# 12 week old Beardie - how many locusts should he eat?



## Brierls (May 15, 2011)

Hi,

Our beardie is now about 12 weeks old, and we've recently started feeding him locusts as well as crickets. He absolutely loves them! But I'm worried that he loves them a little bit too much because he'll scoff them until we run out! His interest in the crickets has also gone right down since we introduced locusts, I think he finds the locusts much easier to catch.

How many medium locusts would you expect a 12 week old beardie to eat each day? Obviously they're a bit more 'meaty' than crickets, so I'm wondering if we should only offer so many.

Thanks


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## Snizard93 (Jun 14, 2011)

Beardies can become "addicted" to locusts very easily. I have known some to refuse eating crickets alltogether.

Don't give in to him! He will eat when he is hungry so don't give in to those cute little eyes 

From experience, crickets are the staple diet and occasionally throw in locusts and morioworms as a treat. Beardies seem to love morioworms too


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## weeble (Sep 29, 2007)

Snizard93 said:


> From experience, crickets are the staple diet and occasionally throw in locusts and morioworms as a treat.


Really?

You do know that when gut loaded there is nothing wrong with Locusts as a staple?

Or have i been doing it wrong, cos the latest big ol beardie i have is in great health and she has been on Locust since 3 mth old.


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## Snizard93 (Jun 14, 2011)

weeble said:


> Really?
> 
> You do know that when gut loaded there is nothing wrong with Locusts as a staple?
> 
> Or have i been doing it wrong, cos the latest big ol beardie i have is in great health and she has been on Locust since 3 mth old.


Yeah I know they are fine as a staple too, but I meant that when crickets are fed as a staple, the Beardie will fancy the locusts over the crickets. Sorry if I didn't explain myself properly :bash:


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## br4m01 (May 16, 2011)

Mine is about this age too and gets through between 10-15 per sitting twice a day. He tried them once and now refuses to go anywhere near crickets lol

The only problem with using well gut loaded locusts as a staple is the price lol.


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## grim_reaper (Nov 9, 2010)

yup locusts are fine ... just more expensive and easier to catch (for humans as well as beardies) i only feed locusts because i got fed up of chirping crickets behind the fridge, freezer, tv, sofa etc etc  .... when they escape they're gone like hot snot lol 

if you want to feed crickets and your beardie is having problems catching them, pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes immediately before feeding .... this will slow them down so your beardie can catch them easier

as for how many ..... feed him as many as he can eat within a 10 minute period 2 or 3 times per day ... as he gets older he will start eating less livefood (prefering more greens instead)


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## Brierls (May 15, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies.

I'll not lie...the cost of a locust only diet is certainly a consideration! I think I'll try and keep with the mixed cricket/locust (and low cost!) diet, and give the fridge suggestion a go!


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## Tasshu (Jan 20, 2009)

I agree with weble over the staple diet...

My bearded dragon prefers locust, He never used to be as "fussed" with crickets. When he ate crickets before he didnt do much jus waited for them.

now he eats locust he runs and jumps after them like a mad man! cant stop him lool!!..

Hes fascinating. I also feed him the odd wax worm, Hes a jolly fella. But yeah.

I always put in as much as he can eat within 10 minutes i believe? In my case my beardie can go through a whole tub.

good luck with your beardie.


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

mine girl eats crickets maily at the moment, certainly i smore livelier catching locusts and goes crazy for turkistan roaches. i dunno if its because they are quicker but she will sprint one end of the viv to the other for them


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## Tasshu (Jan 20, 2009)

strange. I gave mine roaches and he had bad diareah. He was quite poorly.


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## wildenglishrose (Oct 6, 2010)

My beardie wont eat crickets full stop, he's really picky. :bash:


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

Brierls said:


> Hi,
> 
> Our beardie is now about 12 weeks old, and we've recently started feeding him locusts as well as crickets. He absolutely loves them! But I'm worried that he loves them a little bit too much because he'll scoff them until we run out! His interest in the crickets has also gone right down since we introduced locusts, I think he finds the locusts much easier to catch.
> 
> ...


A lot depends on what size you are giving them but basically just give them as many as they can eat. 

I would say between 10-25 which is what I do with my roaches.

I would say he will grow a lot quicker and healthier feed on locusts but still keep offering a few crickets as well to help vary his diet.


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

Tasshu said:


> strange. I gave mine roaches and he had bad diareah. He was quite poorly.


strange, roaches are nutritionally better than crickets and locusts, plus they have less shell to digest. more meat to shell so to speak.


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

thething84 said:


> strange, roaches are nutritionally better than crickets and locusts, plus they have less shell to digest. more meat to shell so to speak.


Yes I agree roaches are much better live food here is a pic of my girl Viper who is 13 weeks old and pretty much all she eats is roaches.


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## Tasshu (Jan 20, 2009)

Yeah im not sure why he does it. But its quite bad when he does. I guess we cant all get along with the same food huh lol


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## Brierls (May 15, 2011)

I've not read much about feeding roaches. Obviously it's safe for a 12 week old Beardie to be having them judging by your replies, is there a specific type of roach that is more suitable than others? Also where's the best place to get them?


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

Brierls said:


> I've not read much about feeding roaches. Obviously it's safe for a 12 week old Beardie to be having them judging by your replies, is there a specific type of roach that is more suitable than others? Also where's the best place to get them?


The most practical ones are dubia or discoid as they are nice and meaty with soft skin and also they are easy to catch and the best place to get them is in the classified section on this site or ebay. 

Yes the baby roaches are the right size for baby bearded dragons and the adult roaches are the right size for the adult bearded dragons. 

Turkistan roaches are also good but they can be a bit fast for the lizards to catch.


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## misstiggins (Jun 9, 2011)

i have always given my Beardies locusts. I gut load them first with Bearded Dragon food that has been soaked in water (so no need to smother them with calcium before feeding and helps the dragon get all the water it needs too) and lettuce and my beardies love them. 
I hate crickets, they make a bloody racket, are hard to catch and give me the collywobbles lol 
Nothing wrong with feeding Beardies locusts instead of crickets so if you can afford to and your beardie loves them, feed locusts by all means, just make sure their bellies are full of good things first!


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