Can i feed my baby bearded dragon superworms
Superworms for Bearded Dragons: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re searching for the perfect insects to feed your bearded dragon, you’re not alone. You want what’s best for your pet, and there are quite a lot of options available. That’s definitely the case with worms—there are wax worms, butterworms, earthworms, mealworms…but the one worm in particular that bearded dragons tend to go really crazy for is superworms. Are superworms good for bearded dragons?
Closely related to mealworms, superworms eventually morph into darkling beetles. They are a great source of protein and hydration, but their fat and phosphorus content can be concerning.
So can bearded dragons eat superworms? Can baby bearded dragons eat superworms? Let’s find out everything you need to know about superworms for bearded dragons.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Superworms?The answer? Yes, bearded dragons can eat superworms! They are safe for healthy adult dragons, and as a plus, they tend to be one of beardies’ favorite treats. However, they aren’t considered a great staple insect, and baby bearded dragons should never eat superworms—they pose a serious risk of gut impaction.
Here are some of the benefits of superworms for bearded dragons:
A favorite snack. Bearded dragons love superworms. So they can be used to coax picky eaters to eat their greens, and they’re a great way to give your pet a special treat. Because of their fat content, they can also be used to help malnourished bearded dragons put on a healthy weight.
A good chase. At the end of the day, bearded dragons are exotic omnivores. It’s in their nature to chase and devour their prey. Superworms tend to give bearded dragons a run for their money, so to speak, so your beardie should enjoy the chase! (And you just might, too!)
Hydration. With over 50% moisture, superworms can be a great source of hydration for your bearded dragon. Proper hydration can help prevent gut impaction, dehydration, diarrhea, and other health issues.
Protein. Bearded dragons don’t get much protein from their vegetables and plants. So it’s important they eat insects that supply this nutrient. Superworms have about 19% protein, which makes them suitable for bearded dragons.
Along with these nutritional perks, there are a few setbacks with superworms that can have serious implications for your bearded dragon’s health if he eats too many of them:
Calcium deficiency. Superworms contain calcium, but they also contain a lot of phosphorus. In fact, they contain about 13 times more phosphorus than calcium. This can pose a serious health risk to bearded dragons.
As you probably know, calcium is a very important mineral for bearded dragons’ bone health and overall wellbeing. Without sufficient calcium, bearded dragons can suffer from metabolic bone disease, a painful deterioration of their skeletal system that causes paralysis and sometimes death.
This is one reason why you’ll see so many bearded dragon feeding guides looking at the calcium to phosphorus ratio in plants and even insects. When phosphorus outweighs calcium in a vegetable, fruit, or insect, it has the potential to cause metabolic bone disease since phosphorus prevents new calcium absorption and depletes existing calcium in the body.
Because of this issue, it’s best not to feed superworms to your dragon every day, and to dust the worms with calcium powder before feeding them to your bearded dragon. That way, at least some of the damage phosphorus could cause will be minimized.
Obesity. Superworms have a lot of fat! (Which definitely explains why many bearded dragons go bonkers for them.) But just like too many fatty foods aren’t good for humans, they aren’t good for bearded dragons either. Captive bearded dragons (especially adults) are already at some risk for obesity, partly because of the simple fact that they can’t run around free in the desert like they would in their natural habitat. Obesity isn’t too big of a risk if you keep your bearded dragon on a balanced diet and avoid overfeeding treats and fatty foods, like superworms.
Gut impaction. Superworms have a very hard exoskeleton. Exoskeleton on any feeder insect isn’t easy for bearded dragons to digest, but the exoskeleton on superworms is particularly difficult. So when bearded dragons eat superworms, bits and pieces of undigested exoskeleton end up sitting in their bellies for a while. Eventually your dragon will pass the crushed pieces of exoskeleton, but if there is too much that gathers over time, it can cause a painful case of gut impaction.
Gut impaction occurs when undigested substances build up in your dragon’s digestive tract and create a blockage. Sometimes the blockage is small and will be passed out of the body in time. Other times the impaction is quite serious and can press against your dragon’s nervous system, making it difficult for him to walk. In severe cases impaction can be fatal.
