feeding every other day? HELP

[reptyfae]

While watching bearded dragon videos, someone said that you should feed your bearded dragon every Other day [with reasonable reasons] , if that's really true then should it be also with Young bearded dragons?

If any of bearded dragon owners did the 'every other day' feeding thing do you also eliminate water? was your B.D as healthy as the daily fed B.D?

Plus, what is a good under-tank heating pad brand?

 

[Augie]

How young of a dragon are we talking? Mine ate 2-3 times per day for about 4 months, and then as she got bigger, started eating 1-2 times a day. I've had her for about 9-10 months now, she's about 17 inches long, and rarely eats live food more than once per day (granted, she grazes on her veggies more than when I first got her as well).

In regards to water, I have never given her water like in a dish or anything. I bathe her 1-2 times a month.

Can't help you with the heating pad. I use a 150 watt heat lamp with a UVB bulb inside a light fixture I hot glued to the inside of the tank. The cool side is always between 75-85 degrees. Hope this helps!

 

[reptyfae]

@Augie im not sure of how old my bearded dragon will be until their shipment arrives in 2weeks. oh ok then what brand of heat lamp do you recommend to use[exoterra/etc-?] and thanks it did help!

 

[Firemaro]

Beardies like to have heat from above. I use radiant heat panel in my cages. Make sure you give them UVA and UVB lights also. I also have a enclosure outside so they can soak up some rays. As for watering, when my beardies were first hatched, I spray (mist) them every day this will allow them to drink from the water from their heads. I have also use an eyedropper to let them drink. Mine love cork bark to climb and hide in. For feeding I like to see the bellies full but not too full. Keep food size small. I feed mine roaches (new born) and after a month old they started to eat greens. I also spray the greens I give them. So for feeding sometimes it is everyday but if they look full I will skip it or just feed greens.

 

[Augie]

@Augie im not sure of how old my bearded dragon will be until their shipment arrives in 2weeks. oh ok then what brand of heat lamp do you recommend to use[exoterra/etc-?] and thanks it did help!

You're welcome. Try to do all your research prior to the day you gt your dragon. I also strongly recommend having everything set up and your temps perfect prior to his arrival as well. In regards to set up, lighting, and temps, read this link:

http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/i...elatively-small-enclosures-used-for-bds.8555/

Germ, the author of that thread, has been doing this for a long time and is very knowledgable. Read the thread, and come back here when you have questions and we will answer them! lighting and temps can be very confusing; I had tons of questions for these folks. Kudos to you for doing your research now, and not in a panic after he is already with you.

 

[BeardieBaby]

As beardies get older they don't have to eat everyday like they do when they are younger. As my beardie turned 1 in June I got extremely worried because he would go a few days without eating and then he would eat and then he wouldn't etc...I learned that it is normal and when they become adults they don't always want to eat everyday, so I was very relieved. My beardie recently went through a full body shed and didn't eat for almost 2 weeks because sometimes they lose their appetite when they are shedding but luckily he got his appetite back and he is a very healthy beardie!

 

[Germ]

This very good feeding & supplementation schedule was provided to you previously in another post ... The every other day feeding would be for adult BDs.

General feeding/supplementation schedule:
For hatchlings and young juveniles (up to 2 months): Fresh greens/veg. 1-2 times daily - Live prey 2-3 times per day
Dusted: Five days per week with phosphorus free calcium – one day per week with calcium + D3 - One day per week with a vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.

For juveniles and sub-adults (2 months to sexual maturity): Fresh greens/veg 1-2 times daily - Live prey 1-2 times per day
Dusted: Five days per week with phosphorus free calcium – One day per week with calcium + D3 - One day per week with a vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.

For adults (generally 1+ year): Fresh greens/veg 1- 2 times daily - Live prey every 2-3 days.
Dusted: Every other feeding with phosphorus free calcium - Twice per month with calcium + D3 - One day per week with a vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.

As there are different circumstances that may arise, this schedule is recommended only as a general guide and may be altered to accommodate individual situations. With proper effective strength UVB lighting at acceptable distances (Please see UVB Setup), supplementation with vitamin D3 is not imperative but should provided in small amounts. Excessive levels of oral vitamin D3 can potentially lead to the excessive absorption and utilization of calcium and/or toxicity, as can the excessive use of supplements containing high levels of vitamin A. Over use of any supplement can have the potential to cause serious health problems, stick to an appropriate supplementation schedule.

Here is an article providing a good explanation to give an understanding on the Calcium to Phosphorous & Fat to Protien ratio ...

The main points to look out for are the fat content and the Ca: P ratio.​

​

Ca: P Ratio and Reptiles​

Many have heard about the Ca: P ratio but not many understand what it means to your reptiles. The Ca: P ratio is simply the ratio of Calcium compared to Phosphorus and so a Ca: P ratio of 1 (one or 1:1) would mean that Calcium & Phosphorus are found in equal quantities, a Ca: P ratio of 0.5 (half or 0.5:1) means that there is half the amount of Calcium than there is Phosphorus. An ideal Ca: P ratio would be around 2 (two or 2:1) as this will allow calcium to be easily absorbed.​

​

So why is this important? It has to do with the way Calcium is absorbed by your reptile's intestine. For any calcium to be absorbed, there needs to be at least equal quantities of Calcium and Phosphorus in their food. If the Phosphorus is much higher, then not only will it prevent calcium being absorbed, but may even leach calcium that is already present in your reptile's body. This can lead to serious problems such as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). When Calcium and Phosphorus are dissolved in equal quantities, it forms an insoluble salt (Calcium Phosphate) which is very difficult to absorb by your reptile's intestine. If there is a large amount of phosphorus compared to the calcium, then all the calcium will be bound by the phosphorus and none will be available for your reptile. If there is a large excess of calcium, then no phosphorus can be absorbed, which is also a vital mineral but not needed in as large a quantity as calcium. Ideally the Ca/P ratio for most vertebrates is around 2 (also written as 2:1).​

​

Fat vs Protein​

Another thing to look out for is the amount of fat compared to protein. Fat contains twice as many calories as protein, but doesn't provide any of the nutritional benefits that are gained from proteins from their amino acids which are essential for the health of any living creature. The calories from fat are often called "empty calories" in dietary terminology. Most insectivorous reptiles will receive greater benefit from a high protein/low fat diet.​

​

Source - http://www.leedspetshops.co.uk​

​

​

Read More: http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/basic-bd-care-sheet-a-place-to-start.5177/

UTHs generally are not necessary for a BD enclosure. I would also like to give a 'Kudos' to you for doing your research in advance. Good Luck