FAQ: Feeding Bearded Dragons

How can I tell if my Bearded Dragon is getting enough to drink?
See to it that your dragon gets enough fluid. The Bearded Dragons skin will appear wrinkled and loose if it is dehydrated and it will be more difficult for it to poop. You can see if they will drink water from an eye dropper by dripping water on their snout. They will usually lap it up. If you notice your Bearded Dragon seems dehydrated you can also offer pedialyte. This will help replace electrolytes. Remember that once pedialyte is opened it must be used within 24-48 hours. You can always make ice cubes from it to prevent it from losing its beneficial properties. Pedialyte and Gatorade do contain sugar so use it in moderation.

Does my Bearded Dragon need to bathe?
Letting your Bearded Dragon soak in a bath every few days will often help keep them happy and hydrated. It is also helpful in the shedding process. Fill the tub with warm water (85° to 95°) just enough to cover the dragon's back if he's laying down flat. 20 minutes at a time should do it. Never leave them unsupervised. Your bearded will also enjoy a shower occasionally. A light misting with water will also help keep the skin humidified to make it easier to shed. Keep in mind that if your Bearded Dragon is not permitted to dry out under a basking light, it will be more difficult to shed as well. The tank, however, should never be damp. Avoid humidity over 20%. Humid conditions higher than this are okay for the short term only. High humidity has been linked to certain respiratory diseases in predominately desert and arid area animals.

How do I get my Bearded Dragon to eat greens?
Bearded Dragons will naturally eat more greens and less animal protein as they reach maturity. I use T-rex VGF as a salad dust. That makes it more appetizing. You can also try hand feeding. They are attracted by movement so moving the leaves around or dropping them into the bowl may help. Another method is to chop the salad into small pieces and put worms or other bugs in the salad.

How do I get my Bearded Dragon to eat pellets?
There are several different brands of pellets. Some Bearded Dragons show a preference for different brands, sometimes you have to trick them to get them started. Put a large paper plate in the cage and bounce the pellets off it, drop them in one at a time. BDs are attracted by movement. You can also try soaking them in different juices (no sugar added) then bounce them in. Offer the pellets first thing before other foods about an hour after lights on and then again throughout the day. Don’t starve him if he won’t eat them but try for a few days with only offering pellets. You can also feed moisten pellets to the crix about 1 hour before you feed them to your BD. The scent of the pellets will get on them and he may learn to associate the smell.

What are supplements? Do I need to use them?
Supplements are vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and D3. YES you must use them for a healthy Bearded Dragon. You can add them to salad or with live prey, or you can use dry food such as pellets that contain a full balanced meal. I feed Rep-cal pellets for breakfast and salad dusted with T-rex VGF or VMF for lunch.

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