What to Feed a Baby Bearded Dragon
Bearded dragons are one of the most popular reptile pets, and they’re a great choice for first-time reptile owners. If you’re thinking of getting a bearded dragon, you’re probably wondering what to feed them. Here’s a quick guide to help you get started.
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Why a Bearded Dragon Diet is Important
As a baby, your bearded dragon has different dietary needs than an adult dragon. They need more protein to help them grow and develop properly, and they also have a higher metabolism which means they need to eat more often. It’s important to give them a diet that is high in calcium and vitamin D3, and low in fat and phosphorus.
A baby bearded dragon diet should consist of:
-Insects: crickets, roaches locusts, mealworms
-Veggies: kale, collard greens mustard greens turnip greens, carrots
-Fruits: apples, pears, bananas
-Baby food: chicken, turkey, beef
What Foods do Bearded Dragons Eat
Most baby bearded dragons eat a diet that is about 70-80% live insects, with the remaining 20-30% made up of vegetables. The most common insects fed to baby dragons are appropriately sized crickets, mealworms, and dubia roach nymphs. Once a week or so you can offer some pinkie mice as a special treat. As your dragon grows they will be able to handle larger food items and you can offer them adult crickets, small Locusts, kingworms, and waxworms. A few nights each week you should also offer them dark leafy greens like collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and dandelion greens.
What Vegetables can Bearded Dragons Eat
Bearded dragons are omnivores, so they need both plants can-i-put-in-my-bearded-dragon-tank/’>plants and meat in their diet. A good rule of thumb is to offer them 75% vegetables and 25% protein. Here is a list of some safe vegetables that you can feed your bearded dragon:
-Acorn squash
-Butternut squash
-Carrots
-Collard greens
-Dandelion greens
-Endive
-Escarole
-Green beans – Lima beans
-Mustard greens
-Parsnips
-Peas – Snow peas, sugar snap peas
-Turnip greens
-Yellow squash
Zucchini
What Fruits can Bearded Dragons Eat
Bearded dragons are tropical lizards that are native to Australia. In the wild, their diet consists mostly of insects, but they will also eat small mammals, reptiles, and other lizards.
In captivity, bearded dragons can be fed a diet of vegetables, fruits, and insects. Their diet should be supplemented with calcium and vitamin D3 to ensure proper growth and health.
Fruits that can be given to a bearded dragon as part of their diet include mango, papaya, melon, figs, grapes, berries.
What Insects can Bearded Dragons Eat
Bearded dragons are part of the lizard family and are native to Australia. They are now popular pets in the United States. If you have a pet bearded dragon you may be wondering what insects they can eat.
There are a variety of different insects that bearded dragons can eat. Some of the most common include:
-Crickets
-Mealworms
-Waxworms
-Grasshoppers
-Locusts
-Beetles
What Supplements do Bearded Dragons Need
In order to ensure your bearded dragon is getting all the nutrients it needs, you will need to supplement its diet with vitamins and minerals. Bearded dragons require a calcium supplement in order to maintain healthy bones and prevent metabolic bone disease. They also need a vitamin D3 supplement to aid in the absorption of calcium. In addition, gut-loading your insects with a vitamin/mineral powder will help your bearded dragon get the nutrients it needs.
How Much Should I Feed My Bearded Dragon
Bearded dragons are generally omnivorous, meaning that they will eat both plants and animals. In the wild, their diet consists of about 50% insects and 50% plants. However, captive bearded dragons should have a diet that is about 80% insects and 20% plants. This is because insects are a more natural source of protein for them and plants contain more fiber, which can help prevent problems with digestion.
As babies, bearded dragons should be fed small insects such as crickets or flightless fruit flies no more than twice a day The insects should be dusted with a calcium powder to help ensure that the baby bearded dragon gets enough of this important nutrient. Plants can be offered daily in small quantities.
How Often Should I Feed My Bearded Dragon
Most baby bearded dragons will eat 3-5 times per day. Some dragons may be a bit more voracious and eat 6-8 times a day when they are small. As your beardie grows, he will begin to eat less often; adult dragons usually only need to be fed 2-3 times a week.
What to Avoid Feeding Bearded Dragons
There are a few things you should avoid feeding your baby bearded dragon. These include:
-Spiny vegetables like spinach or kale
-Fruits with pits or seeds
-Insects that are too large or may bite
-Insects with hard shells like beetles
-Toxic insects or plants
Conclusion
As your baby bearded dragon grows, he will need more food and more variety in his diet. Be sure to consult a reptile veterinarian or an experienced reptile keeper to ensure that your pet is getting the proper nutrition.