Quick answers
Baby bearded dragons should eat:
- 80% insects/20% veggies from hatching to 4 months old
- 70% insects/30% veggies from 4-6 months old
- 60% insects/40% veggies from 6-12 months old
- Adults can eat 50% insects/50% veggies.
Offer baby dragons food 2-3 times per day and as much as they can eat in 10-15 minutes per feeding.
How often to feed a baby bearded dragon
Baby bearded dragons have small stomachs but fast metabolisms, so they need to eat frequently throughout the day. Here are some general guidelines for how often to feed a baby bearded dragon:
- Newly hatched: 3-5 times per day
- 1-3 months old: 2-3 times per day
- 3-6 months old: 2 times per day
- 6-12 months old: 1-2 times per day
At each feeding, offer babies as much food as they can eat within 10-15 minutes. Watch for signs they are full, like slowing down eating or refusing food. It’s important not to overfeed babies.
How much a baby bearded dragon should eat at each feeding
As a general rule, baby bearded dragons should eat about as much as the size of their head at each feeding. For example, a 1 month old baby with a 1 inch head could eat around 1 inch of insects at each meal.
To figure out amount in more detail, here are some feeding guidelines by age:
Newly hatched – 1 month old
- Crickets: 5-10 small crickets
- Roaches: 3-5 small roaches
- Worms: 5-10 small worms
- Veggies: 1-2 teaspoons chopped
- Fruit: Rarely, if offered 1/2 teaspoon
1-3 months old
- Crickets: 10-15 medium crickets
- Roaches: 5-8 medium roaches
- Worms: 10-15 worms
- Veggies: 1-2 tablespoons chopped
- Fruit: Rarely, if offered 1 teaspoon
3-6 months old
- Crickets: 15-20 large crickets
- Roaches: 8-10 large roaches
- Worms: 15-20 worms
- Veggies: 2-4 tablespoons chopped
- Fruit: Rarely, if offered 1 tablespoon
6-12 months old
- Crickets: 20-30 extra large crickets
- Roaches: 10-15 extra large roaches
- Worms: 20-30 worms
- Veggies: 4-6 tablespoons chopped
- Fruit: Rarely, if offered 2 tablespoons
Transitioning from live insects to vegetables
Baby bearded dragons need a high protein insect-based diet. However, as they grow you can slowly increase veggie intake. Here are some tips for transitioning to more veggies:
- Start introducing veggies around 2-3 months old by offering greens after some insects at feeding time.
- Gradually increase veggie amount each week. Go slowly so gut can adjust.
- By 4-6 months old, can do 70% insects, 30% veggies.
- By 6-12 months, increase to 60% insects, 40% veggies.
- Adults can eat 50% insects, 50% veggies.
Best vegetables for baby bearded dragons
Here are some of the best veggies to feed a growing baby dragon:
- Dark leafy greens like collard, mustard, dandelion greens
- Squashes like butternut, acorn, spaghetti
- Shredded carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Peppers
- Edible flowers like rose petals, hibiscus, pansies
Avoid spinach, kale, lettuce since too much can cause nutritional imbalances. Only feed small amounts of fruits like berries if offered.
Best insects for baby bearded dragons
Baby dragons should eat a variety of insects like:
- Crickets – main stable, gut loaded with veggies
- Dubia roaches – excellent source of protein
- Mealworms – offer variety but not as main feeder
- Superworms – when over 3 inches can handle occasional superworms
- Waxworms – offer sparingly as treat, very fatty
- Hornworms – great treat for water and fiber
Gut load all insects with nutritious veggie diet for 24 hours before feeding for optimal nutrition. Provide calcium powder supplement 5 days a week and multivitamin 2 days a week.
Number of live insects to offer
Here’s a review of approximate number of live insects to offer babies per feeding:
| Age | Crickets | Roaches | Worms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newly hatched | 5-10 small | 3-5 small | 5-10 small |
| 1-3 months | 10-15 medium | 5-8 medium | 10-15 |
| 3-6 months | 15-20 large | 8-10 large | 15-20 |
| 6-12 months | 20-30 extra large | 10-15 extra large | 20-30 |
Monitoring baby bearded dragon’s growth
It’s important to monitor a baby bearded dragon’s growth and adjust feeding amounts accordingly. Signs a bearded dragon is getting proper nutrition:
- Active, alert, and strong
- Eyes and nose clear, not runny
- Skin has good color and not flaky
- Growing steadily
- Good sheds with no retained skin
- Solid urates portion of poop
If baby seems underweight or stops growing, increase quantity and frequency of insects. If overweight, cut back insects and increase veggies.
Common feeding mistakes
Some common mistakes when feeding baby bearded dragons include:
- Not feeding insects frequently enough
- Feeding too many veggies, fruits, or greens too young
- Feeding too large of insects that can cause impaction
- Not gut loading insects with veggies first
- Not supplementing with calcium and vitamins
- Feeding too much at once can cause obesity
Following the feeding guidelines for babies in this article can help prevent issues like metabolic bone disease from improper nutrition.
Key takeaways
Here’s a quick summary of baby bearded dragon feeding guidelines:
- Feed babies 2-3 times per day as much as they can eat in 10-15 minutes
- Offer 80% insects, 20% veggies when young
- Slowly transition to more veggies as they grow
- Provide gut loaded insects for optimal nutrition
- Use calcium and vitamin supplements
- Monitor weight and adjust amounts as needed
- Avoid over or underfeeding
Following these tips will help raise a healthy, well-nourished bearded dragon baby.
Conclusion
Proper nutrition is crucial for baby bearded dragons under 12 months old. Feed babies a high protein insect diet 2-3 times per day, providing as much food as they can eat within 10-15 minutes. Slowly introduce vegetable matter around 2-3 months old. Transition to more veggies as they grow, eventually reaching an adult ratio of 50% insects, 50% veggies. Monitor growth and weight closely and adjust feedings if needed. Gut loading insects and using supplements prevents nutrition-related issues. Following these feeding best practices will ensure a growing baby dragon gets all the nutrients they need.
