bearded dragon food?

[mangodude777]

i got this for my bts. he likes it alot! how often should i give it to him?


http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/pe ... _agama.php

[mom22wins]

The term "species specific" makes me question if this is the ideal diet for a bluey since it's made specifically for beardies. I doubt it would harm them but may not cover all the bases in terms of nutritional needs. You may have to throw in some fresh food as well.

I'm interested to hear what the long-time bluey owners think...

[LittleFoot]

I don't think this should be a food you should use often (if at all) The reason I say that is beardies and BTS are on two different types of diets, what is good for one isn't good for the other. I don't think it will harm your BT, but it isn't helping with the proper nutrients.

[mangodude777]

I don't think this should be a food you should use often (if at all) The reason I say that is beardies and BTS are on two different types of diets, what is good for one isn't good for the other. I don't think it will harm your BT, but it isn't helping with the proper nutrients.

i was onily going to mix it with veggies.becuase the onily way to make him eat his vegies is to mix it with cat food. so i thought BD food would be better for him

[aggiegirl]

That diet is not well received by many beardy experts. If a beardy fails to drink sufficient water, that diet may cause dehydration that can predispose them to renal (kidney) failure. They haven't done enough feeding trials to properly evaluate it so most beardy breeders steer clear of it.
That said, I do use the CGD for my cresty. I know these diets make it easier but I still question how balanced they are----even for the species they are formulated for.
Keep with a well-balanced diet and I think that is the key.

[kris21]

I've actually seen a few times people, well Aussies that feed their blueys this beardy food as well as their normal diet. I wouldn't say it would cause any harm if you fed the both.

[Jenn]

My guys have eaten turtle food ocassionaly this past summer because it was in the outside pit. They loved it but I still wouldn't use it as part of their regular diet. There are a lot of other ways to trick your bluey into eating his veggies.

[mangodude777]

my bts is really picky! for some reason he onily likes food not made for him

[Jenn]

I have two skinks that came to me only eating catfood. They both now eat their veggies without a problem and haven't had catfood for over a year, if not longer. It takes time and patience but they will eat a healthy diet that is for them.

[mangodude777]

how did you get them to switch food?

[Jenn]

Since they were use to cat food I cut their veggies/greens up very small. At the beginning there was more catfood then veggies, but over time I slowly increased the catfood and increased the veggies/greens. Since I wanted to do away with the cat food all together I also started slowly adding in the meat that I wanted to use. Again slowly increasing the meat while decreasing the catfood. The whole process probably took aleast a good six months.

[Leigh]

I thought that the diet sheet was derived from a Beardie diet? they aren't that different in dietry requirements its mostly activity traits and looks that split them, they all need the 2:1 ratio at the end of the day

[NomadOfTheHills]

Well, the diet sheets are derived from a beardie website, and all it does is tell which foods have better Pa:C ratios, as well as goitrogen and some other chemical content.

Beardies are herbivorous as adults, basically, while blueies are more omnivorous.

Their teeth make this quite obvious, beardies have sharp triangular teeth for cutting plants, and blueies have strong crushing jaws with broad flat teeth, imo, indicating a natural diet high in beetles/snails. They are not very good at cutting plants.


But yes, in the end, all reptiles need a 2:1 Ca:P ratio.

[Leigh]

Well, the diet sheets are derived from a beardie website, and all it does is tell which foods have better Pa:C ratios, as well as goitrogen and some other chemical content.

Beardies are herbivorous as adults, basically, while blueies are more omnivorous.

Their teeth make this quite obvious, beardies have sharp triangular teeth for cutting plants, and blueies have strong crushing jaws with broad flat teeth, imo, indicating a natural diet high in beetles/snails. They are not very good at cutting plants.


But yes, in the end, all reptiles need a 2:1 Ca:P ratio.

Someone forgot to tell my girl that, she still needs a few super worms or locusts to encourage her with her greens

[NomadOfTheHills]

Haha, well, in the wild, even an adult beardy wouldn't pass up some nutritious amino acids! They are herbivorous, in the sense that wolves are carnivorous. They aren't obligate carnivores, like cats are, for example.

[mangodude777]

I thought that the diet sheet was derived from a Beardie diet? they aren't that different in dietry requirements its mostly activity traits and looks that split them, they all need the 2:1 ratio at the end of the day

thats why i thought it would be good for him

[Zach]

Their teeth make this quite obvious, beardies have sharp triangular teeth for cutting plants, and blueies have strong crushing jaws with broad flat teeth, imo, indicating a natural diet high in beetles/snails. They are not very good at cutting plants.


But yes, in the end, all reptiles need a 2:1 Ca:P ratio.

Just curious why you say blueys have broad flat teeth? They have blunt pointy little nubs....