Anything else I can try with my picky eater?

[milo0]

So I'm still having problems getting my BD to eat properly. He now refuses 99% of anything green... He will literally spit out anything he doesn't like, which is basically every type of green or green vegetable. Here's a list of pretty much everything I've tried;
-dandelion, turnip, collard, mustard greens, green beans, peppers, cactus, multiple types of squash, zucchini, carrot, peas, okra... and a bunch of fruit which he will usually eat a lot of. The ONLY thing I can get him to eat nowadays is raw sweet potato, which I've been feeding to him as a staple. I want to mix it up for him because he can't just be eating sweet potato, but he will literally just spit whatever he doesn't like out. Even when I trick him, he knows and it'll just come right out of his mouth. I've tried 'starving' him from roaches for a week like someone recommended, and even then that didn't help. This guy will only eat sweet potato and blueberries, nothing more. I've done every possible trick there is to get him to eat it, but ya... he just won't have it.

Is there any other 'exotic' veggies/greens that may interest him more? At this point, I can't get him to eat anything green lol. He seems to like the colors orange, red, and blue though...

 

[PatsyB]

I'd love to hear the answers to this. I have been having trouble getting Dexter to eat any kind of vegetable on a regular basis. I can usually get her to eat a leaf of dandelion or kale every other day. Like me she has a horrible sweet tooth so she will eat strawberries like they are going out of style and she loves papaya if she can manage to pick it up without it turning to mush but I know those aren't the best staples. She does eat her crickets and occasional superworms so I hope this is just a phase she is in and will just one day eat a salad.

Have you tried green leafy things that have different colored veins in them? Like red dandelion or rainbow chard. I remember when Dexter was younger she loved green dandelion and would eat it all the time but when I bought dandelion leaves with red veins she refused to eat it.

 

[milo0]

Oh ya, forgot to mention I've tried chard that had some red in it and kale a couple of times. I've never heard or even seen red dandelion... Is it kind of exotic? Where exactly could I find that?

But unless it's not fully red or a good part of isn't red, I don't think he would eat it. He doesn't seem to like anything leafy...

 

[PatsyB]

I've gotten the dandelion at Whole Foods or through my grocery delivery. They call it red but the only thing that is red is the veins not the leaf.

 

[milo0]

-bump- anyone?
Still can't get him to eat anything but sweet potato.

 

[gilliesexotics]

Hi, one note is to be sure you are dusting with calcium on raw sweet potato as it is unbalanced Ca/P ratio.

I am a little confused. Is he also refusing insects?

 

[milo0]

Ok I'll start dusting. No, he'll gladly take roaches and I do feed them the veggies he's supposed to eat a few hours before I feed them off. But he just won't eat anything else. I've never seen a lizard just spit out their food like he does. It's very weird...

 

[Ron G]

I have given mine scrambled eggs when I run out of worms or crickets without a problem. It should not be given every day or be a staple but a good source of protein if needed. I have read mixed reactions to giving eggs but mine ate them with no problem. Just don't use any oil or butter to make them.

 

[milo0]

Ok I'll try eggs and maybe if he likes them, I can mix in the greens? Perhaps like an omelette?

 

[Ron G]

You never know. The eating is the most stressful thing about owning Bearded Dragons.

 

[milo0]

Yah, he's made me so angry at times by not eating lol. I'm gonna pick up some dandelion greens tonight and make him some eggs tonight or tomorrow. Do you use the yolk and whites or just one?

 

[Ron G]

I used the whole egg.

 

[Augie]

Please don't give him eggs. It sounds like he's eating his insects, so I can't think of a reason why you'd do that. Even if he wasn't eating his insects I wouldn't recommend trying eggs.

I'd also stop with the fruit. If that's all he's eating other than insects, I would stop. Try acorn squash or butternut squash. Mine hates veggies but she really likes the acorn squash. Probably has to do with the color or texture. More importantly they are staple veggies. The only downside is its a pain cutting one up, but once you slice it thin you can freeze the leftovers and as you need em heat them up a bit in the microwave. I bought one that was a little over a pound and cost me less than $2. Lasted me 2 weeks.

Both those squash are "green" items on the nutrition guide. Sweet potato and fruits don't even come close. Good luck to you!

 

[milo0]

I've tried acorn and butternut squash already and he didn't touch it. I also haven't given him fruit in a few weeks so he's only been eating sweet potato. ):
He's very weird. He'll back up and run away from most of the stuff I try feeding him as if he's scared of it lol.

I got a pumpkin today so I'm going to try my luck with that since he seems to enjoy orange colored things... maybe he'll like this.
And as crazy as this may sound... is food coloring safe for them? Call me crazy but I had an idea to actually dye the healthy foods a color like blue or orange since he responds to those better. Anything that is green and he will just run away from it or spit it out. Has anyone done this before or am I just over thinking this? It's been a while since he's had more than a leaf of any green, so I'm starting to worry for him.

 

[Bushmaster11B]

I would try Salad Dressing for Beardies from a company called "Nature Zone". It's all natural, no preservatives. Google Nature Zone salad dressing

 

[milo0]

-sigh-
Bought some dandelion greens, he ate one bite then remembered he hated them and ran off. I also tried the Nature Zone bites that got good reviews...

He ate one bite of those and ran off again lol. He also refused to eat the pumpkin I tried giving him last night. Gonna wait to hear back about the salad dressing and maybe give that a go, otherwise I have no idea what else to try.

 

[Bushmaster11B]

OK, Salad Dressing for Bearded Dragons review.... as I texted you last night, Aries himself was not having his greens. The Dressing at first was a mediocre bust. He only ate a few pieces ( I bought the salad dressing myself this morning). Then when I came home after watching the Broncos game, almost all his Collard Greens were gone that were covered with his Dressing. He didn't eat his Dandelion Greens so I'm sure the dressing couldn't even hide the taste. The fact is, it does work and I'm happy he is eating his Collard Greens again. I give it 4 stars out of 5 because it's not irresistible but it works pretty good on already favored greens. The best way to apply the dressing is shake it with the salad in a tupperware bowl with lid. Kinda like you do with a salad spritzer.

 

[milo0]

Awesome, I'll give that a go next time I run to the store. I was hoping I would be able to get him interested in these bites and chop them up small up to fix with his salad but... he's being a brat so it might take a bit more.

 

[Bushmaster11B]

Like I told you earlier today, If all fails with the bites, throw them in the roach bin. And sorry for suggesting the bites.

 

[milo0]

The bites might just work actually. Today I had a break through with him and he ate almost 3 small stems and leaves of dandelion greens, and a small spoonful of the bites. I had to put it on the spoon and move it side-to-side on the ground to interest him but he ate a few pieces. He doesn't seem to love them, but a few bites a day is good for him. And yeah, I'll probably throw a few pieces in to the roaches I gut load for him since they'll probably enjoy it. But good news is, I got him to eat something FINALLY other than sweet potato. Still isn't a lot, and he won't eat on his own but I'm happy it's something.