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Bugs for Bearded Dragon?

reneeiv

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
48
I am in the planning stage of getting a bearded dragon. Trying to figure out what it would cost monthly to feed it. From reading I see it depends on what and from where you get the food. Not as simple as it is with parakeets. Thus that would be a broad question to ask.

Thus was wondering what bugs you buy, the cost, and from where?
 

Paarthurnax

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
83
Location
Gautier MS
Cost can be substantial (reason I came across Jim as rescue) when I started it was 10-15 dollars a week buying crickets etc. than have half of them die. Hated it!!!!!

Then got a Dubia colony and cost level out once they started reproducing. Now I have so many I can feed Jim extra large Dubia and sell small / medium to neighbor at a rate of 60 per week and still stay ahead so cost is even. Actually finally made some super worms. YEAH !!!!! So now expense is greens. Collard, mustard etc about 3 bucks a week. Then there is the light bulbs that burn out. Made a 180 gallon tank for home about 100 bucks and the 20 gallon for when he goes to school each day.
 

reneeiv

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
48
Actually finally made some super worms. YEAH !!!!! So now expense is greens. Collard, mustard etc about 3 bucks a week. Then there is the light bulbs that burn out.
I would like to know more about how you made super worms. Of course you start with a few live.
How often do you replace the bulb?
 

Paarthurnax

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
83
Location
Gautier MS
It seemed to me to be much harder than the internet described. I took 10 worm and placed in separate containers and waited for them to pupate (took forever like months). then waited for beetles to emerge placed them in new container with substrate of oatmeal and rice. with piece of potato for them to eat and drink from. several months later and nearly ready to give up I was cleaning substrate and found a baby worm then another and by the time I finished picking out medium and tiny small worms I had about 50 of em. of course now Jim doesn't much care about super worms. GEEZE!!!!!!!! now what. Beetles seem to have gotten with the program making 30ish worm a month.
 

reneeiv

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
48
of course now Jim doesn't much care about super worms. GEEZE!!!!!!!! now what. Beetles seem to have gotten with the program making 30ish worm a month.
How old was her when he started getting tired of the worms? What does he eat now?
 

Paarthurnax

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
83
Location
Gautier MS
We estimate Jim to be about a year old. stopped gobbling super worms right after his Partial Brumation. Eats Dubia EXTRA LARGE Nymphs. I get him to eat a super worm every now and then. he used to eat everything off a tweezer. Now only eats if the bug is running away.
 

reneeiv

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
48
We estimate Jim to be about a year old. stopped gobbling super worms right after his Partial Brumation. Eats Dubia EXTRA LARGE Nymphs. I get him to eat a super worm every now and then. he used to eat everything off a tweezer. Now only eats if the bug is running away.
What is Partial Brumation.
 

Tony McAhren

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
36
It is not a problem if some escape unless it is warmer than 80 24/7 in the house. They will not reproduce below 80. They need warmth. I tested this in a small container with 3 males and 12 females from my large colony. I just left them alone with plenty of food, oranges and water with my house no warmer than 75 during the day and 70 at night. No additional heat. In 3 months nothing. Too cold but they still survived.

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abcini

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
22
Can u not feed a dragon the beetles that the mealworms n that turn into flour beetles iirc or are they no good ?
 

PatsyB

Super Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
Beardie Club
Messages
9,390
Location
Chicago
Can u not feed a dragon the beetles that the mealworms n that turn into flour beetles iirc or are they no good ?

They are a little too crunchy in my opinion. I don't know about mealworm beetles but the beetles super worms turn into can give off an odor when threatened so they might not be appetizing to a bearded dragon.
 

reneeiv

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
48
It is not a problem if some escape unless it is warmer than 80 24/7 in the house. They will not reproduce below 80. They need warmth. I tested this in a small container with 3 males and 12 females from my large colony. I just left them alone with plenty of food, oranges and water with my house no warmer than 75 during the day and 70 at night. No additional heat. In 3 months nothing. Too cold but they still survived.
Still I would not want to fool with roaches. Worms I have no problem with.
 

