Bearded Dragon Question

[SerpentGirl]

Is it OK to feed a baby bearded dragon guppies & platys? I have not done this, but Logan (my beardie) really seems to have an interest in them. I put a guppy in my ribbon snakes bowl last night (their cages are right next to each other), and Logan was trying hard to get the fish through the glass. I was just wondering if I should try & feed him one?

Thanks. :)

[adamanteus]

To be honest AJ, I wouldn't...... it's an alien diet for a beardie, and he might have shown similar interest in any unusual movement in his environment. Beardies don't really eat fish.

[drache]

I wouldn't either
it's too unlike anything they eat

[tikichick]

I agree, too. Stick to bugs and greens. :)

[osubeaver22]

Baby beardies should get insects over plants at this age. Once he gets to 9 months, start putting in my greens, but feed him insects too.
My daily diet:
5 crickets every 4 days
3 mealworms every 3
Lettuce and other greens in their for a week, then I put in fresh
~Mine is 19 Months old, so he should be eating 70% Greens, 30% bugs

[Colby23]

Ya, I used to have a bearded dragon. Its name was SPIKE. It passed away last year though. They're a great pet. Feed it like 10 crickets a week or so.

[SerpentGirl]

Ok, thank you for the help. I'm glad I didn't just give into his begging! Lol. :)

[Stefan-A]

It is an alien diet, like James said, but is there any reason to assume that it's harmful? It's still a source of protein and probably a better source of calcium than crickets are. Aren't pinkies okay, too?

[Lori P]

I do feed my skink bits of salmon... but not often. Maybe I shouldn't, as he's a Schneider's (desert skink). The thing is, he eats just about everything you offer him... I had thought about fish not being in his normal diet, but then neither are some of the veggies and fruits he eats. Hmm, need to do more reading...

[tikichick]

Pinkies are ok, but only on occasion. Typically, they should get a combo of crickets and mealworms. Superworms, waxworms, butterworms are ok also, but far fattier. Beardies should be 80% bugs, 20% greens. They should get all the crickets/worms they can eat within a 10 minute period, then remove what they haven't eaten (so the crickets don't pick at the lizard). Some breeders feed babies twice a day. Mine was about 6 months old when I got her, so she's always been fed once a day. If you haven't already read this info, I highly recommend it: Dragons Down Under: The Inland Bearded Dragon (http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html)

[SerpentGirl]

I tried feeding him wax worms, but he spit them out. He is so picky! :rolleyes:

[tikichick]

Lol, yeah I tried "phoenix" worms and despite all the hype, mine looked at me like I was insane and wouldn't touch them. And they are the nastiest looking... well, they're just maggots for a big black fly... EW!

[drache]

there are certain worms, my beardie thinks of as salad garnish
the phoenix worms he'll only eat as a salad topper
silk worms started out like that, then he went nuts over them for a while
horn worms are his absolutely top favourite, but only the green ones
I'd gotten some at the expo that were blue, which I thought was really cool - well, he didn't think so
feeding a beardie is like feeding a child - just when you've stocked up on their favourite food, it turns into something they've never liked

[tikichick]

LMAO, so true! I haven't tried silk or horned worms. And I'm still waiting for my hissing roaches to pop out some beardie food. Have you tried roaches on yours?

[drache]

he loves the lobster roaches and the not quite fully grown orange spotted ones

[tikichick]

Gtk, thanks :) Looks like it's time for me to order some bugs :p

[Sputnik]

I gave ours some Turkistan roaches a couple of days ago and he very happily chomped away at them. :)

[tikichick]

I've never heard of those... must google, lol.

[drache]

they're a pretty colour

[SerpentGirl]

I will have to look into roaches. Logan's favorite bugs are mealworms.