Feeding Your Adult Bearded Dragon: How Much is Just Enough?
Introduction
If you are a proud owner of an adult bearded dragon, you want to ensure that your pet stays healthy and happy. A crucial aspect of your pet’s well-being is its diet. Fortunately, feeding a bearded dragon is not too complicated, but it’s important to know how much to feed them. In this blog post, we will discuss the ideal diet and feeding schedule for an adult bearded dragon.
What Do Adult Bearded Dragons Eat?
Bearded dragons are omnivorous and require a balanced diet of both insects and vegetables. In the wild, they eat a variety of insects, including crickets, mealworms, and waxworms, and vegetation such as collard greens, dandelion greens, and turnip greens.
As a pet owner, you can easily replicate their diet. You can get live or dried insects from a pet store, and there are also numerous commercial bearded dragon diets available. As for vegetation, aim for a mix of dark, leafy greens and vegetables such as zucchini and squash.
How Much Should You Feed Your Adult Bearded Dragon?
As with most pets, the amount you should feed your bearded dragon depends on its age, size, and activity level. Generally speaking, adult bearded dragons should eat about two to three times per day. However, you should avoid overfeeding them, which can lead to obesity and other health problems.
Feeding Schedule for an Adult Bearded Dragon
Here is a sample feeding schedule for an adult bearded dragon:
- Morning: 2-3 insects or a small amount of commercial bearded dragon diet
- Afternoon: A mix of two or three different types of vegetables
- Evening: 2-3 insects or commercial bearded dragon diet and one or two vegetables
It’s essential to keep in mind the size of the insects and the portions of vegetables. Generally speaking, you should aim for a ratio of 80% insects and 20% vegetables until your bearded dragon reaches 18 months of age. After that, you can gradually adjust the ratio to 20% insects and 80% vegetables.
How Often Should You Feed Your Adult Bearded Dragon?
As mentioned earlier, adult bearded dragons should eat two to three times per day. But how often should you feed them?
If your bearded dragon is predominantly insect-based, you can feed them once in the morning and once at night. However, if your pet’s diet has more vegetables, you may have to increase the number of feedings. You can offer vegetables for 10-15 minutes, three times a day, to ensure that your bearded dragon eats enough.
Other Feeding Tips
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when feeding your adult bearded dragon:
- Provide fresh water every day
- Variety is key – offer different types of insects and vegetables
- If you notice that your bearded dragon isn’t eating, it could be a sign of illness or stress. Ensure that the temperature and lighting in their enclosure are appropriate, and consider taking them to the vet if the problem persists.
Conclusion
Feeding your adult bearded dragon the right amount and variety of food is essential to their health and happiness. With the feeding tips in mind and a sample feeding schedule, you can be confident that you are providing your pet with the best possible diet. If you have any doubts or concerns, consult a vet, and you can be sure that your bearded dragon will thrive!