Bearded Dragon and veggies
You must give greens, veg, herbs, flowers and crops from that very first day, and frequently afterwards. This helps your Beardie see these as components of their eating regimen.
From new born till round 6 months outdated, a dragon’s major aim, is progress and inner power for muscle mass and organs. So live-food and proteins take centre stage right here. However giving greens, veg, herb, flowers and crops from that very 1st day, and frequently afterwards, even earlier than any live-foods if wanted, helps the dragon see these as vital a part of consuming. And never only a secondary meals supply.
In fact. It’s possible you’ll have already got an grownup dragon, whom is already a ‘salad dodger’, as they are saying.
The best way to get your Bearded Dragon to eat veggies
The primary technique: Maintain off stay meals
I solely recommend this IF the dragon has been checked by a herp Vet. And is deemed of a wholesome weight to permit this course of
- You don’t feed any stay meals. Solely the veggies, every day. The concept being, starvation prevails, and they’ll ultimately eat the veggies. And it undoubtedly does work. I’ve performed it over time efficiently, with none situation in any respect.
Monitor weight: It’s additionally a good suggestion to observe weight throughout this era, as usually they solely lose a couple of grams over what generally is a good month or so. As their physique will use any fats reserves to assist preserve issues in wholesome working order.
The second technique: Rotate the meals course of
For instance, you feed veggies at 9am within the morning. And naturally, they don’t get eaten. So that you then feed stay within the afternoon. They get eaten with out situation….
So, don’t feed the veggies at 9am and as a substitute feed them on the time you’d feed the live-food usually rather than the live-food (so no live-food is fed).
As our dragon’s are reptiles of behavior and routines in captivity, swapping meals supply right here could confuse them at first. However as they “anticipate” meal within the afternoon, they typically find yourself tucking into the veggies as a substitute.
This technique, once more, has been very profitable for myself, and people I’ve really useful it to by way of my Fb teams, or at conferences.
Like the primary technique. You could have to persevere every week or so.
Methodology three: Pre & pro-biotic stimulant
Once more, underneath vet steerage. This has additionally confirmed very profitable for me. It includes providing veggies within the morning as regular. However as a substitute of live-food within the afternoon present a pre/pro-biotic drink. Ideally, each collectively. However both or will work. I take advantage of Vetark Avi-Professional Plus, and Reptoboost.
What ideally will occur is, these ‘biotic’ micro organism naturally stimulate the abdomen and digestive system. Blasting it with goodness, in flip, stimulating starvation. And that, typically will get that fussy dragon consuming what’s in entrance of it.
Which Dragon gender is extra aggressive?
Having been a dragon keeper for 30+ years now I can truthfully say, I’ve not seen something to swing it for both gender right here.
I’ve had aggressive males, and females. Usually ones I’ve taken on or rescued.
When you present that dragon, be it male, or feminine, with the very best gear obtainable to make its life as near the situations to which they’ve developed over tens of millions of years to wish. And supply it inside that vivaria set-up, the dragon needs to be as comfortable as a dragon might be.
With optimum temps inside, psychological, visible, and bodily enrichment inside, a diversified and full eating regimen, all ought to work out simply superb. No matter gender.
How are you going to inform the gender of your Dragon?
One of the simplest ways is to face your Bearded Dragon on a flat floor and shine a shiny torch by way of the highest of the tail on the tail base. When you see two distinguished, separate ‘bulbs’, then you’ve got a male. If its a extra longer, ‘one’ bulb. Then you’ve got a feminine.
This may be performed from beginning. Though it IS extra dependable to attend a few months to be 100% sure.
My article on Sexing your Bearded Dragons explains extra.
Why does a Dragon bob its head?
Many say head bobbing is a strictly male dragon factor. That is incorrect.
Granted, males are much more prone to be doing this behaviour. And primarily, it’s linked to dominance. However there’s a ‘submissive’ bob of the pinnacle additionally.
The sooner, extra aggressive head bob occurs when two dragon’s see one another.
This might end in each bobbing their heads, quick, and frantically, normally till one submits. Both by a sluggish wave of the arm. Or, a way more slower, sleek head-bob.
The slower head-bob can also be one thing that females will do, if accepting the dominance of a male for mating.
When you witness your solitary dragon doing this, simply ignore it.
Many dragon’s will do that at instances, as if to rekindle the truth that, their vivarium is simply that. Theirs. So they are going to let all whom are keen to witness their head-bob learn about it.
Its nothing to fret about in any respect.
When a Bearded Dragon turns black
A Bearded Dragon turns again to draw extra warmth and UVB, to heat up and energise a lot rapidly. Or ought to I say, much more effectively.
You’ll discover, very first thing within the morning, both earlier than, or simply after the warmth and UVB have turned on inside your vivaria, that your Bearded Dragon is a far darker, nearly black like color alongside its again.
Everyone knows that you simply put on darker colors to achieve extra exterior warmth profit (solar). And also you’ll put on white to be cooler, to replicate the warmth and UV rays.
Nicely, it’s the identical with our dragon’s.
So to counter this, when absolutely heated up and UVB energised, they are going to turn out to be a far brighter color alongside their backs. Once more, that is to replicate warmth and UV.
Consider this as a part of their very own heating and cooling system. Their strategy to support thermoregulation.
Now, when it comes the the entrance of the dragon, that means the beard and stomach, it is a totally different matter altogether.
Why does a Bearded Dragon’s neck flip black?
Any darkening of the beard is primarily linked to their communication.
It will possibly imply that they’re not comfortable about one thing.
Or it may be proven together with some head-bobbing with regard to a dominance show to a different.
In case your dragon’s beard is darkish for prolonged intervals of time in its viv I’d do that:
- Go over your set-up parameters first. Examine the UVB and warmth and that the UVB tube is in date. Additionally examine they’re on the manufactures really useful distance.
- Examine the heating: Be sure that warmth bulb is giving the optimum warmth for that basking spot. I all the time intention for 38 – 42c with the cool finish round 10c cooler.
- A vet go to: If the darker beard continues, and also you’ve performed the above checks, then I’d suggest a vet go to. A protracted show could possibly be an indication of sickness.
This text was written by Pete Hawkins for ExoticDirect
Winner of The Reptile Stories, Readers Alternative, Lizard Persona of the Yr 2016.
You will discover Pete by way of his Fb teams: Bearded Dragons Community; Chameleon Community; Snake Community; Amphibian Community; Lizard Community, and in a number of publications worldwide.