If your bearded dragon is not going to the bathroom, he may have gut impaction. Other symptoms can include:
- Sluggishness
- Weight loss
- Inability to keep food down
- Loss of appetite
- Lumps along spine or belly
- Difficulty walking
Contact your vet immediately if you suspect your bearded dragon is impacted.
Pro Tip: To help prevent gut impaction caused by exoskeleton buildup, make sure feeder insects are no longer than the space between your bearded dragon’s eyes.
Biting. Superworms put up a good fight when they’re being hunted down at feeding time. This includes biting and even stinging. To protect yourself, use tweezers and wear gloves when you handle superworms. And keep an eye on your bearded dragon, especially if this is her first time with superworms. They may be too aggressive for her, especially if she is timid or a juvie who is still learning to hunt live prey.
As you can see, there are quite a few benefits along with risks associated with superworms for adult and juvenile bearded dragons. What about baby beardies? Can baby bearded dragons eat superworms?
Superworms for Baby Bearded DragonsWith all of that information, you might be left wondering if superworms are good for baby bearded dragons.
The answer is no. Because they have such thick exoskeletons and are quite aggressive when being hunted, superworms are not good for baby bearded dragons. Baby bearded dragons have even more delicate digestive systems than adult beardies, which means they are at a higher risk of gut impaction; they also tend to be more timid hunters than adults, and can’t effectively attack and devour an angry superworm like an adult.
In addition, the fat content in superworms isn’t helpful to a growing baby dragon’s nutritional needs. Given that a baby’s diet consists of up to 80% feeder insects for protein, you’re better off choosing a more substantial feeder insect, even for a treat.
Superworms are usually safe for older juvenile dragons, but keep a close eye on them during feeding time to see if your beardie is fast enough to catch the worms before they have a chance to bite him. If he isn’t quite there yet, choose another feeder insect for the time being.
How Many Superworms for Bearded Dragons?Due to the fat content, phosphorus, exoskeleton, and aggressive nature of superworms, they aren’t suitable as a staple insect for bearded dragons. However, you can follow these guidelines to determine how many worms to offer your bearded dragon when it’s time for a treat:
Adult. Two or three superworms once or twice a week should be sufficient for your adult bearded dragon.
Juvenile. A juvenile dragon who can handle the aggressiveness of the worms might be able to eat more superworms in one feeding than an adult. Sometimes it’s best to check with your vet first especially if your dragon has had any digestive issues in the past.
How to Feed Superworms to Your Bearded DragonThe Myth
You may have heard a myth floating around that superworms can chew their way out of a bearded dragon’s stomach, so you have to crush their heads or tear them off before feeding these worms to your beardie. This is not true. Stomach acid definitively kills the worms if they’re not already dead from your beardie’s munching, so no need to worry about that horrific scenario!
At the same time, superworms do tend to be aggressive, and have been known to bite bearded dragons inside the mouth while being eaten. This shouldn’t be as much of an issue if you supervise feeding time and only feed worms that are no longer than the space between your bearded dragon’s eyes.
With that in mind, you can crush the worms’ heads before feeding them if you feel more comfortable doing it that way, but it’s not necessary.
Pro Tip: Regardless of the insect, don’t let your bearded dragon enjoy live feeding time unsupervised. It’s best to err on the side of caution to make sure your dragon is safe.
Ways to Feed
Before feeding superworms to bearded dragons, dust them with calcium powder first. This is a good habit to practice any time you feed your dragon live insects.
To feed superworms to your dragon, you can use tweezers and feed them one by one, or you can place them into a feeding bowl.
You can also place the worms in an enclosure so your bearded dragon can hunt them down, but do not let worms roam free in a terrarium with substrate. Superworms can quickly and easily bury themselves in the substrate and it can be very hard to find them again.
Plus, you definitely don't want your bearded dragon swallowing substrate in an attempt to eat the worms. Substrate can cause gut impaction.
