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Eating only bugs

Smitty

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
20
HI everyone
I recently adopted(rescued) a 3 year old beardie.
He wasn't in the best of health when we got him, thin, dehydrated, eye problems etc.
Good news is, he is doing MUCH better, gaining a little weight, no longer dehydrated and eyes are getting better.
Problem is, he will NOT eat any but superworms. That is all that he was fed with the previous owner.
I have tried just about EVERYTHING I can find in the way of suggestions to get him to eat something other than worms. Tried a bunch of different greens, tried putting bee pollen on greens as they are supposed to really like that, tried putting worms mixed in bowl with the greens but he won't eat the greens.
He won't eat greens, veggies or fruit, superworms only , so frustrating.
I am not giving up, however, I am afraid that he isn't receiving the proper nutrition just from worms alone.
He does get calcium dusted worms twice a week but is there another vitamin that he needs and would be lacking from such a short diet?
any help would be appreciated.
 

mamaof2dragons

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
207
he needs a multivitamin for reptiles, flukers makes a liquid one that is good. also make sure your gut loading the super worms with the same greens your offering him, that way he is at least getting some better nutrients until he gets the ideas that greens are good food. just keep offering the greens and veggies he may eventually start eating g them. also try hand feeding some blueberries, you can roll them around in your palm and he might think it's a bug, I used to entice my spike to eat when he was sick by doing that it almost always worked.
 

mamaof2dragons

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
207
also try butter worms there spendy but well worth the price if he likes them. I order mine from rainbow mealworms and also mulberry farms. spike was addicted to super worms till he tasted the butter worms...that and you can keep them in the fridge to keep them dormant so they last longer.
 

Smitty

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
20
Thanks,
I tried the blueberry thing already, didn't work, lol I have (believe me) tried just about everything to get him to eat anything besides worms.
A bowl of greens with a ton of superworms and he just stares at it, take out the greens and he will eat every worm ! uggh lol
I do gut load the superworms. They are fed greens, carrot and Mango (and a few other things mixed up different times)
How do I get a liquid vitamin into him? I will gladly order some if I can get him to take it.
As for butterworms, I don't know where I can get them, none of the pet stores carry them. I am in Newfoundland Canada so I don't know if ordering them online would be an option?
 

hgriz1

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
2
HI everyone
I recently adopted(rescued) a 3 year old beardie.
He wasn't in the best of health when we got him, thin, dehydrated, eye problems etc.
Good news is, he is doing MUCH better, gaining a little weight, no longer dehydrated and eyes are getting better.
Problem is, he will NOT eat any but superworms. That is all that he was fed with the previous owner.
I have tried just about EVERYTHING I can find in the way of suggestions to get him to eat something other than worms. Tried a bunch of different greens, tried putting bee pollen on greens as they are supposed to really like that, tried putting worms mixed in bowl with the greens but he won't eat the greens.
He won't eat greens, veggies or fruit, superworms only , so frustrating.
I am not giving up, however, I am afraid that he isn't receiving the proper nutrition just from worms alone.
He does get calcium dusted worms twice a week but is there another vitamin that he needs and would be lacking from such a short diet?
any help would be appreciated.
I am in a similar situation and I figured out a trick. I chop up greens and different colored sweet peppers and place them in front of her. Then I use something to move them around. I know that sounds weird, but she was only fed crickets, so by moving the food I am enticing her...she still gets to chase it I guess. I try not to get my hands and fingers involved as to be extra tricky. Oh and after doing this for about a month, she has started to eat them without my doing that.
 

Smitty

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
20
yep, tried that as well
ugh, frustrating indeed.
I managed to get him to eat 6 pieces of dandelion green with baby food on them as a "salad dressing" that was one day, that was it. Trying tough love now but he hasn't eaten a THING in 4 days :(
oh my
 
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