Bearded Dragon Care Archives » Page 4 of 4

Are you exploring Best Food for Bearded Dragons? Bearded dragons are a type of lizard originating from Australia. The young now raise lizards as pets very much, including this Australian species. The bearded dragons are omnivores. Their favorite meals include insects, fruits, and vegetables. So, growing a bearded dragon is not as difficult as people think. However, for most newcomers who don't have much experience in caring and understanding the eating behavior, as well as the necessary nutrients of each stage of bearded dragon's development, choosing food sources for pets is a bit difficult. Personally, I used to make my bearded dragons almost die when uncarefully feeding them too many vegetables for a short time. After being warned by a veterinarian, I studied more about a bearded dragon's food needs and the problem was solved. From 1 pair, now, their house has received 2 litters. Recognizing the severity of not caring properly which can lead to illness and even death for pets, I want to provide information about the diet of a bearded dragon that people are concerned as well as the best choices according to my experience. So, don't miss anything in this article. Let’s start reading and mastering the bearded dragon diet. The Dietary Habits of a Mature Bearded Dragon What do wild bearded dragons eat? In the wild, bearded dragons mainly eat animals and insects, including crickets, Dubia roaches, worms and even small organisms such as mice, which account for 75% of the dietary intake. 25% of the remaining foods are vegetables and fruits. How should you feed your pet? In captivity, you should also apply the diet of 75% insects and 25% plants as in natural habitats for bearded dragons when they are born or underage. However, their diets should be more diverse in terms of meat, insects, vegetables, and fruits, and should be changed often. When they reach adulthood, they change their diet, including 60% of plants and 40% of insects, because as they get older, bearded dragons will be less active in captivity. In other words, supplying too many foods rich in protein will make bearded dragons obese. Furthermore, when raising bearded dragons, you should buy more supplements of vitamin D3 and calcium for pets to use. If they lack these two nutrients, they can be infected and dead. About adult bearded dragon food, it is advisable to supplement vitamin D3 and calcium once a week, while for the pets that are pregnant or newly born, the dosage must be increased. That is: Children bearded dragons: Need a daily dose of vitaminD3 and calcium to stay healthy (because they are growing and need to develop bone). Growing bearded dragons: Need vitamin D3 and calcium 3-4 times a week Adult bearded dragons: Need a dose of vitamin D3 and calcium once a week. Note: If your dragon refuses to eat, he can be stressed or sick. If the situation occurs for 3 consecutive days, you should ask for the vet help to be consulted. Types of Food for Bearded Dragons Australian bearded dragons are a type of omnivores, and they eat both insects and plants. Adults can eat small mice, lizards or anything they find delicious. But when raising bearded dragons in the cage, you should feed them according to a scientific and diverse regime, and prioritize to serve a lot of vegetables. Specifically, the Australian bearded dragons will eat the following foods. #Plants (Vegetables and fruits) Vegetables and tubers should be supplied for bearded dragons daily. The fresher the bearded dragon food is, the better it obtains. Feed bearded dragons chopped vegetables such as perilla, watercress, green peppers, rose petals, hibiscus flower petals, etc., tubers like beans, carrots, kohlrabi, pumpkin, etc. Bearded dragons eat fruit as well. However, not all fruits are easy for them to digest (like citrus). Apples, apricots, pears, bananas, and watermelons, etc. are some safe fruit for you to feed your pet. Do not let bearded dragons eat spinach because this type of vegetables can affect their health. Fish mint and lettuce vegetables fed for them should be also limited because it has less nutritional value for the animal. Note: The types of greens for Australian dragons should be cut smaller than the distance between the pets' two eye sockets because if the dragon eats vegetables having big shapes, it will affect the pet with symptoms like paralysis and convulsions. #Insects There are many types of insects that you can buy to let your bearded dragons eat. You'll never want your pets to eat insects in nature because they can be infected with pesticides and affect your bearded dragons. What insects can bearded dragons eat? They include crickets, grasshoppers, worms, super worms, Dubia roaches, and small mice, etc. You should feed your pets with insects every day because they are a source of food providing very good nutrients for bearded dragons. For young bearded dragons, they will not eat dead prey. In this situation, the pet owner can clamp the prey to bring it back and forth to stimulate them. #Food supplements In the wild, dragons will receive most of the vitamin D3 needed from natural sunlight, so the amount of vitamin