How to Keep Superworms for Bearded DragonsLuckily superworms are quite easy to store. Since they’re more of a treat than a staple, you most likely will not need to worry about long-term arrangements.
Just follow these simple pointers to successfully store superworms.
- Don’t refrigerate superworms, since it will kill them. Instead, store them between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Keep them in a large plastic container with smooth sides.
- Provide some potato slices or pieces of carrot for hydration. You don’t need to provide food unless you want to keep the worms for over two weeks. If you do want to keep the worms longer, you can feed them bits and pieces of vegetables that you would normally use for compost or throw away, like the ends of celery stalks and the tops of bell peppers.
- The worms won’t turn into beetles if they are stored together with adequate hydration.
- Provide egg crates or the bottom half of egg cartons so the worms have some space to crawl around.
So now that you’ve got the scoop on superworms for bearded dragons, you might be wondering if it’s safe for bearded dragons to eat darkling beetles, which superworms eventually turn into.
A more mature insect, darkling beetles contain more protein and fiber and less fat than superworms. Your baby, juvenile, or adult bearded dragon can eat darkling beetles, although they aren’t nutrient dense enough to be staple feeder insects. Bearded dragons typically don’t like the taste of darkling beetles, so you may not have too much success with these. But they are an option for your beardie’s menu.
Superworms for Bearded Dragons: A Favorite TreatNext time you want to treat your adult or juvenile bearded dragon, superworms are an excellent option. Ready to try them out? Select a size and order your superworms today.
Superworms For Bearded Dragons | ReptileKnowHow
Superworms are an excellent source of calcium, fat, and fiber for bearded dragons. They can be fed to bearded dragons once or twice a week, depending on the size of your beardie. Superworms are also easy to breed at home if you want to save money.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Are superworms good for bearded dragons?
- How many superworms should I feed my bearded dragon?
- Can superworms harm my bearded dragon?
- How can I breed my own superworms at home?
What's In This Guide?
What Are Superworms?Superworms are the larvae of a darkling beetle called Zophobas morio. They are sometimes called king worms, morio worms, or Zophobas. Superworms are widely available food for lizards, not to be confused with giant mealworms which are regular mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae) sprayed with a juvenile growth hormone. The name superworm is a misnomer since these are actually the larvae of insects and are not worms. Superworms (Zophobas morio), a tasty treat for your beardie!
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Superworms?Yes, bearded dragons can eat superworms but in moderation as a treat since these are high in fat. They can sometimes be fed more often to malnourished dragons to help them gain a bit of weight.
Are Superworms Good For Bearded Dragons?Aside from being a nice treat, superworms are actually a good source of calcium, fat, and fiber. They have thicker “shells” or chitin so they can be tough to chew. They also tend to bite and have a pin-like structure on their backs they can use to attack so these are best reserved for adult or bigger dragons that can handle the tough shell and easily fend off bites.
Superworms are also more active than most worms so they are great if your dragon enjoys hunting their food. Their pleasant taste can also entice picky eaters to start eating other food such as veggies.
Elemental Analysis of superworms (from Fluker Farms):
Moisture 61.92%
Fat 14.19%
Protein 19.06%
Fiber 2.6%
Calcium 173 ppm
Animal Specialties Brand Live SuperwormsCheck Price On Amazon
How Many Superworms Can I Feed My Bearded Dragon?Since superworms are 14-15% fat (which is quite high), these are best given in moderation as part of a varied bearded dragon’s diet. Feed 1-2 superworms once or twice a week depending on the build and activity level of your adult dragon. If your dragon is getting a bit chunky, then you may have to lessen their treats.
Juvenile bearded dragons can have a bit more fat in their diets since they are still growing so they can be fed 3-5 small superworms per day but spaced out in 3 meals. However, make sure you only feed your dragon small superworms. Anything bigger than the space between your dragon’s eyes shouldn’t be fed to them since they might have trouble eating them.
Pro-tip
Feed your bearded dragon superworms after other insects or vegetables as a dessert especially as juveniles so they don’t get too used to the taste and start to become picky eaters.
