Some Beardie Questions

[acpart]

I've had my bearded dragon for nearly a month now and am getting to know an enjoy her. I'm past the first "what do I do?" questions but I have a few more that are coming up as I get more experience:

1. Shedding: do beardies shed little by little or is it one big shed like with a gecko? Mine seems to shed bits and pieces and I don't know if that's OK or not

2. Feeding: I know I need to be careful of what percentage of her diet is protein. I'm feeding about 20-24 crickets three times a week. How about salad? At first she would eat about half a bowl of salad, but lately she's been chowing down on 2 bowls. Is it an issue with females that they may lay eggs if they get too much to eat, or do I feed her till she's full (she has never been with a male but she laid 2 infertile clutches for her previous owners last spring). Is there a chance she could lay eggs again this fall, or is that mostly a post-brumation spring thing?

I've having a great time with her. She doesn't mind the harness so I can let her wander on the porch.

Aliza

 

[goReptiles]

Mine shed in pieces. A tail here and a leg there.

I give my girls a salad daily. They've never been with males, and have never laid eggs. They get discoid roaches once or twice a week. Sometimes superworms. I've never heard about laying eggs bc they get too much to eat. Maybe someone else on here can help you with that.

 

[acpart]

Thanks for your response. Another question occurred to me: I have been told that the best way to get them hydrated is to bathe them a few times a week (that they absorb water through their vents), which I am doing. She seems to enjoy this, but I am wondering why I am bathing a desert animal. How do they get moisture in the desert? Is this the best way?


Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm not having any problems, just trying to feel as comfortable about beardies as I do about geckos.

Aliza

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

I had a breeder tell me about the bathing and my dragons always seemed to love their weekly bath so I let them bath in the tub each week when I cleaned out the cages.

I gave mine a salad mixture daily but I put mealies or supers in it to entice them to eat the salad mix and fed roaches or crix every other day.

 

[beardieman]

when they are younger you want to feed them more live animals than veggies. the protein will help them in the early stages of growth. you should bath babies every day for about 15-20 minutes a day. once older every other day to every 3 days is good (the soaking allows them to shed easier hence why it is needed more when younger and are growing more). crix, roaches, phoenix worms, butter worms are all good for younger beardies.

Beardies shed lil by lil.

and as far as the eggs. some females tend to lay infertile eggs once or twice a year. most dont. it is not very common. some are just more prone to producing eggs. it all boils down to genetics when it comes to this.