Handfeeding

[babyb]

Is handfeeding your dragon a bad thing? When I feed him his greens he eats out of the dish but when I feed him his crickets I handfeed him and I was wondering if I was teaching him a bad habit by doing that? does anyone else handfeed?

 

[Lazo818]

Yes it can turn to a bad habit ! Happened with my last dragon I enjoyed hand feeding her everyday because she was my first dragon, when I didn't feel like hand feeding her or when I didn't have time I would dump the crickets in and she would act like such a fat lazy kid not wanting to chase the crickets even when they were just near her , hand feeding and cause them to get super lazy and just get used to been feed by hand . I don't even hand feed often and my boy is so lazy to go after crickets , so imagine geting your dragon on the habit of hand feeding , here and there is fine to hand feed but just not all the time

 

[babyb]

Ok I will stop cause I do it everyday, She is my first and I got so excited when she ate out of my hand one day and ive been doing it since but I will stop for a while and when she starts getting them herself again I will just do it every once in awhile. Also ive just been pouring a little calcium powder on the floor of her tank Ive seen picks of other people doing it but then I started thinking that might not be a good idea cause when she gets older if I do use a loose substance in her tank will she eat it cause she is used to eating things off her floor or will she know the difference?

 

[Lazo818]

Loose substrate is not a good idea even when adult there's always a risk of impaction . Paper towels, newspaper, or tile is the way to go and plus is way easier to clean and cheaper