Baby bearded dragons shouldn’t be fed superworms. Aside from being too small, their soft jaws may not be able to handle the tough shells or exterior of superworms leading to several digestion or impaction issues.
Remember to give your dragon a well balanced beardie diet since they are omnivores. Babies and juveniles should get a 70%-30% insect to greens ratio since they need more protein while adults should get a 30%-70% insect to greens ratio to help with better digestion as they age.
How to Feed Superworms to Your Bearded DragonFeed superworms to your bearded dragon just like you would any live insect. You can use tweezers and place them in their feeding bowl or place them a few inches away from your dragon so they can try and chase them.
It’s a bit hard to dust superworms because of their slick exoskeleton so you should gut load these insects with any nutritious cricket gut loading food or a calcium supplement 24 hours before feeding to your pet.
You can also use superworms to entice your dragon to eat greens. Place a live superworm on the greens to entice your dragon to eat them. If your dragon is still a juvenile, it’s best to feed the superworms after a nutritious meal (crickets or dubia roaches) as a treat so they don’t become too picky and prefer the high fat superworms as their food.
You may want to wear gloves while handling superworms or use tweezers as they tend to bite. You should also avoid placing superworms in loose substrate as these active worms can easily burrow into the substrate and can bother your beardie later on if you miss taking them out of their enclosure after feeding.
📚 Read More >> Best Enclosures For Bearded Dragons
Pro-tip
If your dragon is having a hard time with the tough shell of superworms, you can feed it the newly molted ones which are softer and easier to eat.
How to Keep Superworms for Bearded DragonsSuperworms are easy to keep as live feeder insects in a plastic bin with air holes at room temperature (65-80°F). Bins with ventilated lids work better so the humidity doesn’t build up and encourage mold growth. Don’t refrigerate superworms because they will die instead of going into hibernation.
Place some mealworm bedding, oatmeal, wheat middling, or dry bran as a bedding and source of food. Slices of carrots or potatoes can serve as a source of hydration if the bin gets too dry. If you notice severed heads that are dried up, your worms have begun eating each other for hydration.
If you plan on breeding superworms, you can separate the bigger, fatter, and well-fed worms in film canisters or a tackle box so you can force them to pupate (don’t forget to put air holes) with a bit of bran as bedding. When they start to curl up, they’re beginning to pupate. Otherwise, they may have died.
They remain in the pupae stage for about 3 months after which they become beetles. Separate beetles from your larvae because these insects are cannibalistic. Each beetle can lay hundreds of eggs.
Cheap Organizer For Breeding Superworms At Home
Tuff Tainer 24 Compartment OrganizerCheck Price On Amazon
About Superworms👍
Pros Of Superworms:- Affordable and easy to breed
- Readily available in most pet stores
- A tasty treat for bearded dragons especially for picky eaters
- More active than other worms so they can be enjoyed in a hunt by most bearded dragons
- Good source of fat, calcium, and fiber for growing beardies
👎
Cons Of Superworms:- High in fat content so feeding bearded dragons too much can lead to obesity and malnutrition
- Tend to bite so you have to be careful in handling them or leaving them in with small bearded dragons
- Bigger than most mealworms so you have to be careful if your dragon is not yet big enough to consume them
- Have a tough outer shell/exoskeleton which can be hard for some dragons to chew
Superworms are widely available online and in most local pet stores or specialized reptile/exotic animal stores. They are affordable treats for your bearded dragon. Ask your veterinarian or your local breeder where you can securely buy superworms and other feeder insects that are well bred and free from parasites.
FAQsHow Many Superworms Should I Feed My Beardie Each Day?Baby bearded dragons should not be fed superworms since these can be too big for them to eat and cause digestion issues. Juveniles can get 3-5 worms per day but spaced out in between meals. Adult dragons can have 1-2 superworms once or twice a week.
Remember, these insects are high in fat and should be given in moderation to your beardie. As juveniles, they can eat a bit more but feed these at the end of a more nutritious meal so that your dragon does not develop too much of a liking for the taste and start becoming picky. Adult beardies should only get them once in a while as treats to ward off obesity and malnutrition.
