Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Mattudor]

Hi everyone

I can't get my beardie to eat his greens. The shop I bought him from fed him greens every morning i think but since I've had him (almost a month now) I've only seen him nibble on one leaf.

He goes through locusts like there's no tomorrow and the time I saw him nibble at a leaf was when a locust was sat on top of it.

I've tried putting a couple of mealworms in there with the greens but he just picks them out.

Will he decide he likes greens when he is older or should I be trying to get them in him now? He is still quite young, I'm not sure how old he is but he's about 12in long nose to tail tip.

Err also, I call it a him but how can I tell what sex he is? hehe.
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And God said unto John 'come forth and be immortal' but he came fifth and won a toaster.

[Mandie]

A lot will depend on how he was reared as some babies are not given a lot of greens by their breeders for some reason, also they may only have been offered things like cress.

I find its best to offer their greens first thing and leave the livefood till later in the day especially locusts as they are rather fond of them over most other foods.
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Hognose
Royals
Bearded GG Pastel Hypo's

[mark68]

Mandie is right. Think of your beardie as a child. The veg is healthy food and the locusts as the "tasty sweets". He will always choose the locusts first given the choice, but will eat the veg if he is hungrier. I would go a step further than Mandie and suggest not feeding any livefood at all a couple of days a week if what she suggests doesn't work. But please try her idea first, it is good advice. Remember you should always feed the locusts some wheat grass or dark green cabbage before they are fed to the beardie, that way it will always get some greens in its diet.

There is some evidence to suggest that when adult, a mostly low protein veg diet (say 60-80%) will extent its life.

The easiest way I think to sex a beardie of that age would be to place the animal on one hand, facing away from you, and with the other hand GENTLY bend the tail back. With a male you should see a central groove at the base of the tail. Whereas with a female the base of the tail is flatter. A good reptile shop should be able to easily sex it for you at the size.

[alastair]

talking of beardies as children, my 11 year old daughter thinks hers are. Even to the extent of cuddling them in bed, and getting upset when it is too noisy (it stops them going to sleep,apparently!)
heaven knows what she would be like if she bred them!
_________________
so many morphs, so little money
1.1 Beardies
2.1 Homo sapiens jnr
0.1 royals owned by mikey

[alastair]

talking of beardies as children, my 11 year old daughter thinks hers are. Even to the extent of cuddling them in bed, and getting upset when it is too noisy (it stops them going to sleep,apparently!)
heaven knows what she would be like if she bred them!
_________________
so many morphs, so little money
1.1 Beardies
2.1 Homo sapiens jnr
0.1 royals owned by mikey

[alastair]

talking of beardies as children, my 11 year old daughter thinks hers are. Even to the extent of cuddling them in bed, and getting upset when it is too noisy (it stops them going to sleep,apparently!)
heaven knows what she would be like if she bred them!
_________________
so many morphs, so little money
1.1 Beardies
2.1 Homo sapiens jnr
0.1 royals owned by mikey

[Mattudor]

Thanks for the tips

I tried feeding him the greens in the morning before i go to work for the last 2 days and he seems to eat most of them now
_________________
And God said unto John 'come forth and be immortal' but he came fifth and won a toaster.