How Many Crickets Should I Feed My Bearded Dragon?
If you’re new to owning reptiles, making sure they have the right nutrition can be daunting. There is an overwhelming amount of information out there about everything reptiles need. From calcium content to protein and fat content to fiber, there is a lot to take into account. It’s definitely a bigger question than just “how many feeder insects should I give my bearded dragon?”
But in reality, it isn’t that complicated. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know to build a solid, healthy diet for your beardie that will keep them at a healthy weight and prolong their lifespan.
Bearded Dragon Diet
The bearded dragon, genus Pogona, is a terrestrial (ground-dwelling) lizard native to the deserts of Australia. They are naturally omnivores, meaning they need a mix of fruits and vegetables, as well as protein from insects.
One of the main things you need to know about the bearded dragon’s diet is that it changes with age. Juvenile bearded dragons need a higher concentration of insect protein. As they age, they will switch off to a mostly vegetarian diet with some insects mixed in.
Bearded dragons need a mix of fat and protein, and a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 2:1. Very few feeder insects come close to this, so you will almost definitely need to dust your feeder insects with a calcium supplement to get them the proper nutrition they need.
Beardies can also be very sensitive to high fiber (more on this in a minute). They are prone to impaction, so high protein insects can give them digestive problems.
One of the keys to a healthy bearded dragon diet is variety. Beardies need a mix of leafy greens like kale, collard greens, turnip greens, or mustard greens, protein, and fruits. Fruit should make up about 5% of your pet’s diet- the occasional fruit treat of mango, strawberry, apple, or banana is plenty. As for protein, you may decide to use multiple feeders; one with a higher protein content and another with a higher fat content.
Controlling Your Beardie’s Diet
This is why the number of feeder insects you give your bearded dragon matters. Bearded dragons are voracious eaters and will eat as many insects as you give them. It’s common for new beardy owners to think their pets are underfed because of how hungry they seem.
Don’t be fooled. Bearded dragons are native to an arid landscape and their instincts are to eat whatever they can get. If you give them too many feeders, they can become morbidly obese, which can be deadly.
Picking a Feeder Insect for your Beardie
Picking the right feeder insect can be a tough decision. Crickets are a common choice; they’re easy to get ahold of, they’re easy enough to raise, they have a good nutritional content, and they’re fun for beardies to hunt.
Here are the nutritional facts for a common pet shop cricket:
Brown House Cricket Nutrition Facts
Protein: 21.4%
Fat: 6.9%
Moisture: 66.1%
Ash: 1.6%
Fiber: 3.9-7.5%
Calcium to phosphorus ratio: 1:10
But there is one downside to crickets that makes some reptile owners change their minds: fiber content. As you can see, crickets are high in fiber due to their chitinous exoskeletons.
This can be a problem for some bearded dragons, especially if you only use crickets. Many bearded dragon owners opt for a less fibrous feeder instead, like superworms. As we mentioned, another good solution might be to mix up your feeder insects. This ensures your bearded dragon gets a good amount of variety in its diet.
If you do decide to use crickets, be sure to watch your beardie’s stools closely, because constipation can be deadly.
Planning Meal Times and Sizes
In general, your bearded dragon should have anywhere from 3-10 or more insects per feeding, depending on their age. The other important factor is size. You should always give your bearded dragon insects that are as long as the distance between their eyes. Larger insects can give them digestive problems, and might even bite back.
Dusting food with calcium is important at all ages. You should also give your beardy multivitamin powder a few times a week to make sure they get all their essential vitamins and minerals.
Bearded Dragon Hatchling Meal Plan
Baby (0-3 month old) beardies need lots of protein, fat and calcium. You should feed them once per day, as many insects as they will eat. Dust the feeders with calcium. They should also get a mix of vegetables dusted with calcium powder.
Juvenile Bearded Dragon Meal Plan
Juvenile bearded dragons (less than 12” long) still need lots of insects, but fewer than hatchlings. Give them 5-6 feeders per day and about three times that amount in vegetables. Dust both their insects and their veggies. Remember that they also need fruity treats, but only about 5% of their diet should be fruits. A small sugary snack goes a long way.
Subadult and Adult Bearded Dragon Meal Plan
Once your bearded dragon is longer than 12”, it is approaching adulthood. They will naturally start to need less insect protein and more vegetables as they age. At this point, you can start to taper back from daily feedings as well.
Every week, your bearded dragon should have two feedings of insects. You should give them 3-4 each time (remember, they need to be as long as the distance between your beardy’s eyes). They also should get vegetables three times a week. One portion should be roughly the size of your beardy’s head. Again, you will want to dust everything with calcium powder.
As they age, they may want to shift away from fast, hard-to-catch prey to something that’s easier to hunt. They may also outgrow crickets entirely. Crickets max out at around 1.25” long. In either case, we recommend switching off to superworms, which are less mobile and can get much larger.