bearded dragons of all ages should have access to fresh, clean water at all times. Place a small, shallow water dish in their enclosure on the opposite end of their basking area. If the water is too close to the heating element, then the water will evaporate quickly and increase humidity levels in the enclosure.

What Can Bearded Dragons Eat?

A bearded dragon’s diet should be varied and include lots of healthy and tasty foods. Beardies are omnivores, so their diet consists of insect protein as well as vegetation.

What Should Bearded Dragons Never Eat?

Bearded dragons will eat what is put in front of them even if it is harmful, so it is up to you to make sure they stay safe.

Health Problems Caused by Incorrect Feeding Practices

There are many health issues that can arise if you feed your dragon too much, not enough, or improper foods. Here are some things to avoid when feeding your beardie.

FAQs on Feeding Bearded Dragons

Yes. Beardies will happily eat what is put in front of them. Overfeeding leads to health problems, so you should keep a regular feeding schedule.

At the Tail End of Things

It is important to know exactly what and how much your bearded dragon should be eating. It is equally important to know what is toxic and unhealthy for your beardie to be eating.

What is the diet of a bearded dragon?

As a guideline, depending on its age, a bearded dragon's diet should be about 50% plant-based material and 50% animal-based material. Be sure to discuss a specific diet for your pet lizard with your veterinarian.

What do bearded dragons eat?

Bearded dragons are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant- and animal-based foods, including insects.

How many species of bearded dragons are there?

There are eight species of bearded dragons, but the most popular one is the inland or central bearded dragon ( Pogona vitticeps) from the arid to semi-arid southeastern parts of Australia. Pogona vitticeps is the spcies discussed in this handout.

What percentage of plants should be fruits?

Most (80-90%) of the plant material should be vegetables and flowers, and only 10-20% should be fruits. As a rule, anything dark green and leafy can make up a large part of the diet. Yellow, red, and orange vegetables may also be included. Avoid fiber-rich, nutrient-poor and vitamin-deficient light green vegetables, ...

Can bearded dragons eat flowers?

Vegetables can be offered cooked or raw, although raw is more natural and retains more nutrients. Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables. Flowers can be home grown or purchased from floral shops. Often, floral shops throw out older, wilted flowers. While these may be unacceptable for sale to the public, bearded dragon owners can often get them at no charge. Before feeding them to your dragon, be sure that no chemicals have been applied to the flowers or water.

Is a bearded dragon a good pet?

The bearded dragon is a well-known lizard currently considered one of the best pet lizards. If they are well looked after, with a good diet and proper environment, bearded dragons are reasonably hardy animals. Common...

What kind of insects do bearded dragons eat?

Most likely, you’ll end up choosing one of the big three. Crickets, dubia roaches, or black soldier fly larvae are by far the most common choices of primarty feeder insects for bearded dragons. Between crickets and roaches, we strongly prefer roaches ( you can see why here in our comparison article ).

How often should a baby beardie eat live insects?

Baby beardies (up to about 6 months in age) should get live feeder insects one to three times per day, every day. This is when they are growing the fastest ( for a detailed review of just how big your beardie will get, see our article here ). Therefore, this is when they need the most protein.

What is the best food to eat for baby food?

Processed human food – Outside of pureed apple or pumpkin baby food, stay away from anything that comes in a can, box, or jar. Stick to fresh produce, fruits, and live feeder insects. Lettuce – This includes iceberg, loose-leaf, green, butter, and red. Lettuce, on the whole, is almost devoid of nutrients.

Do bearded dragons eat the same thing every day?

They start to treat them like little people instead of captive wild animals. While you or I would get bored eating the same thing every day, your bearded dragon does not. They are perfectly happy eating the same exact thing every single day. Bacardi never every gets tired of roaches….

Can a bearded dragon be vegan?

Another important point is that your beardie is an omnivore. It cannot be a vegetarian or vegan. Period, end of story. If you are not comfortable feeding your beardie live feeder insects then you should not have a bearded dragon. Beardie’s need a live protein source several times a week. And yes, it needs to be live.

