Can my juvenile bearded dragon eat black soldier fly larvae daily?

Black Soldier Fly larvae are a healthy, nutritious feeder insect for your gecko. High in calcium, low in phosphorus, black soldier fly larvae make a great staple food or treat. Dubia roaches are a healthy protein-rich food for geckos. It is best to have a variety of food for your gecko and not just stick to one type of insect.

Adult dubias should not be offered to a juvenile beardie. They are too big and chitinous. You can feed dubia nymphs though. Use the "no bigger than the space between the eyes" rule. The same goes for mealworms, use only freshly molted worms. You can tell these because they are a whitish color not brown or tan.

Feed him as many appropriately sized (no bigger than the space between his eyes) crickets or dubia roaches as he will eat in 10-15 minutes. Baby beardies are eating machines consuming as many as 80 crickets or more daily! Juveniles will eat more live pretty than vegetables. Offer about a tablespoon or two of finely chopped spring mix for him. Change it daily. You can also offer squash, peppers, asparagus, pumpkin and yams just to name a few other veggies. Avoid iceberg lettuce, celery and light colored greens. These offer little in the way of nutrition.

It sounds like you are doing just fine but I would say that the insects should be offered only once per day. So when you feed him, give him as many insects as he can eat within a 10-15 minute time frame and then remove the remaining insects from their tank. Fresh salads should be offered daily and consist of greens such as collards, dandelions or mustard greens as their staple vegetables (should be included in every salad). When you give your beardie insects you will need to make sure that the insect isn't too big. If it is longer than the space between it's eyes, then it is too large. Insects should be sprinkled with some calcium and a multivitamin before feeding. VERY IMPORTANT!! Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Thanks for reaching out about Lexi. Mealworms are generally bags of fat, and needed to be gut loaded to provide any nutrition. But other insects must be offered to provide a healthy diet. Don't forget UVB radiation and the proper heat support. Bearded dragons also should eat a wide variety of vegetables. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Brutus and including photos. You are correct in that blueberries and mealworms are an incomplete diet. A wide variety of vegetables are required. Try offering frozen/thawed medley pack. If he trusts you, offer by hand. Fresh vegetables are healthier and can be offered in small amounts. Green, yellow, red and orange vegetables are all required as each provides different nutrients. Good luck.

Hello. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Great question! Yes, bearded dragons should be fed live prey. They will not usually eat something that is already dead. Hope this answers your question. Best wishes.