Adult bearded dragon concern

[Neuro]

As others have mentioned, bee pollen worked great for my bearded dragon. She went from never eating her salad to eating almost a whole dish everyday.

I primarily feed her Dandelion Greens and dust with bee pollen that I order from this great site:

Bee Pollen

With a slightly sweet and flowery flavor, Bee Pollen is one of natures most complete protein rich foods that is high in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It helps to enhance immune system functions and works as an appetite stimulant as well as overall health maintenance. Sprinkle on food or...

bug-de-lite.com

 

[LJZONUM]

My guy is younger than yours at only about a year and a half, but I seem to have the same issue. He’s always been a picky eater - he’ll go days without food if I don’t offer not only insects, but the type of insect he wants at that time. It’s frustrating and worrisome for sure. I’ve tried doing what you are and just giving different veg and fruits, but I give in after about two weeks. I’ve tried the bee pollen trick. It didn’t work for us. Maybe it will for you ‍ Good luck. I hope your dragon gives in. Be sure to keep us informed please if he does!!

 

[Kenai]

I had to smash a small bit of fruit like blueberry, banana, or a raspberry all over Ozzy’s greens before she would take them. She doesn’t get much fruit these days but she is finally eating her greens. If you find something that your beardie loves you could try covering the veggies in it too? Best of luck

 

[Julee1971]

Same issue here. My 3 year old beardie wants nothing to do with greens so I came here and asked what if he never eats veggies. Luckily, someone here who has spent many years breeding beardies told me that from his experience, as long as you supplement with calcium and Herptivite, he has not seen any health deficiencies in purely insectivorous dragons. Perhaps the biggest thing to watch out for is obesity so make sure he has a large enclosure to exercise in and perhaps give him some supervised swim time in the bathtub as often as is convenient.

I heard someone say that Fluker's Strawberry Banana calcium can make a fussy beardie eat his veggies. I just got a jar today so we'll see about that.

Sadly when people don’t feed/train a Beardie as a baby/juvenile to eat the greens it’s soo tuff; it’s the biggest mistake people do. You can buy salad dressing and Bee pollen; the salad dressing Google it for Beardies and put it on their veggies and bring the plate to him and u can also kinda force feed a veggie or two to try. Once they try it u will see which ones they like start with yellow squash cut thin like a sliced cucumber and cut the round in 4pieces and try and shove it in his mouth, then do butternut squash same; cut it thin not to thin but thin Enuff and red bell peppers. The greens u can try too just everyday try 2-3 to place it in his mouth. U have to help and blueberries they love but that’s 5-6 only a few times a week start by letting him eat off your hand they love it.

 

[Julee1971]

My guy is younger than yours at only about a year and a half, but I seem to have the same issue. He’s always been a picky eater - he’ll go days without food if I don’t offer not only insects, but the type of insect he wants at that time. It’s frustrating and worrisome for sure. I’ve tried doing what you are and just giving different veg and fruits, but I give in after about two weeks. I’ve tried the bee pollen trick. It didn’t work for us. Maybe it will for you ‍ Good luck. I hope your dragon gives in. Be sure to keep us informed please if he does!!

Hi you can order salad dressing for Beardies also try feeding 2-3 kinds of veggies/greens everyday by hand kinda forcing in his mouth slice the yellow squash like a cucumber thin and then cut into 4’s & stick a piece in his mouth then do butternut squash and endives those are the best veggies then the greens collard, mustard greens and dandelions u can also do snap peas. Also; Keep doing the insects he’s only a year old u can’t go days without insects 10 large crickets per day or 20 every other day at least. U can add some Dubia roaches too & as treats 2-3 super worms once per week, try adding the super worms on top of the greens/veggies. But the salad dressing shoidl wrk again take the plate to him dip your finger in dressing or oalce on top of a veggie & stick it in his mouth.

 

[Julee1971]

Im new on brumation and what to do, and what needs to happen with lighting and everything, im not sure what to do with that

Hi during brumation; make sure he has a hideaway mine is under his hammock on the hot side behind the heat lamp & I place a soft towel on top so underneath is his hideaway & I place a soft fleece blanket under so he hides under their like a cave with a bed and he can peak his head out & get heat/uvb if he wants; & still leave the UVB & clear heat bulb on but only for 10hours in the winter/basically 10-12 hours always in the winter but more like 10hours. Still offer food place the plate of veggies/greens so if he wants to eat he eats and water too he needs water. U can hand offer crickets I dust in a ziplock bag then pic up one by one and try and feed it to him if he eats he eats if not that’s ok. Also if he’s semi awake & has his head out u can give him a very Luke warm bath so he poops; he should not bromate with a full tummy he can get health problems & the the waste in his tummy will cause issues.

 

[Julee1971]

They're too expensive a feeder. I have tried superworms on his salad and he will either eat the superworms off the top without eating salad or if they burrow under, he'll look at it for a bit like, "why's the grass moving?" then lose interest.

Stick to crickets, and dubi roaches u can do super worms 2-3 per week they are high in fat. Never do meal worms it impacts them. A healthy Beardie who is getting proper heat & UVB should be pooping once per day skipping a day once in a while is ok; just make sure the heat/uvb are on 10-12 hours in the winter more likely 10 or so and in the summer 12-14 more like 14 they have more energy in the summer. Also, make sure the Reptisun 10.0 T5 is replaced every 12mnths; if I have the T8 replace ty at every 6mnths; because it stops emitting UVB.