Is lettuce good for beardie?

Lettuce, on the whole, is almost devoid of nutrients. If your beardie fills up on lettuce, they will not get the nutrients they need to be healthy. Choose more nutrient-dense and healthier greens. Mushrooms – Specifically portabella mushrooms, but all of them are a bad idea.

Can you buy organic bearded dragons?

Because of the small size of bearded dragons, we recommend buying organic if you can. Even the smallest amount of pesticide could cause problems for your beardie. If organic isn’t an option, make sure to wash your produce well before serving it to your bearded dragon. Acorn squash.

Why do bearded dragons grow so fast?

This is for survival. They need to get to a size where they can defend themselves and escape predators. To this end , they eat a lot of protein and high-fat insects to get to the size they need to be.

How many insects can a baby dragon eat?

Over a day and 3-5 feedings, a baby beardy can eat between 30-80 insects, depending on the size of the insects. A higher protein diet is preferable for a baby dragon. Their bodies naturally prize mass over nutrition in this stage, so greens aren’t as important.

What are some good insects to eat?

Make sure the live insect you choose are high in protein, moisture, and medium or lower in fat. Crickets, hornworms, and Dubia roaches, especially, make excellent choices. High-fat insects like mealworms are more like treats. They don’t have as much value and should only be eaten a couple at a time.

Can you feed a bearded dragon mealworms?

How Many Mealworms To Feed Bearded Dragons. Mealworms are a popular choice for feeder worms but they shouldn’t be. The mealworm has a hard chitlin exoskeleton making it difficult on the bearded dragon’s digestive tract and pose potential health issues.

Can you feed worms to bearded dragons?

Super worms are a decent source of protein but have high-fat content. Because of the high-fat content, this worm should only be fed to your bearded dragon on occasion. Mixing in different worms is fine as long as lower-quality foods don’t become the norm.

Can you feed waxworms to pets?

Phoenix worms. While some feeder insects are fine to feed your pet daily others should only be consumed as a treat on occasion. This distinction is made based on the nutritional breakdown of the insect. Waxworms are one example of an insect that should only be consumed as a treat due to their high-fat content.

Can you overfeed a bearded dragon?

You can overfeed bearded dragons and they will become overweight. Obesity in bearded dragons can become quite a problem if their diet is not kept in check and monitored. This happens when pet owners feed them a diet too rich in insects or too many fatty insects and not enough vegetable.

How long does it take for a baby bearded dragon to eat?

As we said above, baby dragons require a diet of mostly live food. They should be fed live food every day up to the age of about 4 to 6 months. Baby bearded dragons can be voracious eaters.

How much does a bearded dragon weigh?

In general an adult bearded dragon will weigh between 300 to 500 grams, depending on its length. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that the fat pads on their head and around the base of the tail are visible. They shouldn’t have too much fat around their belly.

Why do dragons eat outside of vivarium?

The second reason for feeding outside the vivarium is that it can be easier to put the live food in a feeding enclosure. Introduce your dragon and let them hunt it and eat it in a controlled way. You’ll be able to time their excursion to around the ten minutes.

What is the difference between a baby bearded dragon and an adult bearded dragon?

Diet Differences Between Baby Bearded Dragons and Adults. Baby bearded drag ons have a very different set of nutritional demands compared to adults . In the wild, baby dragons try to gain weight and grow quickly. This is so they’re not so easily picked off by predators.

What is the ratio of live food to adult food?

There’s a lot of information on the internet that suggests that for babies the ratio should be 80-90% live food. Adults should be the reverse of that. Adults therefore should be 80-90% vegetables.

Do bearded dragons need protein?

The metabolic demands of adults differs from that of babies. Adult bearded dragons do not require as much protein as babies do. They still require some protein of course, and as such live food still forms an important part of their diet.

Do bearded dragons need more food than adults?

What this means is that baby and juvenile bearded dragons require food with a lot more protein content than adults. The baby uses the protein to grow its muscles and organs quickly. The adult needs just enough protein to maintain those organs.