Tips on getting your BD to eat salad

[BPz27]

So i have a 1yr and half old male bearded dragon. Now i had him since he was 6 months got him from petsmart. So what I notice that he does not like to eat salad. Idk if petsmart just had him on a strict insect/pellet diet, I always put a salad in his cage but he pays it no mind. Like my salad consist of Kale,Buk Choy, bell peppers, and fruit(Strawberry,rasberry, blue berry, apples) I dont put all those together normailly would do kale, bell peppers and strawberrys. He never eats them he may go pick up an berry or apple or piece of green but never go to town on the salad, I seen video of BD even babies eating their veggies like crazy. I know most BD from juvies to early adults can be stubborn. But as time goes on i know its important for the BD to eat his green to stay healthy. Heres what I have tried.

1. Putting piece of green near his basking spot as they tend to lick where their basking area.

2. I put his live insect in his salad. But the little smarty guy just shoves the salad out his way to get to the cricket or worm.

I hadn't tried force feeding as I don't wanna make him angry or mad. Is there any other tips.

Also i notice that he doesn't like to eat crickets anymore. I started given him Superworms which he eats with no problem, but the other day i brought home crickets and he didn;t even bother to chase them or eat them. Im wondering is it becuz he got superworms now that he wants to switch and eat only them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Canicke]

I don't feed crickets to my kids at all - dubia (roaches) and superworms. I would like to suggest that you switch up your greens a bit - kale and bok choy should not be staples. they are what is considered "goitrogens" and on the feed only occasionally list. try: arugula, dandelion greens, watercress. Fruit should not be given daily, also. I give mine fruit once every week or two. check out the links below my signature - a couple of the folks on the forum put together an awesome collection of information! Some kiddos will eat salad better than others. Pet Smart probably didn't feed him greens at all - beardies typically don't start eating greens until they are 6 months or more. Mine (both adults) will eat their greens sometimes. Sometimes they wont. Sometimes they will only eat 1 thing. Next week - something else. I feed mine their protein once a week (maybe twice a week) and offer greens every day. ya can't MAKE them eat it !

 

[mxw0rld]

The best greens for bearded dragons are dandelion, turnip, collard and mustard greens. Arugula, and any kind of squash, endive, radicchio are all good things to mix in with the greens. What I do is pick a staple green and one of those I just mentioned on a weekly basis and I personally have had no problems with getting either of mine to eat their salads. I do not give them any fruit, as they won't eat their salads with fruit and it's not good for them anyways.

How many times a day are you feeding insects to your beardie? At this age it should be every other day. Which would help him to eat his greens.

Both of mine will pass up the insects to eat their salads but that is very rare, I hear more people that have beardies that don't eat their greens. Lol

As far as the superworms.… ugh! I went through this and I'm sure a few other people have too! Superworms are like sweet candy to them. They are high in fat and if that's all he will eat then you need to show him some tough love and not give in to him and give him those. It is hard I know, trust me I know that look when they tilt their heads but the thing is you don't want them to get over weight and too many supers isn't good for them, they can be hard to digest. I had to go 3 days with my oldest one not eating anything before he would eat the dubia's again. It will be the hardest thing you will ever have to do but it will be for the best.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[BPz27]

Hello thank you all for your insight, and Ill def switch up my salads, gonna change that up quick as i thought kale and choy was good for their daily veggies, also ill hold back on the fruit as well,

I guess tough love would have to be the choice. i usually feed my BD insects every 3rd or 4th day, and i only feed him once that day, I dont feed him insect more then once on the 3rd day,

 

[RaeAnn]

I can second Mxworld on that, I just went through the same thing with my beardie. She became addicted to supers and wouldn't touch anything else. Took me about 3days to get her back on track. They can be so darn stubborn lol.

Until you can get yours eating more salad what I strongly recommend is gut-loading your feeder insects. Both Dubias and crickets (which ever you use) are great choices for this. You simply feed them what you would like your beardie to eat so that when your dragon eats them he gets some nutrition from the greens and veggies as well. I also have a very picky eater and this method has really helped at least some. It also makes your feeders healthier so that's another plus other than that you'll want to make sure your using a good reptile multivitamin once a week just to make sure your BD is getting his needed vitamins.

