# Bearded Dragon Pellet food?



## Pyrite (Oct 13, 2012)

BEAPHAR BEARDED DRAGONS JUNIOR FEED - 120GR

_This complete food is specially formulated to meet the daily nutritional requirements of junior bearded dragons up to 30cm in length.
Each individual pellet contains the necessary proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins necessary for optimum health.
Particular emphasis has been placed on the correct Calciumhosphorus ratio, along with vital levels of Vitamin D3 to ensure healthy bone formulation_

My girlfriend is insisting that if my bearded dragon isn't eating enough crickets and salad that I should try give it pellet food and she suggested this.

What do you guys think? Is pellet food good for baby beardies?
Has anyone ever tried this with their beardies? If so what were the results?

I am not particularly keen on this and I am just trying to offer my beardie fresh salad everyday and crickets three times a day.


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## MCEE (Aug 8, 2011)

Pyrite said:


> BEAPHAR BEARDED DRAGONS JUNIOR FEED - 120GR
> 
> _This complete food is specially formulated to meet the daily nutritional requirements of junior bearded dragons up to 30cm in length.
> Each individual pellet contains the necessary proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins necessary for optimum health.
> ...


I have never, ever seen any bearded dragon eat these pellet foods. Also, if it is not eating insects or veg I doubt it will eat pellets (although funnier things have happened).

Just because your girlfriend says it is not eating enough does not necessarily compute that it is not eating enough. How much does she think is "enough"? Some of my baby rankins will down dozens of crickets at a single sitting and others only a few. OK, so the greedy ones may grow faster (which is not necessarily a good thing) but the not so greedy still get all they want and are growing steadily. As long as your dragon is not all skin and bones don't worry about it. All lizards, as in humans, have differing appetites. Just because they do not eat much does not mean they are unhealthy. As for the greens, dragons are not so eagre when young but will normally become more herbivorous as they get older.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

My beardies used to eat pellet food.
I think it was exo terra brand?
But it was for adult beardies.
I could only get to my reptile shop once a week and the locusts never lasted a week, they always used to die. So i gave them greens one day, pellets the next. And locusts every day until they either ate them all or they died

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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

Pellets are not worth the money. We don't really know what the nutrient requirements of most reptiles are, so they cannot be 'complete'. There have been problems previously with pellets (more for tortoise and iggies) where the pellets are so wrong in content that it's caused renal, metabolic and bone problems.

You also run the risk of dehydration with these pellets. If your beardy doesn't actively drink water from the bowl, doesn't eat veg and eats few bugs there is serious risk of dehydration - which will cause more harm to the kidneys.

You are much better sticking with your original idea of veg and crickets. Try adding a bit more variation with livefood though. It may be that he's not too bothered by crickets but will react better to locusts, cockroaches, mealworms silk worms, butter worms etc. Variation (with veg and bugs) will also help to prevent deficiencies and excesses in the diet.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

I never had any problems with pellets

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## patterkillar (Sep 16, 2010)

the biggest problem with the pellets is that they are sand coloured, 

if you colour them brightly like tortoise pellets they get eaten very well, 

as with all dried animal foods, it important drinking water must is avlable


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

How old is your Beardie? 

I wouldn't use pellets, live food, salad fruit veg is all that needed 

Try different live food ??

Other staples-
Roaches
Locusts 
Etc

Not staples-
Wax worms
Mario worms
Mealworms 
Etc

Maybe you Beardie is sick of crickets ??


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

Pyrite said:


> BEAPHAR BEARDED DRAGONS JUNIOR FEED - 120GR
> 
> _This complete food is specially formulated to meet the daily nutritional requirements of junior bearded dragons up to 30cm in length.
> Each individual pellet contains the necessary proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins necessary for optimum health.
> ...


FOR A START CRICKETS THREE TIMES A DAY IS TOOO MUCH THAT MAYBE WHY YOUR BEARDY ISNT LIKING THEM TRY MEAL WORMS AND KEEP A LOW COUNT OF CRICKETS IN THE TANK AS CRICKETS WILL ATTACK YOUR BEARDED DRAGON AND THIS CAN CAUSE INFECTION IF POSSIBLE CHANGE TO DUBIA ROACHES THEY ARE EASY TO BREED DONT ATTACK YOUR DRAGON AND DONT COST A BOMB EVERY WEEK ON LIVE FOODS 

