Feeding Mice Question

[kmc5]

I have come across two separate beardie owners that feeds exclusively mice and/or pinkies to their beardies. Both beardies are agressive, one is VERY agressive, the other not so much but would bite if you attempt to pick him up. Neither eats anything else.

They both have a wonderful set up - desert scene, fake cactus, hiding caves, lights and all of that stuff needed. Its just the food that is wrong.

My question is, one of the owners wants to give her beardie and boa away. I am in the market for a beardie for my kids - 8yrs to 11yrs and experienced herp owners themselves - but I am wary of the agressiveness of the beardie.

If I take him, could I get him to eat the proper bugs and veggies, will he tame down enough that a child could handle him, are their long term health effects from eating strictly mice?

 

[Echostatic]

mice are way too fatty so the dragon is likely obese. actually if thats all its being fed its likely soffering from many health problems. youre going to have a lot of issues to deal with beyond the behavior problems. if you can commit to that and have the funds for vet trips, you could take it. the dragon should go to eating the right insects and veggies, but youre likely going to have to offer them for a while before it will eat anything.

its probably aggressive due to owner neglect. you could probably tame it down by, once its adapted to its new surroundings, keeping your hand in the other end of the tank for a few minutes. you can do this every day, slowly moving closer each time until it doesnt view your hand as a threat. try to work your way up to being able to touch it without it biting.

note that althougg you will have to work at taming it, youre still going to need to bathe it which will mean picking it up and putting it in the bathtub, sink, gladware container, etc whatever fits. if it bites or struggles when you pick it up, you *cannot* put it down until it calms down. you have to show it that struggling and biting will not get the dragon what it wants, which is to be put down. it only gets to be put down when it calms down.

 

[LadyGecko]

I have come across two separate Beardie owners that feeds exclusively mice and/or pinkies to their Beardies. Both Beardies are aggressive, one is VERY aggressive, the other not so much but would bite if you attempt to pick him up. Neither eats anything else.

They both have a wonderful set up - desert scene, fake cactus, hiding caves, lights and all of that stuff needed. Its just the food that is wrong.

My question is, one of the owners wants to give her Beardie and boa away. I am in the market for a Beardie for my kids - 8yrs to 11yrs and experienced herp owners themselves - but I am wary of the aggressiveness of the Beardie.

If I take him, could I get him to eat the proper bugs and veggies, will he tame down enough that a child could handle him, are their long term health effects from eating strictly mice?

I personally would pass on getting that Beardie

I agree that you might be dealing with some very serious health problems -if not immediately-then down the road-from its exclusive diet of mice

Its aggression is not something that you would want to risk with a child -or have to deal with as an adult for that matter

I have Beardies that are not handled hardly at all (they soak in large water dishes in their tanks) and they are NOT aggressive toward me at all when I do handle them

just my .-02

Sandy