What Insects Can a Baby Bearded Dragon Eat?

Providing the right diet for baby bearded dragons is essential to their growth. According to expert Jeremiah Jaeger, it is important to feed them small insects that are no bigger than the space between their eyes to ensure they can digest their food properly. Mixing live bugs with vegetation like kale, collard greens and chicory will ensure they get a balanced diet.

  1. Crickets

    • Small crickets are a staple of a baby bearded dragon's diet. They can be fed three times a day, and the volume will depend on how hungry your dragon is. Try feeding as many crickets as your pet will eat in 5 to 10 minutes (this could be between 20 to 60 crickets each day). However, once it stops eating, it's important to stop feeding. Herpetologist Peter Weis suggests dusting the insects with a powder containing Vitamin D3 every three days. However, he warns owners to restrict the use of multivitamin supplements to once every two weeks, as too much Vitamin A can be poisonous to bearded dragons.

    Worms

    • Earthworms, red worms, butter worms, silk worms and wax worms can all be fed to your baby bearded dragon. Meal worms should be avoided as they can harm baby dragons. It is also important to only feed your pet store-bought worms. Worms from the garden may have been exposed to poisons that could be toxic to your dragon or carry parasites that might make it ill.

    Cockroaches

    • Cockroaches are another insect that can be food for your baby bearded dragon. Remember that they need to be no bigger than the width between the dragon's eyes. If too large, insects with exoskeletons (shells) can damage a bearded dragon's stomach or cause paralysis in its hind legs. Any uneaten insects should be removed from the dragon's cage after feeding.