Should i start feeding my beardie Veggies?

Question

Hi iv'e had a bearded dragon for about a year now and he is approx. 16 months old and is about 17 inches long.Ever since i got him Ive been feeding him crickets,Locusts.Mealworms and Waxworms. Ive tried Feeding him veggies before but he usually doesnt even touch them and iv'e tried fasting him but i dont like fasting him for too long. I do however gutload the insects with vegetables and insect grub and the odd fishflakes. so does that count as veggie intake?

So am just wondering is it Ok if he eats insects throughout his entire life as long as his insects are gutloaded with veggies is that OK? or do they need to eat vegetables too to keep healthly?

Answer 1

Yes, you should... as an adult he should be on roughly a 40% bug, 60% veg - i'm fairly sure its supposed to be even more veg than that.

The problem isn't the vits in the veg, he can get them as you say from gutloading - its the protein in the insects that is bad for them!

Once they stop growing, they require less protein and any excess starts damaging his organs...

Unfortunately - i haven't heard of a single case of a beardie that started eating veg once it was an adult. They need to be fed to them from the day they hatch and continuously as they grow for them to accept them as a food source.

There is no alternative to him eating veg.

Maybe you can try tricking him into eating some by sticking it to the insect somehow?

Answer 2

try dandelion leaves mine will not eat any other veg apart from that

Answer 3

what i hear is that the older they get the more veggies they need ummm i would keep trying the veggies if it dosent work then keep feeding him the live prey

Answer 4

beardies should have a mixed diet of fruits, vegs and greens, as well as live food. as an adult, the ratio should be 80% veg, and only 20% insects. if you have problems with the dragon being interested in the veg, mix in some waxworms, or alternatively, make the veggies "come alive" - by means of wiggling it infront of his/her face.

Answer 5

My beardie is not a veggie lover so I put a few meal worms or wax worms into  his veggies, he sees them wriggling about and eats them but also picks up the veg with them, try it,  I also sprinkle calcium and vitamin powder in them too.