Dragon Feeding

I'm sharing the information I have gained and the ways I have found best for my dragons. I am not claiming to be an expert. Some friends thought I fed a diet that was too rich, as what I feed would not be available to the dragons in their natural habitat. However after visiting and meeting my "children" they reconsidered and began a mix of richer feeders for their dragons. Is the way I feed the only good way, I doubt it, but it works for me. My dragons are big, healthy and happy. My dragons are active, alert and very friendly. I suggest you read what is good and mix items until you find what works for you.

Veggies and Fruits
Some offer greens once a day removing them if the dragon does not eat them within a few minutes. Others state they offer greens two or three times a week. Six mornings I give each dragon a mix of greens, sprayed with water and dusted with Repti-Cal with D-3. The seventh morning I dust the wet greens with Herpivite Multi Vitamins. I leave the greens in until lights out at night. My vet suggested spraying the greens with water for two reasons, first it helps supply the dragons with extra water and second the supplement dust sticks to the wet greens better. The water also helps keep the greens moist and fresh longer. If I suspect a cricket or two might be hiding in the enclosure, I leave the greens overnight to give the crickets something to munch on besides the dragon.

There are those who state to just dust the worms and crickets and not the greens. I feel that I never know how much they are getting from either, so I opt to dust both.

Never use Iceberg lettuce to feed your dragon, it is all moisture but has no nutritional value. I received the following guide with one of my dragons, but don't remember which one. I have found it to be very helpful so I am sharing it with you, but can't take credit for creating it. It list greens, veggies and fruits along with the nutritional value of each, plus how often to feed them or if you should not feed them ever. Remember to chop or grate veggies and fruits for small dragons and tear greens into dragon head-size pieces to help your dragon digest them well.

Insects
It is very important to never, ever feed your dragon insects that are too big for them. The rule of thumb is to feed them nothing longer than the space between their eyes. I have found this works well. The exception I think are silk worms and horn worms, as they are softer and very gushy inside, but still watch the sizes. I use a tall plastic cup to place insects into, then sprinkle the supplement and shake the cup a bit to coat all the insects inside. I use the same schedule for dusting insects as I do with greens, six days with Repti-Cal with D-3 and one day with the Herptivite Multi-vitamins.

Crickets
I use crickets for all my hatchlings and juvenile dragons. Sizing in crickets is very important, so chose a supplier who sells them by size. It is also important to check out the supplier to be sure they employ good conditions for raising the crickets. I use crickets from New York Worms. I have found them to be reliable and have good crickets. They only deliver to a few states however, so they may not be the supplier for you. New York Worms web site can be found on the supplier page. I dust my crickets every feeding with Miner-all Multi-mineral supplement. Some think this is not necessary, however with the crickets running around being chased, I worry about how much is actually left on the cricket when it is caught. So by dusting everything I feel I'm making sure they are getting some supplements everyday.

If your enclosure is simple without many places for crickets to hide, shake a few at a time in and watch to see if your dragon is chasing and eating them. If they seem to have eaten the first few, drop in a few more. I do this for 15 minutes which is the suggested time, or until they stop chasing them to eat. If your enclosure has places for the crickets to hide, either remove the extra items until after feeding or use a separate enclosure to feed in. A Rubbermaid or Sterilite tub works well. Some dragons will dive right in and eat in a tub, others get stressed by being moved from their home and will not eat. Don't allow your dragon to starve. If the separate feeding area is not working, find a way to feed them in their home. Be sure if you are feeding in the enclosure to check and remove any extra crickets before the lights go off. Crickets will bite on your dragon as it sleeps and can cause health problems. If you can't get them all, leave something in the enclosure for the crickets to nibble on besides your dragon. Leftover salad or a small wedge of potato works.

I give Gutload to all my feeders. What your feeders eat is in turn what your dragon is eating. The more nutritional the food your dragon eats the better. I have chosen Cricket Food.com for my Gutload. They are a little more expensive than some you may find. But theirs is vet-approved and the ingredients look healthier for the dragons. I house my crickets in a 40 gallon Rubbermaid tub. I just drilled small holes in the lid for ventilation. They make critter carriers in several sizes for smaller amount of crickets. Your crickets will come in a box full of egg cartons, without them the crickets will pile onto each other and suffocate themselves. I change these egg cartons often to keep down bacteria, so I order egg cartons. The supplier for these is on the Supplier Page. I order one box and it lasts me about eight months. I sprinkle in the Gutload on the bottom of the tub then place a layer of egg cartons, then lay slices of potato onto them. Another layer of egg cartons and more potato slices. Crickets are dumb and will drown themselves in water, so the potato slices provide moisture for them. I change out the egg cartons regularly as I see the debris collecting on them. I watch as the Gutload is eaten and just add more. Keeping the crickets well fed and their home clean, are both important for the health of your dragon.

