Introduction

Bearded dragons are popular pets due to their friendly nature and easy-to-care-for requirements. One aspect of their care is feeding. While they are often fed commercial diets and vegetables, feeding them live insects is important for their health and enrichment. One such insect that is commonly fed to bearded dragons is the cockroach. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about feeding your bearded dragon cockroaches.

The benefits of feeding your bearded dragon cockroaches

Cockroaches are a great source of nutrition for your bearded dragon. They are high in protein, calcium, and other important vitamins and minerals. Additionally, feeding live insects is a great way to encourage natural hunting behaviors and provide enrichment for your bearded dragon.

Types of cockroaches to feed your bearded dragon

Not all cockroaches are suitable for feeding to your bearded dragon. It’s important to choose the right species. The best species of cockroaches for bearded dragons are Dubia roaches, discoid roaches, and Turkistan roaches. These species are easy to digest and have a good nutrition profile. Avoid feeding your bearded dragon wild-caught cockroaches, as they may contain pesticides or other harmful substances.

Feeding frequency and portion sizes

As with all live insects, it’s important to feed your bearded dragon the right portion size and frequency. A good rule of thumb is to feed your bearded dragon insects that are the size of the space between their eyes. Feed them insects once a day for younger dragons and cut back to every other day for adults. Be sure to remove any uneaten insects after an hour to prevent them from escaping into your bearded dragon’s enclosure.

Gut-loading and dusting your cockroaches

To ensure that your bearded dragon is getting the best nutrition from their live insects, it’s important to gut-load and dust them. Gut-loading means feeding your insects a nutritious diet a few hours before feeding them to your bearded dragon. This ensures that the nutrients from the gut-loaded food are passed on to your bearded dragon when they eat the insect. Dusting your insects with a calcium supplement before feeding them to your bearded dragon is also recommended.

Conclusion

Feeding your bearded dragon live cockroaches can be a great way to provide them with nutrition and enrichment. It’s important to choose the right species of cockroach and feed them in the right portion sizes and frequency. Don’t forget to gut-load and dust your cockroaches for the best nutrition possible. With these tips, your bearded dragon will be living their best life.

Image 1: Dubia roach

Image 2: Discoid roach

Image 3: Turkistan roach

Image 4: Feeding bearded dragon cockroaches

Image 5: Gut-loading your cockroaches

Image 6: Dusting your insects