D3 you provide to the animal depends on how much you let your pet exposure natural sunlight. If your bearded dragon receives enough sunlight or your cage provides him with spectrum light, you can reduce the number of supplements by half. You can prepare powdered vitamin D3 and calcium to the bearded dragons by sprinkling them on the pets' food or insects. Things to Pay Attention When Feeding Bearded Dragons You need to chop vegetables and fruits before feeding the pets and change a variety of foods. Some foods can only be served occasionally that consuming them too much will harm the pets' health. You should avoid food containing excessive amounts of water or food soaked in water for too long. Fruits can be combined with regular food, but do not feed them too often. Let the bearded dragon eat in the morning, but not too soon. Bearded dragon owners need to avoid feeding the species in the evening because the temperature drops at this time. Hence, the pet will be susceptible to indigestion which can affect his health in the long term. When feeding the pet with meat, you need to watch carefully because this is not their familiar food. If they eat less than before, it means his digestive system has problems. So, eating meat should be reduced or stopped. When feeding, keep the cage temperature stable for at least 2 hours. The temperature variation can make them undigested. There is no need to give too much food for each feeding that overfeeding will cause waste. Moreover, because of the high temperature in the bearded dragon's cages, the food will dry out very quickly and the food quality will be reduced. It is necessary to regularly clean the cage of bearded dragons. Bearded dragons like to eat cockroaches and crickets but they cannot eat them all. Because insects move very quickly, they can hide under the floor or decorations. Therefore, regularly cleaning the cage will help avoid insects from proliferating. Customer Picks: Top-Rated Best food for Bearded Dragons Reviews of 2020 The Best Foods for a Bearded Dragon in 2020 #1: Zilla Reptile Munchies Mix Treat You won’t believe how amazingly nutritious this food is at a reasonable price. It is a mix of a variety of dried ingredients that can be combined with leafy greens as well. Eating this mix, your bearded dragons will be provided with desirable green veggies and insects. Also, it is rich in vitamins. [amazon box"B00BS99J3G" title" " description" Product Benefits: Nutritious natural ingredients Smell and taste like fruity Dry up quickly Easy to use and store."] #2: Zoo Med 5118 Gourmet Bearded Dragon Food With a blend of both protein, essential vitamins and minerals contained in mealworms, rose petals, and fruits, your bearded dragon will grow up healthily and strongly, especially picky eaters. There’s no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives that could harm your pets. [amazon box"B00VFZOXC0" title" " description" Product Benefits: Reputable Natural ingredients A combination of floating pellets, blueberries, mealworms, and rose flower petals Great price."] #3: Galleria mellonella Live Waxworms for Feeding Reptiles The next best food for bearded dragons that we have on our list is the live waxworms raised by a popular brand in the market - Galleria mellonella. Even though it is the ideal food for pets, you need to supplement other nutrients for a varied diet. [amazon box"B00CRVV964" title" " description" Product Benefits: Nutritious and fresh food of live waxworms Needed to be checked daily for dead individuals Long-lasting."] #4: Fluker's Buffet Blend Food for Young Juvenile Bearded Dragons This product is specially designed for young bearded dragons with small bearded dragon food pellets and dried crickets, mealworms. Not only is it convenient to use and store but the food also offers all the essential nutrients for the species. [amazon box"B001B4TTAG" title" " description" Product Benefits: Instant baby bearded dragon food Nutritious dried crickets, mealworms, and small pellets Cheap price."] #5: Fluker's Buffet Blend Food for Adult Bearded Dragons One of our favorite things about this product is how attractive it looks. The food is a blend of pelleted vitamins, freeze-dried crickets, and mealworms. Just add greens and fruits, the bearded meal will be complete. [amazon box"B001B4SGDW" title" " description" Product Benefits: Specifically formulated for adults Offering full of nutrients Long-lasting."] #6: Brellavi Bassett's Cricket Ranch 1000 Live Superworms Live insects are what’s expected from a bearded dragon, and Brellavi understands that. That’s why they have long succeeded in providing the species with superworms which are alive and rich in nutrients. If there are any individuals that are dead, you can contact the seller to be exchanged immediately. [amazon box"B009VI0QJW" title" " description" Product Benefits: Reliable Can be exchanged at any time Live superworms Guaranteed quality."] #7: Zilla Reptile Food Munchies Vegetable & Fruit Mix This product is another choice of vegetable and fruit supplying for your pet. Plus, it’s extremely convenient to bring along whenever you need to take the bearded dragons outside, but