As much as I hate to do it, I have found when I place my dragons salad in her enclosure as soon as her lights come on and not offer her insects until later that afternoon, she usually has gotten hungry enough to eat at least some of her salad by than.


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[BPz27]

I can second Mxworld on that, I just went through the same thing with my beardie. She became addicted to supers and wouldn't touch anything else. Took me about 3days to get her back on track. They can be so darn stubborn lol.

Until you can get yours eating more salad what I strongly recommend is gut-loading your feeder insects. Both Dubias and crickets (which ever you use) are great choices for this. You simply feed them what you would like your beardie to eat so that when your dragon eats them he gets some nutrition from the greens and veggies as well. I also have a very picky eater and this method has really helped at least some. It also makes your feeders healthier so that's another plus other than that you'll want to make sure your using a good reptile multivitamin once a week just to make sure your BD is getting his needed vitamins.

As much as I hate to do it, I have found when I place my dragons salad in her enclosure as soon as her lights come on and not offer her insects until later that afternoon, she usually has gotten hungry enough to eat at least some of her salad by than.


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Thx RaeAnn, I used to keep crickets in a cage to gut them, but i find that the crickets does not stay alive that much, I can order say 100 crickets, give a quarter or half away, Not all to Pierre he has to share with his sister Liz the Leopard gecko, but the other half left in the cage, will die off after a day or two. I heard the dubias roaches are best feeding source but the wifey will kill me if she found a roach in our house. lol overall Tough love has begun, no more super, He has crickets in his cage now that he hadnt bother with but im sure he'll change his mind,

 

[RaeAnn]

Thx RaeAnn, I used to keep crickets in a cage to gut them, but i find that the crickets does not stay alive that much, I can order say 100 crickets, give a quarter or half away, Not all to Pierre he has to share with his sister Liz the Leopard gecko, but the other half left in the cage, will die off after a day or two. I heard the dubias roaches are best feeding source but the wifey will kill me if she found a roach in our house. lol overall Tough love has begun, no more super, He has crickets in his cage now that he hadnt bother with but im sure he'll change his mind,

Hmm I wonder why the crickets are dying off so quickly. That sounds like it must be pretty aggravating. Supers are great feeders, they can be gut loaded as well it's just hard when your little one becomes addicted and only wants them, I know all too well lol. And I can not blame your wife, Dubias are creepy! Lol. Your BD will come around eventually once he's hungry enough, I know it's not easy to not give in. Stay strong and let us know if he hasn't reconsidered soon so that we can all come together and think of a new plan. Wishing you the very best


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[BPz27]

Oh

Hmm I wonder why the crickets are dying off so quickly. That sounds like it must be pretty aggravating. Supers are great feeders, they can be gut loaded as well it's just hard when your little one becomes addicted and only wants them, I know all too well lol. And I can not blame your wife, Dubias are creepy! Lol. Your BD will come around eventually once he's hungry enough, I know it's not easy to not give in. Stay strong and let us know if he hasn't reconsidered soon so that we can all come together and think of a new plan. Wishing you the very best


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Well Pierre gets large crickets so if im not mistaken that adult cricket lifespan is not long, compared to the younger smaller ones. Even though i alwasy wanted to try the dubia roaches as im not afraid of the bugs, But yeah i will go and be strong and tell Pierre no more super time to put on ur bigboy pants and eat your salad,

If by any chance someone got a stable meal plan they do for their BD on the weekly basis i wouldnt mind trying. Like what you feed in ur salad, and when u give insect and fruit.

 

[RaeAnn]

Oh that makes much more sense. Adult crickets do not live very long. A few users on here have adult dragons and will be able to offer you some great ideas on their weekly feeding routines im sure


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[Hdrydr31]

Both of mine get their greens every day and my year and a half female gets dubia and supers every 2-3 days, my 11 month male bugs once a day.