So I have considered getting a bearded dragon in the nest couple of weeks. Does anyone have an average cost per week or month for feeding? I know things come up like vet bills but I was just wondering of a rough estimate for my budget for feeding. I have 3 leopard geckos and I know they eat quite a bit more than them. All opinions would be appreciated, Thank you!
Average cost?
- Thread starter Lindz0518
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Here's my best estimate:
Lighting: 2 lights per year (need to change every 6 months) at about $25 each: $50
Crickets: 30-50 per week. At petstore prices that's $3-5/wk or $150-250/year
At mail order prices it's more like $1 per week or $50/year
Veggies: This one's trickier. I'm paying someone $2.50/wk for a bag of chopped,
mixed veggies. At that price, figure $125/year
I've never had a baby beardie but I was under the impression that they eat huge numbers of crickets when they're little.
Aliza
Lighting: 2 lights per year (need to change every 6 months) at about $25 each: $50
Crickets: 30-50 per week. At petstore prices that's $3-5/wk or $150-250/year
At mail order prices it's more like $1 per week or $50/year
Veggies: This one's trickier. I'm paying someone $2.50/wk for a bag of chopped,
mixed veggies. At that price, figure $125/year
I've never had a baby beardie but I was under the impression that they eat huge numbers of crickets when they're little.
Aliza
having two young beardies, i can tell you they are EXPENSIVE.
you have to have a ceramic heat emitter, a basking bulb that needs replaced whenever it goes out, a reptisun 10.0 uvb TUBE bulb which needs replaced once every 6 months as stated.
as for the food, we legitimately feed our larger baby about 30 worms/crickets whatever she wants PER feeding. and they are fed 3 times a day. so food is the expensive part of beardies after the set up. once they get full grown the above sounds about correct. but you have to account for whatever veggie/fruit they decide they like at the time. they are picky and will decide one day that they dont want a certain food anymore and you'll have to find something else they like. we spent probably $500 on a exoterra setup etc. for the beardies at the beginning and they're costing us about $100 a month alone on just insects that they like. so although they are adorable and fun to raise, they are expensive to feed as babies. i'd suggest an older juvie so that you spend less time on bugs.
you have to have a ceramic heat emitter, a basking bulb that needs replaced whenever it goes out, a reptisun 10.0 uvb TUBE bulb which needs replaced once every 6 months as stated.
as for the food, we legitimately feed our larger baby about 30 worms/crickets whatever she wants PER feeding. and they are fed 3 times a day. so food is the expensive part of beardies after the set up. once they get full grown the above sounds about correct. but you have to account for whatever veggie/fruit they decide they like at the time. they are picky and will decide one day that they dont want a certain food anymore and you'll have to find something else they like. we spent probably $500 on a exoterra setup etc. for the beardies at the beginning and they're costing us about $100 a month alone on just insects that they like. so although they are adorable and fun to raise, they are expensive to feed as babies. i'd suggest an older juvie so that you spend less time on bugs.
The one I am looking at is about 3 months and comes with a nearly complete setup, he is only in a 20L so I know a upgrade will be needed soon, I am in the middle of setting up a dubia colony to offset some of the feeder expenses. I have been doing a ton of research and have found that juveniles diet is about 80% insects and 20% greens and after they hit about 18 months it switched to 80% greens and 20% insects. Thank you for the information, it helps a lot. I like to keep a budget to know what goes where and this gives me a good estimate.
one thing about the dubias. i have not personally tried them but i am on a beardie forum as well and there have been a lot of people who have young beardies who decide they no longer like roaches and then the colony goes to waste XD they're great companions though and we couldnt keep just one. that's why we have two right now
I do have the 3 leos so if it does end up not eating dubia, the leos will and I can always sell off the extra. I was on craigslist and saw that a lady had a 3 month old male bearded dragon with the whole set up, I don't think she realized the feeder cost for a juvenile bearded dragon. I also won't be feeding just dubia, I also feed my leos crickets and mealworms, but I won't be feeding mealies to the bearded dragon because I have read that they can cause impaction, and I am going to try out phoenix worms. I just joined the forum on beareddragon.org and there is a lot of great info on them there.
I have figured $30-40 a week since he is only 3 months old. After talking to the women that has him, she has been feeding him mealworms (wince) I heard that is a no no for bearded dragon, they haven't provided any uvb and he is on sand.... I hope he will be ok, I have decided to go pick him up tomorrow.
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