There is a wide variety of food that is suitable for your bearded dragon. It is both easy and inexpensive to create a great beardie meal. However there are some things you might like to know. Below are a number of tips to help you to prepare the ideal bearded dragon lunch.
Tip #1
A good place to start looking for good quality food is right in your own home. A leftover salad is perfect as it requires no effort to make and will actually help to dispose of those unwanted scraps. However be careful of lettuce as this has no nutritional content. Also it’s not a very good idea to apply salad dressing or seasoning to your beardies food. A great idea is to set aside a portion for your beardie before you apply these flavorings. You can apply the same principle to vegetables and fruit also.
Tip #2
Cut the food into a size no larger than the distance between your beardies eyes. If it is cut too large your beardie is likely to experience problems with digestion. Adults can generally be fed human portion sizes, but judge for yourself as it will depend on the size and maturity of your dragon. It’s very important that you never feed juveniles or babies food that is too big for them to eat. This tip is of most importance when they’re feeding on insects, however it applies to all other foods as well.
Tip #3
Be very selective about the insects you give to your beardie. Under no circumstances should it ever be fed fireflies. They are extremely toxic! Limit the use of mealworms as they can have very tough skin and cause impaction in your beloved pet. Also be careful of collecting your own insects in the backyard as these may have been exposed to chemicals which are harmful to bearded dragons such as herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers.
Tip #4
Vegetables should make up 85% of your bearded dragons diet. However also supply a portion of insects such as grasshoppers, moths and flies as they are a great source of protein. To round it all out, provide fruit and flowers. They are a natural addition to their diet and promote good health.
Tip #5
Lastly, always provide plenty of water. Although they are desert dwelling animals and very good at conserving water, it is also essential that they have some available. Some suggestions are to keep a water dish in the enclosure or to spray their food with water before feeding.