# Adult Bearded Dragon - How long without live food?



## JemmaLizard (Oct 8, 2013)

I would like to ask a question following on from another recent thread by FC360 (http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/1081914-need-help-getting-bearded-dragon.html). I thought it better to start a new thread rather than risk hijacking their thread.
I am having the same problem, but my bearded dragon is around 18-24 months. I am sure that I have been too soft on her because when I got her she a coccidia infection and was started on various meds from the vets which took months to clear completely. She is otherwise healthy and active and set-up is fine (In brief - 4ft viv, arcadia T5 12% UVB with reflector, bulb changed last month, basking spot 40c, cool end 27c, gut-loaded locusts and morio's dusted with calcium each feeding and Nutrobal weekly). So far I have tried withholding live for 2 weeks before giving in and giving her live food. 

So my question is - how long is it appropriate to withhold live food from a healthy (but stubborn) adult bearded dragon in order to get them to eat vegetables?

On FC360's thread Azastral said "If it were over a year old then i would suggest this for several weeks if not a month or so". Would others agree that a month without live food (so potentially any food if they refuse the veg) is safe? Obviously whilst monitoring for signs of ill health. And does anyone have any experience of how long they had to withhold live food to get an adult bearded dragon eating veg?


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

I personally couldn't leave a beardie for a month without food, I know it's supposed to be tough love but that would feel like I was starving the poor thing. Maybe a week or two but no more but that's just my personal feelings.


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## Azastral (Jun 6, 2015)

A month is extreme I admit, and if not eating at all it's too long particularly if weight loss occurs. But tough love is often the only way to fix picky eaters.

Depends on age, health and situation to be honest.


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## jarich (Mar 23, 2012)

Has your dragon ever eaten any veg before? What veg are you offering?


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## John bellis (Aug 24, 2015)

Hi all my green dragon is stuburn as well but he loves being held and hand fed and he hates his 4ft by 5ft terenium for long periods what I surjest is making a fuss of her because mine was the same


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## JemmaLizard (Oct 8, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies. Jarich, she used to take very small amounts when hand fed when she was a baby and she went through a phase of only taking blueberries if hand-fed when she was still small. Since she has reached adult size she will not take any veg voluntarily - she occasionally takes some accidentally when she goes to take a morio worm from her bowl and gets some veg with it. I am offering either spring greens or rocket as a base daily with a combination of dandelion leaves, blueberries, strawberry, carrot, pea shoots, yellow pepper, apple, green beans, garden peas, pak choi, water cress, mango, papaya, and those mixed bags of salad leaves (not iceberg obviously) and there's probably a few others Iv forgotten, but I feel like I have tried everything. I have tried cutting it up really small and tearing it up so it is around distance between eye sized.
John, I do take her out of her vivarium daily for around 10-20 minutes to run around and I do make a fuss of her as much as possible, and she does seem to like it, but she still won't eat any veg. I try to hand feed veg several times each day and I have even tried showing her youtube videos of bearded dragons eating salad (I know this is probably really crazy) just incase she might learn that dragons are supposed to eat veg. 
Thank you all for your replies.


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## Azastral (Jun 6, 2015)

JemmaLizard said:


> Thank you all for your replies. Jarich, she used to take very small amounts when hand fed when she was a baby and she went through a phase of only taking blueberries if hand-fed when she was still small. Since she has reached adult size she will not take any veg voluntarily - she occasionally takes some accidentally when she goes to take a morio worm from her bowl and gets some veg with it. I am offering either spring greens or rocket as a base daily with a combination of dandelion leaves, blueberries, strawberry, carrot, pea shoots, yellow pepper, apple, green beans, garden peas, pak choi, water cress, mango, papaya, and those mixed bags of salad leaves (not iceberg obviously) and there's probably a few others Iv forgotten, but I feel like I have tried everything. I have tried cutting it up really small and tearing it up so it is around distance between eye sized.
> John, I do take her out of her vivarium daily for around 10-20 minutes to run around and I do make a fuss of her as much as possible, and she does seem to like it, but she still won't eat any veg. I try to hand feed veg several times each day and I have even tried showing her youtube videos of bearded dragons eating salad (I know this is probably really crazy) just incase she might learn that dragons are supposed to eat veg.
> Thank you all for your replies.


The videos thing is quite cute lol.

I think she may have learnt that you spoil her a bit and shes never really been hungry... 
The mix of veg is excellent, i would try adding kale to that daily base of spring greens and rocket. but yes, tough love might well be the only way...

Stop live food and stick it out for a week or so, she should start eating greens just simply because of hunger. Maybe try small feed of live insects as if they were treats (once at the end of the week after shes eaten some salad for example) and see if she will learn that greens are whats on offer, and the main food supply.

You will need to watch her weight, and if it starts dropping rapidly then consider insects again. But it will take some persistance.
It could well be she's never become accustomed to the taste, kale and spring greens are a little bitter. But the things like apple and papaya should be tasty to her (fruit should be treat food by the way, you dont want her becoming a veggie eater but only eating the stuff shes not allowed a lot of!)

Maybe if the only food is tha salad and she learns she has to eat it to eat at all she will then become more used to the flavour over time.


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## loxocemus (Sep 2, 2006)

ron st pierre https://www.facebook.com/ron.stpierre.14?fref=ts is considering or in the process of (i think the latter) changing his bearded colony's over to repashys grub pie http://www.repashy.co.uk/lilly-exotics/grub-pie-reptile from livefood, u might want to consider it.

ron is up there with jim pether, henkle, Philippe de Vosjoli as people who have genuinely advanced lizard husbandry.

rgds
ed


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## John bellis (Aug 24, 2015)

I am having similar problems with my baby green dragon he has stopped eating and I have been told to change his food but what. He is only 10 weeks old and very fussy in what he eats, but the yemen chameleon will eat anything you give and he is about the same age


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