Do Superworms Bite Humans?Yes, some superworms tend to be aggressive and bite so you should use tweezers or gloves while handling them. You can also hold them near the head to avoid being eaten or use a small cup to scoop them up for feeding.
Why Do My Superworms Keep Dying?Excess moisture, heat, and extreme cold in their habitat are common causes of superworm die off. Superworms are also cannibalistic so if they don’t get fed well or feel dehydrated, they will eat other superworms!
Moisture can build up in their bin if you keep too many worms with poor ventilation. Signs of excess moisture are mold in the substrate or condensation along the walls of the bin.
Superworms can also overheat if they are overcrowded or if there’s too much substrate. Avoid placing your bin under direct sunlight since that can cause heat to build up inside. If you see worms that are overactive, curling, or flicking back and forth then they are probably overheating.
Superworms can also become inactive when kept too cold. They will die if refrigerated (39°F) or kept below 65°F for prolonged periods of time. If you notice your superworms burrowing into the substrate then it may be too cold for them. Really cold worms may appear dead but after warming up they can spring back to life. Keep your superworms in room temperature between 65-80°F to keep them healthy.
Are Superworms Dangerous To My Beardie?Superworms are not dangerous to your bearded dragon. Larger, aggressive ones can be a nuisance to smaller bearded dragons since they tend to bite so just observe your beardie during feeding time and clear off any excess food after.
You should also pay attention to the size of the worms or any live insect you are feeding your dragon. Make sure they are not bigger than your dragon’s head or the space between its eyes.
Superworms can be dangerous to your beardie if you feed them too much since these are high in fat and can cause obesity and malnutrition.
There’s a myth that you should take out the head of superworms because they can bite through the stomach and intestines of your pet. This is not true since the gastric juices will kill your dragon’s food. If you are worried about this, there are alternative feeder insects you can use or just pay close attention to the size of the superworms you are feeding your bearded dragon.
ConclusionSuperworms are a good treat for adult bearded dragons and juveniles but should not be part of their staple diet because of their high fat content. These are tasty worms that most bearded dragons love. They are also affordable, widely available, and easy to care for if you want to start breeding them. However, they can bite so make sure you choose smaller ones to feed your dragon and clear them out after feeding.
Further ReadingSuperworm breeding and care guide:
Super Worms – Zophobas moria
Caring for Live Superworms – Keep your superworms alive! – Ovipost
Breeding Superworms: A guide to raising and breeding superworms – Gecko Time
Introduction to bearded dragons:
Bearded dragons: facts and photos
An article tackling some feeding myths found online:
Fact Vs. Fiction on food for herbivorous reptiles
Comprehensive bearded dragon care sheet you can print (PDF):
Care Sheet – Bearded Dragon
A full and exhaustive guide to bearded dragons from taxonomy, history, behavior, breeding, and many more:
Husbandry Manual For Bearded Dragons. Reptilia: Agamidae
Keeping and Feeding Bearded Dragons
- Keeping Bearded Dragons
- Feeding Bearded Dragons
The Bearded Dragon is a stunningly beautiful reptile that is great for keeping in a city apartment, good contact with people and can become a real pet.
In the wild, these lizards live in the deserts of Australia. Almost all agamas that can now be bought are bred in captivity. The average life span of bearded dragons in captivity is 10-15 years. nine0009
Keeping a bearded dragon
Before you bring your dragon home, prepare a place for it. Of course, like any reptile, dragons are cold-blooded animals, so they should be kept in a terrarium. For agamas, it is better to purchase a horizontal glass terrarium, the optimal size is 180 cm wide, 50 deep and 50 high. The terrarium must be closed with a lid so that the lizard does not escape.
Since bearded dragons are hermits, they need a humidity level of 30-40%. The temperature in the terrarium should be at the level of 26-29gr. C, temperature under the heating lamp 36-38gr. C. For this, you can use incandescent lamps or ceramic lamps, you need to hang them at a distance of 45 cm from the place of heating, so that the agama cannot get burned. To monitor the temperature, you need to attach a thermometer to the wall of the terrarium, and you can also use a thermostat.
