# How many locusts??!



## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

Hello, we have a 5 month old beardie who is adorable! we were told by the reptile shop to feed him 6 - 8 locusts a day. They are the large ones as the small and medium seem too small for him! He seems to want more though! He has eaten 9 in one day before. Is there a correct amount to feed them? He isnt touching any veg at all yet either. He has no problem eating the large size, they go down very well! Thanks


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## claypole55 (Jan 21, 2010)

My Diego wouldn't eat veg only locusts and crickets,so I decided not to give him anything else only veg,salad etc. Now he had no choice but to eat it,since then he eats both!!
As for your question,if someone gave you chocolate to eat every meal would u eat anything else??


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## barrymc123 (Jan 7, 2010)

when i had a beardie i had this problem i think its pretty common, but what helped me is, get some meal worms and put them in the bowl with the veg and when he goes for them 99% of the time he will get a mouth full of veg and after a wile they know that the veg is there and they will eat it, but given the choice they will go for the insects


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

as the beardie is still young, you should still be sticking with the feed it as much as it can eat in 10/15 mins or until full.

once maybe twice a day.

you may also find that over time he becomes interested in the veg. a lot of young'uns arent to fussed with veg to begin with but as they are maturing they get a taste for it.


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks very much for yr replies. Ill see if i can get some mealworms at the weekend and put them in with his veg. As for the locusts, ill put about 6 in in the morning and see what happens. I usually feed him before i go to work, and give him a couple when i get in at 5pm, i think he's got used to having a little snack when i get home! He's amazing, he even goes to the toilet in the same place nearly everyday! We have had him for about 3 weeks now, and its like he's been with us forever!


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## mrspebro (Mar 6, 2008)

i allways give fresh veg every day,in a morning and crickets at night with your beardie being only 5 months, i would avoid meal worms as they carnt digest them properly untill they are over a year old, also as above post says give as many as they will eat in a 10 minutes.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Around a dozen locusts should be fine for him, especially as they are quite large. He really doesn't need feeding twice a day at his age but it won't harm to still give him a couple extra when you get home lol. Whilst I agree in principle about mealies and his age he should be able to cope with a small amount.


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

Wow! i love this forum, so many interesting things. Maybe ill give the meal worms a miss for a few months! I put 8 locusts in there this morning, he had 6 straight away! Now he's sitting looking very full! He'll probably eat the other 2 later on. He loves music! he was sitting in my daughters hand this morning and she put mtv on, he was facinated! Every time he hears it he puts his head to one side, its so funny! I must try and put some pictures of him on here. His (well, we think its a he!) name is Cookie. We were going to get 2, but so many people advised us against it, we were going to call them Cookie and Cream! So we stuck with Cookie! Thanks again guys for all your interesting tit bits!


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

glad we could help.

you should really remove the uneaten food though, there is every possibilty of them having a wee nibble on the beardy 

as for getting 2, well its not the case of buying another and bunging it in the viv.

you have quarantine to go through, you will find people will recommend anywhere from 3-12 months.

you then have to hope that they get on. and there is no certaintity that they will. so you will still have to be prepared of having two seperate vivs for them....


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## melmodz (Feb 20, 2010)

michg said:


> He loves music! he was sitting in my daughters hand this morning and she put mtv on, he was facinated! Every time he hears it he puts his head to one side, its so funny!


Now that is enough to make me want a beardie right now!!!


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi Dan, I think i will just stick to the one anyway, he gets more attention that way! I do make a point of making sure there are no locusts or crickets (yuk!) left in the viv at night. I was warned that they may bite them when theyre sleeping! He sleeps in the most unusual positions too! I measured him a couple of weeks ago and he was 8 inches long, im gonna measure him each month to see how much he's grown!!! I sound really sad dont I??!!!! I do have a life really! Im just so happy to have finally got my beardie! i have wanted one for years!


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## Dan Dan The Reptile Man (Nov 8, 2007)

spoilt beardy eh! lol.

theres no guarantee that the locusts will have a nibble on him during the day, but its as they say, its better to be safe than sorry.

and no, dont sound sad at all. you will find a LOT of keepers do this. myself included


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

> theres no guarantee that the locusts will have a nibble on him during the day, but its as they say, its better to be safe than sorry.


True but most awake beardies will flick them away a sleeping beardie will probably not wake up for anything. Have you seen how sound they sleep lol.


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

LOL!! yes i have, arent they funny! He was sleeping on a leaf last night, his little face looked so peaceful. His lights go out at 7pm, and as soon as that happens he will snuggle into wherever he can and just go to sleep! Just like that! I wish i could do that!


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

if he's as greedy as ours, a full tub can go in one feeding, the little porker!


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi everyone! Cookie is about 6 months old now, he's eating about 15 hoppers a day now, still now veg though. Ive put a couple of pictures in my album if you want to look at them. There's one of him sleeping on the flex of his light! He is so funny! xx


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## jillygirl (Feb 1, 2010)

michg said:


> Hi everyone! Cookie is about 6 months old now, he's eating about 15 hoppers a day now, still now veg though. Ive put a couple of pictures in my album if you want to look at them. There's one of him sleeping on the flex of his light! He is so funny! xx


how on earth does he stay on the light flex :lol2: they really are crazy.. my beardie is 5 months and he is so funny at times. i the positions he lays in , we love him to bits... i love my leo too:2thumb:


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## jhsnake999 (Apr 12, 2009)

My dragon only eats very small locusts a small amount of mealworms and if his up to eating any waxworms he will eat them which is rare. He also eats watercress and cabbage leaves. He stopped eating altogether once, but is now back to normal...


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

It is quite worrying when they dont eat isnt it? He stopped eating the first time he shed, but after a day he was back on the food! He is a little piggy, He knows exactly where i keep the hoppers and runs to that side of the tank when i bend down! bless him!


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## PowerPie5000 (Apr 13, 2010)

I've never owned a bearded dragon myself but it seems their appetite is similar to my greedy plated's :mrgreen:

My Plated's will eat pretty much anything i give them and they just continue to eat! They only occasionly leave bits. I feed them a range of locusts, crickets, mealworms, gammarus, dried fish, tuna chunks, strawberries, grapes, mango, pear, banana, tomatoes, cucumber, various greens, wax worms, pinkies and even a bit of quality dog food! I would say insects/bugs make up around 60-70% of their diet.

And of course their food gets dusted with Nutrobal 2-3 times a week. I do have a seperate calcium powder (Calypso) but i only occasionly add this to their food as i'm sure Nutrobal provides plenty of calcium and vitamins alone.... but can never find any straight anwers on this :hmm:


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## michg (Feb 25, 2010)

Just a quickie! don't know if anyone is on facebook, but i joined a group called Bearded Dragons on there, there are some fantastic photos of other beardies on there, and some amazing set-ups too, really lovely ones!


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