Bug recommendations

[BrookeE]

I don't have the resources/time/comfortability with bugs to start a colony of anything. Therefore I'm kinda stuck either ordering bugs online or going to the local pet store (which is what i usually do and honestly the only thing there is crickets so thats what she eats).
Dubia roaches are totally out of the question. Roaches at all.
So besides crickets and roaches, what bugs/worms do you recommend feeding to a full grown beardie?
Can you tell me a bug and how many per week you recommend feeding?
Also, how do y'all feel about hornworms? Are they okay?

 

[Mom2Dovakiin]

we have super worms, horn worms, wax worms (treats) my beardies love all three.
So dumb question...why not dubia?
Me personally, I don't like crickets so I don't do them. They are noisy and they stink lol

 

[BrookeE]

Well no pet stores around me have dubia roaches in the first place. But the biggest problem is that they freak me out big time. More than that though, I graduated college a month ago and staying with my parents until I find a job, my mother has a very strict no roach policy. She would absolutely murder me if I brought those home. No joke. lol.

How many super worms and horn worms do you feed your beardie at a time and how often normally?

 

[Canicke]

hi. I give both my male and female one hornworm every couple of weeks. cuz they're expensive. and I haven't been able to buy them before. and I don't have time to breed. and they're big. nothing scientific about it. I try to switch out dubias and superworms - dubias one week, supers the next. neither kid has been eating many of either lately. yesterday they each ate 3 or 4 dubias. but - I've seen my girl eat 12 to 15. supers? lately just 3 or 4. but - again, as many as 12 or so. I generally feed bugs only once a week. mostly cuz of my schedule. they are offered greens every day. haven't been eating much of that lately, either.

 

[BrookeE]

My understanding has always been that once they become adults, you're supposed to give them maybe 5-10 large bugs 2-3 times per week, and make sure they are offered and eating salads daily.
But I've seen some people on here talking about feeding their adults salads daily plus 15-20 large bugs every single day.
I always thought their bug consumption was supposed to go way down once they became adults. Dont get me wrong, my girl would absolutely eat that much. But I didnt think they were supposed to.
Some peoples beardies look a little...erm... chubby. And I wouldn't think that'd be healthy for them. But I definitely don't want to underfeed my girl.
Is there like a "right" answer as far as how many bugs they're supposed to get?

 

[Canicke]

greens should be offered daily. once they are adults, they do not have the nutritional requirements for growth that young'uns do. that don't mean they preferentially choose salads ! yeah - my girl would totally OD on supers given the opportunity. but she would absolutely ignore her greens. I have given her the option of eating her greens - or not. my boy actually sometimes eats his salads 2 days in a row. I agree with some beardies being a bit robust. my girl is one of those - but - she was used as a breeder for many years so actually has a lot of body mass from eggs. and - she's a slug bug!
I would probably not recommend daily. 2 or 3 times per week is probably the better choice - my schedule does not allow me that flexibility. they're both healthy so I am not concerned. Sorry - there really is no "right" answer

 

[Mom2Dovakiin]

For me, I do the salads daily and supers or dubias probably every other day. I'll put 10 supers with Gojira's salad, and only 5of with Alduiin's salad (that's only because I'm still getting him to trust me so thru-out the day I'll hand feed him as well so he gets enough. Hornworms, every so often as a treat they'll get 2-3. At this time I just got some hornworms, but I'm letting them get a little bigger before giving them to my babies.
If I didn't regulate Gojira he would be a serious chunker, whether bugs or salads, he eats A LOT lol. I fill his salad at least twice daily because he'll eat all of it.
In fact today after work I'm going to have to get more salads lol
Alduiin is a bit pickier so I hand feed a lot so that I can gain his trust (he's a rescue).
Of course, at least twice a week I give both of them a handful of dubias to hunt down. They both like the hunt. Worms don't do that very well lol

 

[BrookeE]

Okay, thanks for the input folks. It sounds like I'm about on track as far as feeding bugs and salads. I just ordered some hornworms and i look forward to growing them up and seeing how she likes them. They were like $20 to buy 25 of them and ship to me so thats expensive for me to do consistently. I wish i could start growing my own but I've looked into it and it looks like a huge pain in the you-know-what. Where do y'all get your bugs from?

 

[Mom2Dovakiin]

I am starting a superworm colony (my first) it's a bit time consuming, however, the actual work that goes into it is relatively simple. I can't wait to see the results. I now have about 13 worms getting ready to switch to beetles and I'm getting excited here lol.

 

[Hdrydr31]

I have a year and a half female that used to eat her greens and she will every once and awhile...
I have a year old male and he was eating well...

Then winter hit and they both went into a semi brumation..
They are coming around again but still not wanting to eat their greens that are provided daily...they both get bugs 3-4times a week, I feed roaches, supers, waxworms, butterworms...
My feeders all get the same greens so they get some that way..
What I do 2-3 times a week I give slurries. I use a magic bullet to blend up their greens, veggies, and supplements and water into a thick soupy in which I give while they are in the bath via syringe (zero needle just the syringe part). They both love them and take them willingly.

**if you give water or slurries via syringe dribble it on their nose and let them lick it don't squirt it as they can easily aspirate the fluid.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

I order bugs online. The best experiences I have, pricewise and customer service and promptness of delivery are:
http://www.phoenixworm.com
https://dubiaroaches.com

I feed black soldier fly larvae and dubia as staples. I will say about the roaches - the smaller ones do not look like "roaches". They look more like rolly-pollies. Just tell your mom they are rolly-pollies, that's what I told my partner. Other insects, including hornworms, get offered as treats, but I really like the nutrition content of dubias and the high calcium of phoenix worms.