I have found that most of my dragons after becoming a year or so old, decide they don't like crickets anymore. It may be that I spoil them hand feeding them worms, but I have had others tell me that their older dragons won't eat crickets either.

Roaches
I have given in. My love for my dragons has outweighed my feeling about roaches. After a period of time, I'm getting over the ick factor of roaches. They are easier to care for than crickets and make no noise. Nutritionally, they are better for your dragon. So I have begun to learn more about them as I feed them to my dragons. As I learn, more I'll update this section and share with you. In the meantime, if you wish to try roaches, I suggest contacting Chris at www.TheFeederStore.com as a source for roaches of many different species.

Worms
I feed a variety of worms, which are all dusted with Miner-all. I use a small plastic bowl to put the chosen worms in, then sprinkle the supplement in and swirl the cup to coat all the worms. I choose not to use mealworms ever; they have hard, crunchy shells that make them hard for a dragon to digest. I use super worms, molted ones for the smaller dragons (super worms shed; when they do they are a white color and very soft). I get my super worms from New York Worms. I add in a mix of butter worms, hornworms, silkworms and phoenix worms. These I purchase from Mulberry Farms, they are listed on the Supplier Page. They provide good service and top quality worms. I feed a variety of these worms, but not everyday. They are very rich and can create a fat dragon which is not healthy. But mixing them in two or three times a week helps. Read the information on the different worms on the Mulberry Farms web site. It will tell you the nutritional value of each. If you have a dragon that is being picky and not eating well; offering these seems to spark their appetite. I have a couple of dragons that will refuse to eat anything but hornworms and salad; and some others that won't eat a hornworm at all. They seem to have their likes and dislikes just as we do. I use the butter worms and phoenix worms for my small dragons. They have more protein and are smaller in size so easier for the little ones to digest.

Butter worms come in a container that they remain housed in. They are kept in the fridge and will keep without any maintenance for about two months. Phoenix worms come in containers that they are kept in. They are kept at room temperature and will also keep for about two months without any maintenance. Hornworms and silkworms can be purchased in self-contained cups that come with the food in them. If you are buying large quantities, it is cheaper to purchase the worms, food and make your own space for them. The web site explains how to do this.

Maintaining super worms is pretty easy. I use a rectangular Rubbermaid tub, I fill it about half way up with worm bedding from CricketFood.com and place potato slices randomly across the top. Replace the potato slices as you see them get eaten with holes in them. I mix up the bedding every couple of days. As you see it become more powdery, then grainy, begin replacing it. Super worms keep forever. But if you find a few dead ones at times, just remove them.

Do NOT use worms sold for fishing. They are not raised the same way and can harm your dragon. Do NOT use any worms found outside as there is no telling what they are carrying that may harm your dragon.

Pinkie Mice I use these for my gravid females or dragons that are not eating well. Don't over feed mice, one or two a month is enough. I use the frozen ones, not the live ones.

Bearded Dragon Pellets
I don't know much about these foods as I chose not to use processed food for my dragons. I think natural foods are better, but that is just my opinion. I suggest if you chose to use them, you do research to find the best ones.

A note: I wish someone had shared this information with me to begin with. It would have saved me some worry and panic.

Dragons will eat when they are hungry unless they are sick. Offer food each day but if your dragon does not eat for a day or two, it's okay. Some days they will eat a lot, then they may not eat for a couple of days. Young dragons eat more than older ones. Adults' systems slow down as they stop growing, so they eat less often. So just be sure what they are eating is good for them. I do keep liquid calcium, I acquired it from my vet so if I feel a dragon is not eating well or gravid (pregnant) I will supplement with it. Talk to your vet about this if you feel your dragon is not getting what it needs with feeding.

If you have a question, just email and I'll try to help. If I'm unable to, I will help you find a source for the answers you need.