| Bearded dragons are omnivorous reptiles, which | | | | greens. These include collard greens, mustard greens, |
| means they eat both vegetables and live food | | | | kale, and dandelion greens. Greens should be provided |
| (insects). They will eat a mixture of both throughout | | | | every day for a dragon throughout its life. The base |
| their entire lifespan, however, the ratio of veggies to | | | | green vegetables should be supplemented with small |
| insects will change as the dragon grows. When | | | | portions of other vegetables including beans, peppers, |
| young, a bearded dragon will eat mostly live food. | | | | and carrots. All vegetable matter that you feed to a |
| This is a very active time for the young dragon and | | | | bearded dragon must be sufficiently chopped up so |
| it will steadily grow in size over the first 1 - 2 years | | | | that the dragon will not choke on it. Nothing you feed |
| of its life. As a beardie gets older, its diet will start to | | | | your beardie should be larger than the space |
| consist of more vegetables and less live food. | | | | between their eyes. |
| Suppliments | | | | Insects |
| For proper nutrition, calcium and vitamin powders will | | | | Insects should be given to young dragons daily. Only |
| occasionally need to be applied to the food (normally | | | | feed as many as the bearded dragon can consume in |
| by dusting their meal with a fine powdered | | | | one feeding. Remove any insects if the dragon does |
| supplement). Calcium intake is very important | | | | not eat them as they can nibble on sensitive parts of |
| because bearded dragons can be susceptible to | | | | a beardie while they sleep. As a bearded dragon gets |
| metabolic bone disease if proper calcium levels are | | | | older, it will eat less and less live food and the |
| not reached. Supplement powders can be applied to | | | | feedings can be reduced to every other day. Only |
| live insects by placing some in a plastic bag with the | | | | feed insects that are smaller than the width between |
| insects and shaking. | | | | the bearded dragons eyes as food that is too large |
| Vegetables | | | | can cause health problems and become lodged in |
| It is also important to vary the types of vegetables | | | | your dragons digestive tract. Some common feeder |
| and insects that you feed your bearded dragon. A | | | | insects include crickets, mealworms, superworms, and |
| varied diet provides a wider range of vitamins and | | | | roaches. Freeze dried or otherwise preserved insects |
| nutrients. Some vegetables may be high in certain | | | | are also available at pet stores, however, live food is |
| vitamins but lacking in others. The basis of the | | | | best. |
| vegetable portion of a dragons diet should be leafy | | | | |