Is it possible to overeat?

[auntiedeb99]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for all the help I found here a couple of months ago when we first got our bearded dragon. He is doing quite well, eating non-stop and growing fast! But I do have a couple of concerns. First, I want to make sure that I am not overfeeding him. He has shed twice since I got him and grown from 6 inches to 12 inches. When he eats, he eats so much that his belly distends to the floor---sometimes eating as much as 20 crickets (about 3/4 inch size). Plus he gorges on salad, even eating the dried up pieces that get left in the cage overnight. My husband is worried that it is not healthy to gorge so much.

We usually let him eat crickets for about 5 minutes (he eats 15-20 within that time frame). I tried moving up to full-sized crickets but his poop was so full of undigested cricket parts, that I went back to a smaller size.

Is is possible to overfeed a dragon? Should I increase his salads or let him gorge on so many crickets (and phoenix worms when I have them)?

Today he was attacking one of his logs, biting it violently. I took it out and gave him his salad early (he had eating 15 or so crickets an hour earlier). He gulped down a couple of tablespoons of greens and cucumbers before retiring to his rocks to bask.

Thanks for the advice!

Deb Adams

 

[zebraflavencs]

Deb... Sounds like you could indeed feed him more often than once a day.
And, from the sounds of this.... No you are not over feeding... It's quite alright for the belly to drag after eating, but not all the time...
Try for 2 feedings daily of the protein, and refill his salad as often as he empties it.
You're good.... breath lov !
Janie

 

[ladyknite]

6 inches to 12 inches

Assuming he's somewhere in the 3-4 month range.............you can't over feed. They need to eat as much protein as they can within 10-15 minutes 3 times a day and have salad available to them constantly. If he'll eat salad, consider yourself lucky and the battle of him growing into an adult is 1/2 way over. lol

 

[renich]

My thoughts exactly on the salad. Keep it coming.

It sounds like your beardie is definitely growing, so as everyone has said, feed him! 2-3 times a day works for a 6 month old dragon. Think of a 6 month old baby. They eat all the time, especially during growth spurts.

 

[DragonMom]

Hi Deb. Yes, I agree with the ladies. Give him as many crickets as he will eat in 15 minutes, two to three times a day and all the salad he wants. Most of their growth occurs from 3 months to 1 year and it's vitally important that they get enough protein to support that huge growth. Keep the crickets to no larger than the distance between his eyes and he can easily eat 50 to 75 per day and no worries of overfeeding, and should digest them just fine. Yes, their bellies will drag a little after a good meal, but, it won't drag all the time. Your on the right path!

 

[auntiedeb99]

Thanks everyone!

I usually feed him crickets or phoenix worms twice a day, morning and evening, with a salad mid-day. I was worried about overfeeding protein, because I wasn't sure at what point I should decrease protein and increase the salad. How do I know when to switch to the adult diet?

I also have taken out to explore today, which I previously have been nervous of doing. He seemed to enjoy that.

Thanks!

 

[renich]

When he is a little over a year old. You can feed proteins 3 times a week and salad daily.

 

[DragonMom]

Once they hit about a year old, you'll notice they slow down on the protein on their own. Most of their growth is done by this point, and there will be only a little more growth until 18 months of age. At 1 year, do as Renee suggests, protein only 3 times per week and salad daily.