Insects

Question
Hi I am thinking about getting a bearded dragon but
I'm confused by when websites say you have to
Powder and feed the crickets before giving them to
Your lizard that's like having two pets!

Answer
Hey Kristin, I am so glad to hear that you've been researching your wanted pet and not waiting until after the fact. :)

The diet of a bearded dragon requires variety and crickets aren't quite the best "healthiest" choice but any insect/worm that you feed will need to be supplemented properly. Think of it as "preparing" a meal for him. It's quite simple but does add to the overall cost of the pet. Lizards are one of the most expensive pets a person could have.
If you buy crickets regularly then you don't have to feed them if you plan to feed them to the Beardie within a couple of days, however they still need to be powdered with calcium supplements. If you plan to keep any amount of cricket on hand, then yes; You now have "two pets" because they need food, "gutload" and powdering. But this way you can start to "grow" you're own cricket colony and keep them breeding and having baby crickets that grow into food. I tried that once, it turned out messy, and noisy, but it saves from having to go to the pet store twice a week or more.

I've attached a link to a very informative website at the bottom, and the link will show you the different foods that can and can't be fed to Bearded Dragons, as well as how healthy they are and a "never feed" vs "feed often" etc. color code as well.

http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Let me know if you have any more questions,
Heather