IN MY EXPERIENCE IT IS BEST TO STAY AWAY FROM THINGS LIKE PELLETS COMPLETE DUSTING POWDER ON HOPPERS AND CRICKETS SHOULD GIVE THEM ENOUGH WITH THE VEG 

I FOUND FEEDING MINE EVER OTHER DAY HELPED TO KEEP THE HUNTING INSTINCT AND THE INTEREST EVERYTIME THE VIV OPENED ALWAYS REMEMBER IN THE WILD THEY DONT GET THESE CHEMICALLY ENHANCED COMPLETE FOODS THE ONLY ONE I HAVE EVEN FOUND I AGREE WITH IS REPASHY FOR CRESTYS UNLESS THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE DRAGONS EATING KEEP HIM TO HIS DUSTED HOPPERS WORMS AND VEG :} : victory:


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

heathster said:


> my beardies used to eat pellet food.
> I think it was exo terra brand?
> But it was for adult beardies.
> I could only get to my reptile shop once a week and the locusts never lasted a week, they always used to die. So i gave them greens one day, pellets the next. And locusts every day until they either ate them all or they died
> ...


this shouldnt happen if they are kept appropriately and have sufficient hydration and nutrition i founf that my crickets being kept in a fish tank fed along the same basis as dubia roaches would even breed !!!!! I spent 12 quid on crickets to fill and had crickets coming out my ears for months on end


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## roddymclaren (Mar 11, 2011)

Do bearded dragons eat dry food ,no , they hunt for food , yes. They need water from the food, dehydration is a serious thing , if u get a pet be prepared to keep care of it. If u don't like insects ., learn


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

kman5225 said:


> FOR A START CRICKETS THREE TIMES A DAY IS TOOO MUCH



No it isn't. 

Particularly in young dragons, you should aim to feed them several times a day on a variety of food. This is the most important time for them growth and development wise, restricting food can cause problems.


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

vgorst said:


> No it isn't.
> 
> Particularly in young dragons, you should aim to feed them several times a day on a variety of food. This is the most important time for them growth and development wise, restricting food can cause problems.


all mine have been fine i live by feeding every other day as a rule it keeps the hunting nature in them i have found feeding dragons twice a day they become lazy and wait for the food to come to them in the wild food isnt there 24/7 so this does them no harm i have bred for 4 years now and never had any complaints about my young


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

kman5225 said:


> this shouldnt happen if they are kept appropriately and have sufficient hydration and nutrition i founf that my crickets being kept in a fish tank fed along the same basis as dubia roaches would even breed !!!!! I spent 12 quid on crickets to fill and had crickets coming out my ears for months on end


My beardies ate locusts. Not crickets

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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

heathster said:


> My beardies ate locusts. Not crickets
> 
> Sent From My Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk


it the same concept :} just buy them smaller than you need as locust grow fast


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

kman5225 said:


> it the same concept :} just buy them smaller than you need as locust grow fast


How would i go about breeding them?

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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

Bradleybradleyc said:


> How old is your Beardie?
> 
> I wouldn't use pellets, live food, salad fruit veg is all that needed
> 
> ...


There is nothing wrong with using MORIO worms as a significant part of the diet of Beardies, as long as enough leafy veg is fed too.


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

Dragon Farm said:


> There is nothing wrong with using MORIO worms as a significant part of the diet of Beardies, as long as enough leafy veg is fed too.


I must apologise my spelling is not up to your standard, 

I shall have a indepth look into the nutrational value of MORIO's in that case since I have always been of the impression these do not suffice as a staple diet


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

Bradleybradleyc said:


> I must apologise my spelling is not up to your standard,
> 
> I shall have a indepth look into the nutrational value of MORIO's in that case since I have always been of the impression these do not suffice as a staple diet



why pick on spellings ? now taking this straight off the box of my bosc food it is wrote down as MARIO worms so its understandable why people spell it wrong as not even the pet shops can get it right 

also be carful using morio's they have a very high fat count :} always best to use worms and hoppers as hoppers make the beardie get some excercise


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

kman5225 said:


> why pick on spellings ? now taking this straight off the box of my bosc food it is wrote down as MARIO worms so its understandable why people spell it wrong as not even the pet shops can get it right
> 
> also be carful using morio's they have a very high fat count :} always best to use worms and hoppers as hoppers make the beardie get some excercise


Would you use worms as a staple ingredient For yours ?