An ultraviolet lamp must be lit along with the heating lamp throughout the day. Reptiles require UV A and B spectrum lamps. These lamps are available from terrarium and aquarium stores. Day mode: 14 hours - daylight hours, 10 hours - night time. nine0009
Sand and pebbles at least 10 mm in diameter are most often used as soil. Sand is poured in a layer of 10 cm, so that, if desired, the lizard can burrow into the ground. There are also ready-made terrarium mats that are sold in pet stores (not rubber mats).
The terrarium should be equipped with branches (no bark), rocks (from the pet store) and a shelter where the dragon can hide if desired. It is better not to put artificial and live plants in the terrarium, as the agama will eat them. nine0009
To improve life processes (prevention of diseases, help with molting), the agama can be bathed in a small bath, so that the head is always on top, with a water temperature of 29-32 gr. C. This procedure should be done 1-2 times a week.
General cleaning in the terrarium is enough to carry out once a month (wash the entire terrarium, equipment, change or clean the soil). Food and faeces should be removed as soon as they appear.
Bearded dragon feeding
In the terrarium, you can put a container with water to maintain the optimal level of humidity, a drinker, but not all lizards drink from it. You can spray the agama once a day, and she will lick the droplets from her body, or give moistened greens.
Bearded dragons are omnivorous lizards. In nature, they eat everything from leaves and stems to small mice and chicks. Therefore, at home, it is quite easy for them to choose the right diet.
For plant food, leafy vegetables (Chinese cabbage, lettuce, spinach), vegetables (carrots, green beans, peas, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant), fruits (pitted apples, bananas, grapes in small quantities) are suitable for them. , juicy green food (dandelion, clover, wheat leaves, germinated oats). nine0009
Mealworm, zoophobus, crickets, cockroaches and newborn mice are suitable for animal food. All these "products" can be bought at the pet store. For feeding worms, you need a bowl with high edges so that they cannot crawl out and burrow into the ground. It is better to feed crickets and cockroaches in a separate small terrarium or a plastic jig, a basin is not suitable for this, as crickets can jump out. You can also feed insects with tweezers. You just need to do it carefully so that the agama does not bite on the tweezers themselves, otherwise it can break its face. nine0009
Ready-made food for lizards and vitamin-mineral complexes for reptiles can be added to these feeds as top dressing. In Russia, such drugs as Reptilife (Agrovetzashchita), Reptolife (Tetra), Wordley (Calcium and Multivitamin) are common.
Young bearded dragons (up to 5 months old) should be fed 3 times a day so that animal food makes up more than half, and vegetable food less. "Teenagers" can be fed once a day, adult agamas (after 18 months) should be fed every other day so that they have less than half of animal food, and more vegetable food. nine0009
Bearded dragon - description, care, feeding, maintenance and breeding at home
Bearded dragon is an obedient and easy-to-care pet. These lizards have been kept at home for over 30 years. The natural color is dominated by yellowish, gray or brown tones. The color may change depending on the temperature and condition of the animal. Now you can buy a variety of bred morphs, which makes this species attractive for both beginners and advanced amateurs.
The size of an adult can reach 40-60 cm. The body has a flattened ellipsoidal shape. On the body, mainly on the sides, there are scales in the form of prickly spikes. The head has a triangular shape and is framed by spines.
The lizard lives in arid deserts and semi-deserts of Australia. Leads an active daily life on the ground, sometimes climbing onto stones and branches of low trees. He uses burrows of other animals, piles of stones, crevices at the roots of trees and bushes as shelters. nine0009
A 90 x 45 x 45 cm terrarium is suitable for an adult, while a smaller 60 x 45 x 30 cm terrarium can be used for young dragons. when the animal reaches 1 year.
