Feeding time (major DUW)

[EverEvolvingExotics]

These are some giant mealworms, I've since started feeding him dubia since my colony has become established. He seems to like them a lot more.

Here are some older pictures of when I first got him and his remodeled enclosure. I made this rockwall background, basking ledge, and lid for a 40 gallon breeder tank. Since I got him he has improved greatly.

 

[coker101]

Nice looking dragon.

Question, no UVB bulb in the enclosure?

My dragon loves super worms but she only gets them as a treat really because I hear they are really fatty and don't hold a lot of nutrition.

Also when they eat a lot of super worms you will notice that when they pass the worms...it's just nasty. The smell is pretty rough....

 

[EverEvolvingExotics]

Thanks,

I only fed these giant mealworms (the guy said they weren't supers, they are much smaller) for a short period because the reptile show I went to ran out of other feeders. I'm not a big fan of the health benefits of worms either. It was a long post so you probably missed the part where it said I'm now feeding him dubia roaches since my breeding colony has become established.

As for the UVB, I use a MVB (Mercury Vapor Bulb). It doubles as heat and gives off the necessary UVA/UVB rays. It's very efficient and I like them more than using strip lighting on top of a heat source.

-Lee

 

[coker101]

Thanks,

I only fed these giant mealworms (the guy said they weren't supers, they are much smaller) for a short period because the reptile show I went to ran out of other feeders. I'm not a big fan of the health benefits of worms either. It was a long post so you probably missed the part where it said I'm now feeding him dubia roaches since my breeding colony has become established.

As for the UVB, I use a MVB (Mercury Vapor Bulb). It doubles as heat and gives off the necessary UVA/UVB rays. It's very efficient and I like them more than using strip lighting on top of a heat source.

-Lee

Ah, yeah missed that...my mistake.

Yeah I wondered if maybe the bulb you were using for heat was also a UVB.

That sure makes things easier.....I might have to look into that myself.

 

[EverEvolvingExotics]

The other good thing about them is they only need to be replaced once a year instead of the every 6 months strip lights need to be changed.

 

[Ambyrlynne]

Aw, he's gorgeous. I have a snow bearded dragon with MBD so yes, UVB is extremely important, glad you have it. (=

 

[EverEvolvingExotics]

Aw, he's gorgeous. I have a snow bearded dragon with MBD so yes, UVB is extremely important, glad you have it. (=

Very important! On top of his cage lighting he comes out on the porch with us to soak up the natural light regularly. MBD is some nasty stuff, sad to see when it can easily be prevented. Luckily I live in Tucson, AZ so weather is permitting most of the year. Even with the best bulbs available, nothing beats good ol' natural light!

 

[Ambyrlynne]

I took my beardie in off craigslist, saved her from being in a 55 tank with 2 other dragons! Ugh. Yes, I built a box and my dragon spends 4-5 hours in it a day for now because that natural light is said to work miracles. I live in sunny tampa bay FL area. =D I understand the natural heat lamp.

 

[EverEvolvingExotics]

Very cool! Mine didn't have any lighting (seriously none), was barely getting fed, when he was fed it was things like apples and non-gutloaded crickets. I have no idea how he didn't have any problems. He looked a million times better within a week of me getting him. Now he is living the high life, haha.

 

[Ambyrlynne]

HAHA.

Yeah, I don't really know what all Bowser was fed to begin with but I know that the people I got her from was her second home and she'd have MBD then so I really don't even know how old she is, but she weighed 98g and was 13 inches long! Now she's 141(I got her in december) and still 13in, but she's doing better. She wasn't eating for about 1.5 month up until last night.
I give her apples and baby food laced with calcium if I can't get her to eat, but last night she was eating worms again. (=! I have a horrible time to get her to eat veggies period.

 

[EverEvolvingExotics]

If you are feeding worms a great way to get some veggies in them is to cut thin strips of kale, collard greens, mustard greens, whatever you want and wrap the worm with them. The beardie will eat the worms as well as get the veggies since they are attached to each other. Also butternut squash cut into strips shaped like worms and shaking them in front to make a worm-like movement helps a lot to trigger a feeding response. My beardie loves butternut now that I implemented in these tricks. He'll eat the greens just not as much as other veggies. Too much fruit or baby food isn't all that good for them, I'd taper off of it if I were you and focus on healthier solutions.

Good luck! I hope it helps.

 

[Ambyrlynne]

The vet suggested both when she stopped eating worms and stopped eating anything for that matter. I forcefed her veggies tonight which I know is stressful but she relieved her stress by biting me, lol, she tried to get the greens and hit my nail. Haha, I guess I deserved it. I will try wrapping it around the worm. Supers are squirmy though. She HATES butternut squash, I tried it when I first got her, she spit it out at me.

 

[Yamori]

Lee, that's one good looking beardie, how old is he?

Mealworms/superworms should not be fed to beardies mate, besides being nutritionally quite poor they also have a hard exoskeleton which is hard for them to digest, impaction due to a build up of exoskeletons is not uncommon. Their diet as youngsters should be made up of protein, in the form of crickets and fruit and vegg.

As they get older they will tend to eat more vegg and less protein, id recommend, dandelion greens/flowers, clover leaves, basil, butternut pumpkin, summer squash, coriander, mustard greens etc.

Don't forget to regularly dust crickets and vegg with calcium and use a vitamin and mineral supplement at least 1-2 times weekly.

Cheers-

Darren

 

[ultimatepetz]

Nice dragon.

 

[katie_]

The other good thing about them is they only need to be replaced once a year instead of the every 6 months strip lights need to be changed.

Ahh, not true.
Thats what the label says, but you should still change them every 6-8 months. (I use them too)

 

[Yamori]

Ever considered using sand? or a sand and coco fiber mix?