 

[Julee1971]

Is it bad for him if he never gets out of the habit? When i was on day 5 i gave him a blueberry, i made it move so he could think its alive and moving and he ate it as if he was starving but yea ive tried superworms and hornworms, hornworms sometimes may stick to a turnip green. Ive heard about the bee pollen powder and even the salad dressing you can buy, i just have to wait til i get paid, ive given mine kale, collard greens and turnip greens, i snuck each piece while he was chewing a superworm or crickets. Like i said it is roughly day 8 of him not eating anything. I havent given him any insects at all within those 8 days, just fresh veggies everyday. But lets say he never eats greens or anything. So since hes an adult and he is supposed to get insects weekly (not as much as juveniles) how often do i feed? I do switch up the insects, i do crickets, giant roaches, hornworms, superworms, wax worm(every once in a while) and i was going to do calciworms too. How long should i wait to feed insects until i try everything? As you mentioned he may never want to eat greens and veggies and he just has to eat insects

Try to hand feed first start with veggies the best everyday ones are yellow squash and endives which is very High in calcium and butternut squash & red bell peppers; slice it thin like a cucumber and then cut it into 4’s or half & try feeding each one by kinda gently forcing it in his mouth & he will slowly eat as u feed them & order the salad dressing & dip your finger and give him some in his mouth. The best greens are collard, mustard greens they love & very good & dandelions. Also, for adults u should still feed 10 large crickets per day or at least every other day. Especially if he’s not eating greens/veggies but u gotta slowly work on it. Dubia roaches are good too. Super worms & hornworms are very high in fat so 2-3 per week only. Never do email worms it impacts them.

 

[Julee1971]

So my dragon has a bad eating habit and only wants crickets and any insects in general. So it is probably day 7 or 8 for only giving him greens and veggies. How long does it normally take for dragons to get super hungry to eat greens and veggies? I give him a fresh dish everyday and he wants nothing to do with it. And its not like hes hand fed or anything, he is also 4 years old, i have collard greens and turnip greens, i give him turnip greens and yellow squash. How long should it take for him to give in, and when should i be concerned? I just want him to eat his veggies and greens like an adult bearded dragon should. My other concern is since im not giving him any insects and only greens and using supplements on insects, like calcium/multivitamins. He gets supplements on his insects and not greens. Sorry I don’t mean to confuse lol. So basically his insects get dusted with the supplements, his greens do too but he doesnt eat or care for him so id be waisting supplements on my greens. What should i do

Try hand feeding; do the yellow squash & butternut squash they love it; slice it thin like a cucumber and stick it in his mouth from the front. Then try red bell peppers & snap peas & do mustard greens & dandelions along with the collard greens. The turnip is not an everyday green. The ones I mentioned are the best. Also order Beardie salad dressing & dip your finger in it and rub some on his mouth then place the veggies/greens with some on it and take him to it. Mix 2-3 veggies & greens everyday not just one kind.

 

[HoomanSlave]

Be careful with the salad dressing, and if you choose to use it only feed in moderation. The commonly available (Nature Zone brand) dressing contains:

-Cathaxanthin: a dye fed to chickens to improve egg yolk color, also used in cosmetics and medicine.
-Sucrose: added sugar, which can lead to health issues if consumed in large amounts. It's the second ingredient on the ingredients list, so there's a lot of it. Probably the most concerning thing on this list because of the quantity.
-Methylparaben: an artificial preservative, listed as a low to moderate health hazard by the EWG.
-Potassium sorbate: another chemical additive.
-Citric acid: beardies shouldn't have anything too acidic, so when used long-term the citric acid in the dressing could become an issue. It looks like there's just a small amount in the dressing.
-Xanthan gum: basic thickening agent, fine but not very natural.
-"Natural" strawberry flavor: the dressing doesn't even contain real strawberries, just flavoring and a truckload of chemicals.

You can try making your own dressing from fresh fruits, herbs, and insects if you have a blender, or just keep mashing them up.

 

[LJZONUM]

Sadly when people don’t feed/train a Beardie as a baby/juvenile to eat the greens it’s soo tuff; it’s the biggest mistake people do. You can buy salad dressing and Bee pollen; the salad dressing Google it for Beardies and put it on their veggies and bring the plate to him and u can also kinda force feed a veggie or two to try. Once they try it u will see which ones they like start with yellow squash cut thin like a sliced cucumber and cut the round in 4pieces and try and shove it in his mouth, then do butternut squash same; cut it thin not to thin but thin Enuff and red bell peppers. The greens u can try too just everyday try 2-3 to place it in his mouth. U have to help and blueberries they love but that’s 5-6 only a few times a week start by letting him eat off your hand they love it.

Speaking as someone who’s had our beardie since it was a few weeks old, trust me, I’ve tried from the beginning to get him to eat veg and fruit but he’s always been more willing to go hungry instead!
He used to be willing to eat dandelion greens when he was young ... so now I actually grow it in his enclosure (and of course he won’t hardly touch it, but I know that at least there’s fresh food available if he wants it). I feed the feeders good things, but that’s about the best we can do.
So Don’t automatically assume bad husbandry. I’ve had to accept that just like people some beardies are just picky.

 

[Endo678?]

So still supplement his greens calium and Herptivite daily until he eats? Ive heard bee pollen powder and a type of salad dressing for dragons would work, yea mines in a 125 gallon. Lately he has been really sleepy, idk why he is super sleepy

I had the same problem my beardie wouldn't touch his greens but the reality is that greens are important for them I got the salad dressing bee pollen veggies fruits I stopped giving him crickets and worms and just offered greens he final ate when I start getting excited about his veggies and now he eat veggies in the morning everyday and get worms 1 time a day