# Is it true......



## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

I want to get a bearded dragon for my 90 gallon tank, but I was wondering if they MUST only eat live crickets. Can they be fed already dead ones? I hate handling live insects. Thanks


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## blackmaskelong (Aug 18, 2007)

naw man you can feed him vegies like collards, dandylions, fruits, really anything they have a good carity of food for all I know....


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

i know most reptiles that ive encountered dont like dead ones...but you really dont have to handle them, the store puts them in a bag you can dump into a container and when feeding time and you dump from container carefully into cage


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## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

depends on the beardie... mine would eat crickets/mealworms as SOON as they hit the bottom of the tank... CH mentions good varied foods but proteins/calcium are still a MUST(especially when young) and thats where the insects come into play--- if your not big on crickets there are all kinds of mealworms you can order and they are very easy to store--


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

if you get an adult then insects dont have to be a huge part of there diet cause about 70% or so is veggies and greens but if you get a baby crickets/worms whatever would be should be around 50% of there diet as they age they can do with less bugs


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## Kemper1989 (Feb 14, 2005)

70% Protein 30% veggies when juviis, when adults it just switches, 70% veggies 30% protein.
No, you do not have to feed them just crickets, you can feed them silkworms, and pheonix worms.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

just remember they only live 5-8 years so if you get an adult its really hard to prove how old it actually is


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

5 to 8 years? I've heard and read longer than that. 10+ years.

You can't cut bugs from their diet. I would also suggest against meal worms. Meal worms are almost entirely exo skeleton and not really that food for any reptiles, in my opinion, when there are other more nutritious things that can be fed instead.

Crickets are going to be the cheapest. You can also get silkworms - much more nutritious but much more expensive. I also feed mine horned worms (captive bread only tho - wild ones are toxic due to what they eat), but horned worms are very expensive as well, but just about the best thing you can feed where nutrition is concerned.

I would never feed crickets that were just packed at the store, either. You need to gut load crickets before they're fed. I use a combination of carrots (for moisture, mostly) and good quality fish food. This way they have some nutrients in them to pass along. Crickets are mostly vessels.

There are also different kinds of roaches - but if you're not good with the crickets than I'm sure these are out of the question.

If you have really big issues with bugs I'd suggest against the beardie altogether though and looking into something like a mali uromastyx. They're somewhat similar to beardies in appearance - very prehistoric looking, etc. But they'll eat pretty much only veggies. Trick is they need very high heat. If you can do that you're set.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

i got the 5-8 years from a book "the bearded dragon mannal" i have read other things online saying they live longer but who knows. mali's are cool lizards my girlfriend just got a pair. just give them a lot of heat


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

As people are getting better at caring for beardies, most make it over 10 years easy, even 15ish sometimes. The book is probably just a little out dated.

There is no way to cut bugs out of the picture. Even if they take dead ones(most wont), you cant gutload them. I'd just go with a uromastyx like mentioned. Lot easier to feed. They eat like an iguana. No live food required.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

dark FrOsT said:


> if you get an adult then insects dont have to be a huge part of there diet cause about 70% or so is veggies and greens but if you get a baby crickets/worms whatever would be should be around 50% of there diet as they age they can do with less bugs


Not nessisarily true. My adult female is 2.5 years old and will vary rarely eat any veggies. She does eat alot of insects though. As a baby she ate no salad really but she started to as a sub adult and ate it almost every day with insects but no she doesnt even eat it. I have taken he to a vet (reptile specialist) and he said she was healthy and she had no parisites, so it goes to show they will eat what they want unless they are very hungry.

I sugest dont go with a bearded dragon if you dont want to handle live insects since bd eat like pigs. If you do get one you will get over your dislike very soon and be used to it. Insects arnt bad to handle its just the smell is bad after a couple days (i clean the container between each bathc and try to spotclean the dead ones). You will also get used to chirping crix and learn to sleep with them chirping it you sleep close to them


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

Thanks for all the help everyone.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

If you cant handle the food dont get the animal.


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

Will the uromastyx be able to live comfortably for life in the 90 G?


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

ya that should be ok


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

THe uros can be quite cool. I love the clubbed tails. (Not getting whipped by them though, haha.)

The only thing to think about with the enclosure is you may want to cover part of the top to retain some of the heat.


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