Best way to feed bearded dragons?

Question

In the future I want to get a bearded dragon, but I need to figure out some of the basics first (at least!).

I'm fairly certain you need to feed them live crickets. If that's the case, do you have to keep and feed crickets in a separate container? And if so, won't they chirp ALL THE TIME?

Answer 1

You need to feed your bearded dragon some type of feeder insects, in addition to vegetables. I personally recommend feeding live crickets because it gives the bearded dragon exercise. When your bearded dragon gets older you can feed it locusts and grass hoppers in replacement of the crickets.

Meal worms, wax worms, phoenix worms, super worms, and silk worms can be given as treats.

You can be feeding the bearded dragon canned crickets too, if live food is too much of an inconvenience, but live crickets give the bearded dragon exercise. Not to mention gut loaded crickets are much healthier.

You should be keeping live crickets in separate containers. Most pet stores sell cricket keepers which range from seven to fifteen dollars. You should be gut loading (feeding) the crickets, as it will give the bearded dragon more vitamins and the crickets will live longer. For cricket food you can buy various cricket foods at pet stores or you can be feeding them sliced oranges and potatoes. As for how the crickets drink, you should be using either cricket pillows or sponges, they will drown in bowls of water. Avoid direct sunlight on cricket containers, it kills off a lot of crickets.

All feeder insects should all be dusted off in calcium or multivitamin cricket balance powder.

As for the chirping, I've never actually heard small or medium sized crickets chirp. I've really just heard large ones outside do it. Cricket keepers block out a lot of sound too, so even if they do chirp I doubt you'll hear it.

Answer 2

As has been stated above, while you don't necessarily have to feed crickets, some type of feeder insect is necessary.  Silk worms are your best alternative, phoenix worms are also excellent.  Meal worms should be avoided, as the levels of chitin in their exoskeleton and low calcium levels make for a poor food.  Canned insects should be avoided altogether.  No nutritional value in that c**p, and you can't gut load them.  Personally, I will recommend either 1) Live crickets.  If you're getting a baby/juvie, feed as many as it can eat in a 15 minute span 2 times daily.  If an adult, feed 1 1/2-2 dozen every other day.   2) Silk worms are also an excellent feeder insect, and there are several good websites out there to buy them.  3) Phoenix worms are another excellent food source, as the calcium to phosphorous ratio is very good.  

High calcium is good, high phosphorous in food content is bad.  And yes, don't leave extra crickets in with your beardie, than can nibble on your lizard.  As your dragon gets older, it will eat less crickets, and more nutritional greens, such as Kale, Collard Greens, Dandelion Greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens.  DO NOT FEED HEAD LETTUCE.  Its nutritionally devoid of anything, basically its crunchy water.

Answer 3

www.reptilekeeper.co.uk

Best forum ever for worldwide advise.  

Crickets / locusts daily.  Dusted in calcium and vits specially designed for BD's.

fresh fruit and veg daily.

Answer 4

you don't have to feed them crickets and they don't have to be live. There are other insects that dragons can be fed and as they are older, a majority of their diet is salads and vegetables anyway. I feed some of my lizards large crickets and the chirping does not bother me. Sometimes I will actually sleep 1 ft from the cage and I block it out. Now that's just me of course. You can always feed them a varierty of insects instead of crickets though.