Tony McAhren

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
36
Dubia are easy. Don't smell and you can handle them. Very clean and the don't climb smooth surfaces. A lot easier than anything else. Very hardy bug. Give them heat, water crystals, roach chow I make myself in blender and oranges and they are breeding monsters. I only check on them 2 times per week and good to go. Every 3 months or so pull whatever size you need and place in second container with all necessities and good to go. I separate them using 5 gallon buckets with different hole sizes. Bottom bucket no holes. :) Bucket hole size stacked from largest to smallest. I usually have too many males and do give those away locally as I like to keep a 1:5 ratio. May bump that up to 1:10 as I am starting to get way too many. Breeding tub is not too much yet but getting close. To lower the count I can also lower the temp a little and maybe not oranges as often. I will play around with it as I can get idea of colony growth when I separate them every 3 months. I actually have a haunted house that wants some this coming Halloween. Stick your hand in while blindfolded kind of thing. They don't bite either. It would freek most people out. Once you get over the whole roach thing and realize they are not like normal US cockroaches they are easy to deal with.

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Tony McAhren

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
36
My feeder tub they get the best of everything and often to fatten them up and also mix in calcium with the chow in that tub.

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reneeiv

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
48
Dubia roaches are very hardy bug. Give them heat, water crystals, roach chow I make myself in blender and oranges and they are breeding monsters. I only check on them 2 times per week and good to go. Every 3 months or so pull whatever size you need and place in second container with all necessities and good to go. Once you get over the whole roach thing and realize they are not like normal US cockroaches they are easy to deal with.
The idea of handling roaches put me off first. Then read that they are easy to catch if the get loose. Now thinking that Dubias Roaches are the way to go. I have seen a few outside. They did not move fast like the German Roaches.

Tell me more about the food, please.

Anxious to find out how you reduce the numbers. I would think decreasing food would make them eat each other.
 

Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
The idea of handling roaches put me off first. Then read that they are easy to catch if the get loose. Now thinking that Dubias Roaches are the way to go. I have seen a few outside. They did not move fast like the German Roaches.

Tell me more about the food, please.

Anxious to find out how you reduce the numbers. I would think decreasing food would make them eat each other.
Depending on where you live some states don't allow Dubia.. Don't feed any bugs from outdoors as they are more likely to have parasites, or be poisoned with pesticides..
I mix/grind up oats, guinea pig food, fish food, wheat bran, corn meal, calcium powder (think that's it)
yea not feeding them what they need I would imagine they would get cannibalistic but that also won't do your beardie any good if your not feeding them enough.. if you get a colony going reducing the temp that they are at will slow them down.
 

Tony McAhren

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
36
I would not decrease the roach chow I make, only the oranges. Oranges seem to get them really in the mood along with the heat.

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PatsyB

Super Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
Beardie Club
Messages
9,390
Location
Chicago
I really doubt that you saw dubia roaches outside. They need pretty specific conditions to live and reproduce. If you lose one in your house, it will die shortly.

You seem to have a lot of aversion to the things that are important to keeping a bearded dragon, I'm not sure if they are the right fit for you. They need live bugs and fresh veggies to thrive. Even adult bearded dragons need bugs. They are going to poop and like our poop, there is going to be a smell to them that isn't pleasant. Feeder bugs are going to have a bit of a smell to them also, especially if you don't keep their containers cleaned very well. Feeders need to be gut loaded, meaning they need to eat healthy things so they can pass those nutrients on to your dragons. So actually the bugs are just as much a pet as your bearded dragon is.

Maybe something like a tortoise that only eats veggies would be good or a fish that eats flake food. Before I dived in to bearded dragons I started smaller, I started with frogs to make sure I could handle the bug thing (I HATE bugs). Then moved up to leopard geckos that don't get so big THEN I got a bearded dragon.
 

abcini

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
22
Just wondering how do u prepare the oranges for the cockroaches am not planning on breeding them as I would have far to many only have 1 adult dragon to feed. Don't want to be goin to petshop all the time to buy small tubs of cockroaches. So plan to buy lots and house them as if breeding. Got the just of housin big black plastic storage box with air vents, egg crate on its side held with kebab skewers, room temp 23C so they don't breed, jar lid with water, jar lid with food. Does that sound OK ? If so just need help with food. I'm thinkin cereal and oranges. Should I crush up cereal oats n that so it like powder and how do I prepare the oranges.....
 

abcini

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
22
Budgie seed will they eat that ? How's this for temporary accommodation...
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