remember to watch out because other birds and small animals can steal the food. [amazon box"B00BGR3THC" title" " description" Product Benefits: Nutritious dried food A tasty source of veggies and fruits Convenient resealable package - easy to restore."] #8: Zoo Med Gourmet Bearded Dragon Food With a blend of mealworms, fresh veggies, and blueberries, you can expect food for bearded dragons that can give them more balanced nutrition than the amount you’d get from a typical product. It is such a complete meal for this animal. [amazon box"B00VFZOYXS" title" " description" Product Benefits: Add variety for the pet’s diet A mix of mealworms, vegetables, and fruits Attractive and vibrant color."] #9: Rep-Cal SRP00815 Adult Bearded Dragon Pet Food If you need a kind of pellet food for your bearded dragon that won’t go everywhere when the pet enjoys his meal, then this product will comfort you with long and large shape. If your pet is still small, you just need to add a few veils of mist to moist the food. Otherwise, you can ground it and mix with other foods. [amazon box"B000NGSBQQ" title" " description" Product Benefits: Rich in nutrients Pellet food Reasonable price."] #10: Flukers Adult Bearded Dragon Veggie Variety Diet Cheap and high-quality are two of the words that you can imagine about this Fluker's product. It offers the species a varied diet with ingredients of natural vegetables, which will help fortify vitamins and minerals for your pet. It is definitely a worthy try! [amazon box"B01I5IU3UK" title" " description" Product Benefits Best use for mature bearded dragons A great source of essential vitamins and minerals Incredibly cheap price."] #11: Zilla Reptile Munchies For Pets If your bearded dragon is sick or has metabolic bone disease, then this product will help him recover that the omnivore mix is a wonderful source of calcium and other essential nutrients. It’s also very accessible that you just need to rehydrate the food in water, and the meal for your pet is ready! [amazon box"B00KA5BHUW" title" " description" Product Benefits: Nutritious, dehydrated ingredients Convenient to use Handy to manage the calcium intake of the pet’s body."] #12: Fluker's Freeze-Dried Crickets If your bearded dragon has intestinal diseases or he is sensitive to live insect smell, then you will want to pick up this alternative product. If it’s a bit dry for your pet, you can moisture it by spraying it with water. [amazon box"B0002DRJDG" title" " description" Product Benefits: Great price Freeze-dried crickets for bearded dragons A source of calcium and protein Good for the digestive tract."] #13: Gimminy Crickets and Worm's 250ct Live Waxworms, Pet Food After receiving these live waxworms from Gimminy Crickets and Worms, you can keep them alive easily just by dried oatmeal. This food is unbelievably attractive and beneficial. If there are a few dead individuals, the product will be replaced immediately. [amazon box"B007P0HFJC" title" " description" Product Benefits: Rich in nutrients with live waxworms Best value for money Clean and healthy."] #14: Gimminy Crickets & Worms 300ct Live Superworms, Feed Reptile This product will make your life so easy! Not only does it help you save money by self-raising the food source of the pet but it also promotes his wealth. Your bearded dragon will really like this live food. [amazon box"B00KR54PHW" title" " description" Product Benefits: Big and healthy Stay alive for a long time stored Well-constructed package Reasonable price."] #15: T-Rex Bearded Dragon Gourmet Food Blend With the food design of T-Rex, your old bearded dragons can live healthy without digestive diseases. It is a perfect proportion of everything. Better yet, when you add moisture to it, the food will smell like fresh veggies and insects that will attract the pets to enjoy. [amazon box"B00JVRY6ZS" title" " description" Product Benefits: A mix of all essential nutrients Premium standard Attractive color and flavor Good value for money."] #16: Nature Zone Bearded Dragon Bites Reptile Food You’ll be surprised by how much your bearded dragons love this food! Yes, it could be considered to be the best for most reptiles due to a formula to stimulate the pets' appetite, including scent, flavor, and color. The product offers proteins, soluble carbohydrates, and calcium, so you just need to prepare vegetables and fruits for them. [amazon box"B0006L12CI" title" " description" Product Benefits: Instant food Great smell and wonderful texture Good for health and growing up Can be mixed with veggies."] #17: Zilla Munchies Mealworms Reptile Food If you find growing bearded dragons with live insects is expensive, you can reduce the live food by combining it with freeze-dried ones which are also a beneficial source for pets. And this Zilla product is one of the ideal choices for you. It is very convenient to use. Your pets will love this, even the smallest ones. [amazon box"B00NOLTBG6" title" " description" Product Benefits: A crunchy treat for pets Nutritious dehydrated ingredients High protein content Cheap price Convenient resealable package."] #18: Fluker Labs Freeze-Dried Grasshoppers If you are the owner of a picky bearded