I need some direction

[Demonatrix]

So Beard is extremely picky. I'm guessing the people who had him before me didn't feed any greens at all. I've been trying really hard to get him to eat greens. So far he will only eat dandelion greens and a green bean here and there if I hang it from a clip in his basking spot. He refuses to leave his basking spot to get food and when I take him out to hand feed he won't even touch them.

He also wont touch crickets but absolutely loves superworms. I've been trying to get him off of supers and eat more greens. I've tried tough love and that doesn't work. He just refuses to eat all together.

So this is what I've been thinking of doing. Let me know if this would be ok to do or if there is a better way.

Making salads like I would to feed Beard but feeding it to the supers so at least when he eats the supers he gets the nutrition that way.
Also with him being this picky with greens how often should I give him supers? I don't want him starving but I also don't want to be over feeding him.

Thank you so much

 

[NaTasha Brinkley]

did you ever think of trying a different worm? Maybe some butter or wax worms, a horn worm every once in a while. You could also try cock roaches... I hear dragons LOVE them. Haven't tried them myself, though.

 

[Demonatrix]

did you ever think of trying a different worm? Maybe some butter or wax worms, a horn worm every once in a while. You could also try cock roaches... I hear dragons LOVE them. Haven't tried them myself, though.

I have a feeling I am going to have to try roaches lol I'm not a huge fan of that idea but if it's the best route then I'll have to go there.

I tried hornworms but after feeding him only one he had bad diarrhea the next day. I heard wax worms were just for treats because they were so high in fat? Maybe I'm thinking of a different worm lol
Right now I'm trying to make his main staple as healthy as possible.

 

[NaTasha Brinkley]

www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutritionframeset

this site will help you out. It shows all the fat, calcium, phosphorus amounts and which things to feed as staple and which to feed moderately. Wax worms are high in fat, but they also have a lot of calcium. They wouldn't be a staple, but beardies like a variety so giving him a couple every once in a while won't hurt. Butter worms are the better choice. They have less fat than crickets, but also less protein.

 

[Demonatrix]

I have that printed out lol

 

[Germ]

I would try roaches, they aren't as bad as the stereotype makes them out to be. Discoids & Dubia are much easier to keep & contain than crickets, live longer (appoximately 1.5-2 years, compared to a cricket's couple of month lifespan), stay the same size longer, have virtually no smell if maintained properly compared to crix, don't chirp, are a better feeder than crickets because they have much higher protein & a much better Meat to shell ratio. Superworms should not be it's staple food if you can help it, if my memory serves me right they are quite fatty, as most worms are, something like 3 times the fat & similar protein content as a cricket.

If he absolutely refuses greens, be sure to give him a weekly soak or 2 to be sure that he is hydrated. Simple gutloading of the supers will not likely provide enough moisture on their own. Gutloading should really consist of a high Calcium & Protein diet, but in your case, green feeding may be the route to go. If my memory serves me right, you found supers along with Beard, quite likely that may have been his staple food, it is quite common for a BD to become 'Worm Spoiled' & can be a seriously hard habit to break. Adult BDs can become quite lazy, may not chase their prey, simply wait until an instance of opportunity & one crosses it's path. Mine would often just sit in one spot, wait for the Crix to circle the enclosure & snag them as they pass. Supers are an easy prey to feed on, as they don't move very fast & are generally fed in a bowl.

I wish you & Beard luck, but I would try the Roach route.

 

[Demonatrix]

As much as roaches creep me out I think that's what I am going to have to do. I'm heading to a local expo tomorrow so I'll grab some.

 

[Pat B]

I bought some kale last week and fed it to my beardie....he LOVED it!! I was so surprised because he hadn't been eating greens at all except green beans. So I thought I would try peas....eh....leaves them in his bowl. He still loves his crix and mealies. Good luck!!

 

[Demonatrix]

I've tried it all lol I have a skink now too so I have dandelion, collard, turnip, mustard, kale, acorn squash, butternut squash, prickly pears, cactus leaves! Haha I am going to be making a better basking area for him and I'm going to make it large enough so I can put a salad plate there so maybe he will eat it if it's right next to him lol

 

[Germ]

You will find that if you put the salad near the basking spot, it will almost immediately dry out & if he does happen to eat it then, it will serve more to dehydrate than hydrate & nourish. Just a heads up ...

 

[Demonatrix]

Way to be a thinker Germ! Lmao

 

[Pat B]

That's 'our' Germ....always thinkin' and helpin'....