I wouldn't, and I won't, however I will look more into this when I am home from work, to see what's what

that not ment in a rude way I would just like to know for referance as this is the first time I have heard they are suitable for a staple diet


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

heathster said:


> How would i go about breeding them?
> 
> Sent From My Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk



How to breed locust - YouTube

thats the video i use but i use a 4ft fish tank lol

they seem to prefer greens to fruit but feed them as you would roaches and crickets they really dont care 

but have you thought about breeding dubia roaches ? they dont smell and 99% of insectivores love them they breed abundantly also they are better for your reptile as they contain more protein :} i bought 1 breeding group of roaches and looks like within a week or 2 ill have at least 2 colony's if i do it right :}


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

Bradleybradleyc said:


> Would you use worms as a staple ingredient For yours ?
> 
> I wouldn't, and I won't, however I will look more into this when I am home from work, to see what's what
> 
> that not ment in a rude way I would just like to know for referance as this is the first time I have heard they are suitable for a staple diet


how i do it is i have meal worms in the worm dish 24-7 and veg on the plate and only add hoppers every other day 

but some dragons will over eat on meal wormd to the point that they are sick so watch carefully and dont leave them in there till you know that yours wont just to be safe :}

its not common but has happend to me a few times especially on younge dragons :} hope you find something that works ;}


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

kman5225 said:


> how i do it is i have meal worms in the worm dish 24-7 and veg on the plate and only add hoppers every other day
> 
> but some dragons will over eat on meal wormd to the point that they are sick so watch carefully and dont leave them in there till you know that yours wont just to be safe :}
> 
> its not common but has happend to me a few times especially on younge dragons :} hope you find something that works ;}


Thanks for the answer

However I do not have any problems with my beardies eatin they are spot on, have been for many many years.

my comment on this is in regards to worm being a staple diet, something that I have new heard for beardies before.


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## kman5225 (Jul 14, 2012)

Bradleybradleyc said:


> Thanks for the answer
> 
> However I do not have any problems with my beardies eatin they are spot on, have been for many many years.
> 
> my comment on this is in regards to worm being a staple diet, something that I have new heard for beardies before.


they dont seem to be a problem but i dont use them as a staple diet i use it a apart of one :} i allways find it good to give them choice :} 

my adults used to just ignore them eat veg then go back to the bowl when they fancied a couple worms :}

but thats just in my personal experience 

ive seen people putting fake vegetation into tanks and i tried and ended up with problems it all depends on the individual dragon tbh


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

kman5225 said:


> they dont seem to be a problem but i dont use them as a staple diet i use it a apart of one :} i allways find it good to give them choice :}
> 
> my adults used to just ignore them eat veg then go back to the bowl when they fancied a couple worms :}
> 
> ...




With a varied diet i seem no problem in using them.


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

'Morio worms' have this common name, because _morio_ is the second part of their scientific name. Somebody who couldn't spell used the name _Mario _worm, and this seems to have caught on. Nobody can be blamed for not knowing this, but I think it is a good idea to correct people so they know for the future. I meant no offence. Hopefully with time this mis-spelling will die out ! 

There are plenty of 'experts' out there who will tell you x species shouldn't be a staple part of the diet. There is a percieved wisdom and an army of people to tell you 'what is what'. But have a think about this...

There was a very large lizard farm in the US that bred THOUSANDS of lizards each year. There was a large range of species, including species from Australia, Africa, South America, and Europe. What did they have in common ? Well the breeder adults all were fed on Morio worms and nothing else. Thousands of eggs, thousands of babies, all produced with Morios. This was for five years. Then they found another species of insect to use that they found easier to breed, and they used this new species alone for more than five years, producing thousands more lizards every year. 

Others will tell you that mealworms are a terrible food. Yet a very large, well respected gecko breeder in the US has used nothing else for donkeys years.


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

Dragon Farm said:


> 'Morio worms' have this common name, because _morio_ is the second part of their scientific name. Somebody who couldn't spell used the name _Mario _worm, and this seems to have caught on. Nobody can be blamed for not knowing this, but I think it is a good idea to correct people so they know for the future. I meant no offence. Hopefully with time this mis-spelling will die out !
> 
> There are plenty of 'experts' out there who will tell you x species shouldn't be a staple part of the diet. There is a percieved wisdom and an army of people to tell you 'what is what'. But have a think about this...
> 
> ...



I shall PM you tonight if that is ok? for a chat about this. Just so we don't clog the thread up.


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

No problem. Please don't stress if it takes some time for me to reply.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Specifically formulated for beardies.....:whistling2:
Is this ringing alarm bells?


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