dragon, congratulations! The Fluker Labs did a great job offering the reptiles and birds with a delicious, crunchy, and nutritious snack through this product. Additionally, it is easy to prepare and store. [amazon box"B004HSQRG2" title" " description" Product Benefits: Crunchy food for bearded dragons Cheap price."] #19: Zoo Med Laboratories Can O Worms It is the best-canned worms that you can find in the market with enough moisture (without too much water like other brands) and freshness. The package is smart and handy with a small spoon available in the can. [amazon box"B01BI8FWHI" title" " description" Product Benefits: Nicely moist and meaty Best for small bearded dragons Convenient to store with a canned package."] #20: Predator Foods Bulk Live Mealworms Our reasoning for listing the Predator Foods product in our top bearded dragon food list is that its quality is premium and the services are extraordinary. If your delivery has any problems, just contact the seller and you will receive a replaced product. [amazon box"B01MEEBLO1" title" " description" Product Benefits: High-quality and fresh organic food Fat and healthy mealworms Smart package."] #21: Critters Direct Live Superworms Critters Direct is another brand that you can trust to buy food for your pets. With the live superworms provided by them, your bearded dragons can have a more redundant source of food when you care and keep the worms to proliferate. It’s such an economical way for those who have bearded dragons loving live insects. [amazon box"B01JEUD3U0" title" " description" Product Benefits: Healthy live superworms Rich in proteins, low in fat, and highly nutritious Well packaged."] #22: Josh's Frogs Waxworms This product pleases most bearded dragon owners due to the fresh and healthy live insects. Your pets will love it at first try. The brand is also very thoughtful and dedicated that they package the food in a neat container with instructions to assure you can use and store it properly. [amazon box"B06ZZX83FY" title" " description" Product Benefits Big and healthy waxworms Used as supplemental treats for pets."] #23: WestCoastRoaches Live Feeder Crickets Large 3/4" This product will make those who love live crickets happy. The brand offers the species high-quality and good-size crickets which are packaged in a closed box. But, you should be cautious when opening the box that the live crickets can escape into your house. [amazon box"B00504R3DS" title" " description" Product Benefits: Healthy and nutritious live crickets Guaranteed standard Maybe a little bit noisy."] #24: ROACKIE Dubia Roaches Entree Bearded Dragon Food If your living environment is not convenient to raise Dubia roaches to supply for the bearded dragons, you can alter them by this ROACKIE item. It is made from real Dubia roaches and the pellets have a similar size of a living individual. All you need to do is just soaking them in water for half an hour. [amazon box"B07C657YNJ" title" " description" Product Benefits: High-protein pellets Offer nutrition balance Delicious natural ingredients."] #25: Blaptica dubia Roaches 500 Medium It is the only live Dubia roach supplier that we love, so if your bearded dragons are fans of this kind of food, you won’t want to miss it. All the insects are fatty and alive even after the delivery process. Moreover, they can be gut-loaded to help you save more money spending on bearded dragon care. [amazon box"B01N11PTYL" title" " description" Product Benefits: A nutritious and alive food source Perfect size for a juvenile bearded dragon."] FAQs on Best Food for Bearded Dragons How long can a bearded dragon stay without food? It depends on how old and how wealthy the bearded dragon is. Also, the level of hunger tolerance can be different for each individual. For example, a baby bearded dragon will need more protein and other nutrients for his healthy and strong development, so if you stop feeding him, the pet will be weak quickly. The effect is similar to ill bearded dragons. When it comes to mature bearded dragons, they can survive up to two months without food because they have a variety of fat stores and weight. However, if they don’t have water to drink, they will die after a few days. Can bearded dragons eat chicken or eggs? While chicken is not allowed in the diet of bearded dragons, eggs are considered healthy but they should be kept in moderation. Like other kinds of meat, chicken contains too much fat and phosphorus compared to the necessary nutrients that a bearded dragon needs in his daily diet. In a more disadvantageous level, the phosphorus content in chicken will blocks the calcium absorption in the animal’s body, leading to problems relating to teeth, bones, and claws. To feed bearded dragons with eggs, you should boil the food to keep your pet away from the risk of salmonella infection. Can I feed my bearded dragon with cheese like other pets? No. Like a hedgehog's diet, cheese and other kinds of the diary are not good for bearded dragons even though they are a good source of protein, calcium, and hydration (in milk). Why did we say that? That’s because the nutrients contained in these products are too rich for the