Temperature is the most important parameter for keeping a bearded dragon at home. Only with the right temperature regime the animal will be able to fully digest food, develop and grow normally. The lizard's metabolism depends entirely on the correct temperature gradient, which is created by special lamps. nine0009
During the day the temperature should be 25-30 °C in the "cool zone" and 38-50 °C in the warm zone "under the sun".
For heating, a powerful directional heat and light lamp is installed, which is recommended for use in a luminaire with a bracket. You can raise and lower the lamp depending on what temperature is required in the terrarium.
Night temperatures can drop to 22°C.
Supplementary heating - eg heat cable, terrarium thermomat, ceramic heater, infrared lamps - may be required if the temperature falls below the recommended range. nine0009
Use Desert Sand or Stone Desert as a substrate. It is necessary to install strong snags, stones on which it is convenient for animals to climb, shelters and a small drinking bowl with water in the terrarium.
For lighting, the terrarium is equipped with several daylight lamps (Natural Light and Reptile Vision) and lamps with strong UV radiation (UVB150-200).
Daylight hours for the bearded dragon is 12-14 hours.
Terrarium humidity not maintained. Caring for a bearded dragon consists of bathing. A lizard under the age of 3 months should be bathed once a week in a basin with water at 30 ° C, 2-3 cm deep. From 3-6 months, you can bathe once every 2 weeks. From 6-12 months, 1 time per month is enough. nine0009
Only use the terrarium with a proven ventilation system that promotes good air exchange and prevents the windows from fogging up.
Bearded dragons have a diet of insects, greens, vegetables and fruits. The diet of an animal up to a year old should consist of 70% insects and 30% plant foods. As the lizards get older, the ratio should change to about 70% plant foods and 30% insects.
Approximate feeding schedule
1-6 months - ~10 crickets every day. nine0055 6-12 months - every other day ~10 crickets or 1-3 locusts.
12 months and older - 2-3 times a week for ~10 crickets or 5-8 locusts.
The numbers of insects given are approximate and may not correspond to the needs of a particular animal. Focus on your pet's appetite. You can also use frozen insects or Repashy special food as food.
Before feeding insects, pollinate with calcium and vitamins. Plant foods can be offered every day. You can feed all kinds of salads, various vegetables and fruits. nine0009
Avoid any type of cabbage, tomatoes, citrus fruits and other acidic vegetables, fruits and berries.
In summer you can give dandelions, clover, knotweed, other weeds. Feed the animal in the morning and afternoon hours, but not at night. Animals under one year old should not be limited in feeding.
The Bearded Dragon should always have access to fresh drinking water.
Bearded dragons become sexually mature, ready for breeding by two years of age. This is an oviparous species. After mating, after 45-65 days, females lay eggs. To do this, they need to dig a hole with a depth of at least 40 cm. The number of eggs in a clutch is from 9up to 25 pieces. After 55-90 days, babies hatch from the eggs.
With proper maintenance and care in your home, the bearded dragon will live up to 12-14 years.
Bearded dragons are very territorial, so males should never be placed together. These lizards should be kept singly or in groups where there is a male and several females.
Like any other animal, the bearded dragon can get sick. Of course, if all the rules are followed, the risk of disease is minimized. If you suspect any disease, call our store and we will advise you. nine0009
Signs of illness:
- lethargy,
- lack of appetite for a long time,
- problematic molt.
Bearded dragons get used to human contact very quickly. When the animal understands that there is no danger, it ceases to be afraid and will come out on its own. For the purpose of taming, it is necessary to feed the agama from your hands, take it out of the terrarium for some time and hold it in your hands, stroke it on the back. If she does not experience stress outside the terrarium, you can let her walk around the room, after closing the windows and locking other pets in separate rooms. The lizard should be outside the terrarium only under supervision. nine0009
On our site there are many photos of bearded dragons, as well as a video, after watching which you will get acquainted with the habits of a reptile.
Panteric only supplies healthy animals. Our consultants help with the choice of everything you need for terrarium equipment, answer all your questions, and give important tips on care and breeding. For the time of departure, you can leave your pet in our hotel, which will be monitored by experienced veterinarians.
See also
Cape monitor lizard: maintenance and care at home
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