Bearded dragon won't eat his roaches

[MaxTheconfusedkeeper]

My bearded dragon hank loves his mealworms and super worms and goes crazy for them. I've been trying to switch him over to dubias as their healthier and he ate one once but since then he's seemed disinterested in them since. His original owner kept the poor guy in a 20 gallon and only fed dried food. then a lady who rehomes bearded dragons gave him to me 6 months after she got him. She primarily fed mealworms but said he had no trouble with eating roaches. Hank after I got him has been happy but picky only really having interest on eating collard greens and mealworms. I thought he might have just been holding out for mealworms but now it's been a week without any insects and he still won't touch them. I've tried tong feeding them putting them in his cage putting him in a plastic bin with the roach killing the roach and trying to feed it and have been met with the same indifference. He's not impacted as he usually poops around once a week. Is there any reason why he might not have any interest in the roaches? If it helps he also has never had any interest in crickets at all. He completely ignores them and has never eaten on that I've seen. I also do not exclusively feed collard greens I put in all sorts of goodies but he usually ignores them. What's his deal? Everything behavior wise is normal. Getting a little worried any idea's? Oh he doesn't have any sort of parasites the lady I got him from (the rehomer) tested him. -thanks Max

 

[Sadie]

My bearded dragon hank loves his mealworms and super worms and goes crazy for them. I've been trying to switch him over to dubias as their healthier and he ate one once but since then he's seemed disinterested in them since. His original owner kept the poor guy in a 20 gallon and only fed dried food. then a lady who rehomes bearded dragons gave him to me 6 months after she got him. She primarily fed mealworms but said he had no trouble with eating roaches. Hank after I got him has been happy but picky only really having interest on eating collard greens and mealworms. I thought he might have just been holding out for mealworms but now it's been a week without any insects and he still won't touch them. I've tried tong feeding them putting them in his cage putting him in a plastic bin with the roach killing the roach and trying to feed it and have been met with the same indifference. He's not impacted as he usually poops around once a week. Is there any reason why he might not have any interest in the roaches? If it helps he also has never had any interest in crickets at all. He completely ignores them and has never eaten on that I've seen. I also do not exclusively feed collard greens I put in all sorts of goodies but he usually ignores them. What's his deal? Everything behavior wise is normal. Getting a little worried any idea's? Oh he doesn't have any sort of parasites the lady I got him from (the rehomer) tested him. -thanks Max

Quit feeding the worms- he's addicted -- eventually he will get hungry enough to eat them-- keep feeding his salads - weigh him now in grams on a kitchen food scale- keep track of his weight- you can try getting some silk worms they are a good staple feeder or some BSFL- another staple but they are small so order large if you order them and DO NOT dust them---

 

[Bailey]

Mine doesn't like the dubias simply because they don't move as much as the other insects. I have to wiggle the bowl and or feed him off of the tongs because he is used to the superworms. He also was addicted to them, beardies are stubborn!

 

[Skybug]

Same with my girl, loved super worms till i all together stopped feeding her them, you’ll have to deploy some tough love here, as long as he’s getting salad you can go a couple weeks no bugs, I wouldn’t go any longer than 2 weeks no bugs personally.

 

[MaxTheconfusedkeeper]

OK thanks everyone. I'll make sure to keep not feeding the superworms and continue to offer roaches. Thanks so much really saved me a lot of worry

 

[MaxTheconfusedkeeper]

Great thanks everyone! Really saved me some worry I will continue to offer roaches and keep away from the mealworms.

 

[MaxTheconfusedkeeper]

Update 2 weeks in now. He is so picky he went into burmation to spite me and has also stopped eating his veggies yesterday, tried feeding him a mealworm to make sure he wasn't dying or something and his head snapped up and he gobbled it up. Should I just give up? I can't believe it though, he just refuses to eat them! And I don't wanna go to long without bugs either. I'm mostly concerned that he's not eating veggies though. Why would he stop?

 

[Sadie]

Update 2 weeks in now. He is so picky he went into burmation to spite me and has also stopped eating his veggies yesterday, tried feeding him a mealworm to make sure he wasn't dying or something and his head snapped up and he gobbled it up. Should I just give up? I can't believe it though, he just refuses to eat them! And I don't wanna go to long without bugs either. I'm mostly concerned that he's not eating veggies though. Why would he stop?

Its that time of year they will go off their food for awhile -- breeding season --- are all your basking temps and UVB in order? Your roaches will keep just make sure your feeding them daily too keeping them hydrated - have you weighed him? Is he doing alot of sleeping now or go into brumation? they tend to slow down w/ the brumating thing not eating its good to keep them hydrated --- they will not eat if they are dehydrated