In addition to insects and raw produce, bearded dragons can also eat some edible plants including carnation petals, clover, geranium flowers, maple leaves, and rose petals.
A bearded dragon is no longer considered a juvenile when it reaches approximately eight months old. The correct ratio for juvenile bearded dragons is 70% insects and 30% plants, while the ratio for adult bearded dragons is the opposite: 30% insects and 70% plants.
Crickets Dubia roaches Earthworms Silkworms Cockroaches
Carrots Zucchini Cabbage Bell peppers Squash Broccoli Celery Cucumbers Kale Pumpkins
Apples Peaches Apricots Blueberries Papaya Melons Grapes Raisins Figs
You can use calcium carbonate or calcium gluconate. This should be done once every day for juvenile bearded dragons, and 3-5 times per week for adult bearded dragons.
You can buy jars of this commercial food at most pet stores. For most commercial food options, you’ll need to add a little bit of water to moisten the dried products.
A good rule of thumb is to give your dragon 1/8 cup of food at each feeding. Adult bearded dragons should be fed 2-3 times each day. A grown dragon should eat around 50 crickets or 30 worms per week.
Make sure you prepare the food out of the bearded dragons’ view; if they can see food, they may become hyperactive and do their best to reach the food, even if it means escaping from their enclosure.
Instead, you should place the food in a small, shallow dish and then put the dish inside the cage when it is time for your dragon to feed. If you are using worms, place them in the bowl, sprinkle calcium powder on them, and place the bowl in the enclosure. The lizard will notice the worms moving, run over, and begin eating. If you are using crickets or locusts, simply dust the crickets and find the opening to the enclosure that is furthest from the bearded dragon. Put the insects in the enclosure; the lizard should run straight at the insects and begin eating.
If it seems to struggle with the size of the food, you may need to provide smaller portions for the next feeding. If your dragon doesn’t eat all of the food within the first 5-10 minutes, you should give it less food during the next feeding to avoid waste and added mess in the cage.