species to digest. Bearded dragons are not mammals, and they don’t raise kids by the mother’s milk, which means the body of bearded dragon doesn’t have a natural mechanism of absorbing those nutrients. Can bearded dragons eat spiders or ladybugs? No. Ladybugs and spiders are insects that contain some specific kinds of poison in their body that is harmful to your bearded dragons. In addition, many other natural insects like ants, butterflies, and bugs are not on the list that your pets should try once. Even, the toxic in a butterfly’s phosphorescent part can kill the bearded dragon in hours. My bearded dragon vomited after eating for about an hour or less. What should I do? There are many causes in the process of raising bearded dragons that make them vomit. We will show you the underlying ones. The main reason is that the food is too big, injuring the throat. Do not turn off the UVA and UVB lights 1 hour after feeding food. After feeding 1 hour, turn off the UVA and UVB lights, and turn on the night light. UVA can promote the digestion of food in the body while UVB promotes calcium absorption. If there is not enough light, it is impossible for the bearded dragons to digest food which leads to vomit. Offer too much food each time. You should feed no more than 15 crickets every meal. Instead, divide the meal into three times a day with a smaller amount of food each. Some bearded dragon owners often bathe them after the pet is full. This is wrong. If bearded dragons are full, then take a bath, they can be choke water and spit out the food they have eaten. It is beneficial for the digestive system if taking a bath before eating, which can increase the animal's appetite. Eating crickets that are not clean and guaranteed. In particular, do not feed dead cockroaches. This will cause the corpse to ferment in the stomach and induce vomiting. What to do when a bearded dragon vomits? Do not feed the bearded dragons with mealworms or superworms regularly but feed Dubia roaches, Tu Bie Chong, or crickets. The smaller the food is, the better it becomes. Do not feed frozen grasshoppers or crickets. Use probiotics to regulate intestines for bearded dragons and adjust every 2-3 days. Prepare Glucose, effervescent tablets of vitamin C, saltwater, and probiotics. Probiotics for afternoon supplement and Glucose must be used to treatment for 3 days. After that, the pet will begin to crave food. Ideally, you should feed him with Dubia roaches or cherry. What should I do when my bearded dragon doesn’t eat? Before looking for ways to solve the problem of the refusal to eat in bearded dragons, you should know the reason why the pets suddenly change their eating habits. For each case, there will be different solutions. There are many explanations for this case, of which the most common ones are the uncomfortable transport process, the low temperature of the living environment, and the sick or inhibited situation. Bearded dragons quit eating due to transportation In this position, you only need to control the temperature and humidity of the cage well, so that the pets can be relaxed for several days. When they gradually return to normal habit, they will start eating food. If they still don't eat, give them a little electrolyte. The temperature is too low You must regularly check the ambient temperature to maintain it at about 35 degrees Celsius because bearded dragons are cold-blooded animals, and their digestion needs to be based on the living environment temperature. Pets are sick When intestinal inflammation occurs, bearded dragons will not eat anything. You need to give them some medicine with PAC (Poly Aluminum Chloride) or probiotics. Also, you can provide them with oral electrolytes (Mizone). When bearded dragons get diarrhea, it means they have intestinal inflammation. Let’s mix the medicine in bathwater, soak the pets once a day. At the same time, add electrolytes to food and drinking water. Furthermore, when this species has pneumonia, they will not eat food or eat less. The treatment is to use Roxithromycin tablets which are usually for children. Australian dragon is inhibited When you adopt a large bearded dragon with a baby one, the smaller will not dare to eat food. So, raising bearded dragons should be indifferent body sizes. After releasing the pressure, naturally, the pet will eat food. If the bearded dragons refuse to eat for a long time, you should consult experts. In the compulsory situation, you need to know how to force-feed a bearded dragon, but make sure the pet is still comfortable. Conclusion The information above is the best food for bearded dragons. You should note that vegetables and insects should be provided daily to the species, but their proportions will vary depending on the age of the pet. Contact PetLifeBuzz if you want to be consulted specifically for your pet's diet or want to know about the best-bearded dragon enclosures. If you feel the article useful for you, don't hesitate to like and share it with others. Thank you.

25 Best Food for Bearded Dragons in 2020 (Food List & Feeding Tips)

Best Bearded Dragon Diet in 2020 (Complete Guide)

20 Best Bearded Dragon Enclosures in 2020 (Reviews)