Dragon won't eat dubia, any suggestions?

Xandri

Xandri

First Instar
My bearded dragon doesn't want the dubia I bought for feeders. They hide and don't move fast enough to hold his attention but I don't like crickets, they smell and are noisy. Any suggestions? Anyone willing to sell any? I can only find dubia and hissers on eBay :/

 
I use a feeding bin for my monitors ....no hiding in there. If you prefer to feed in the cage Turkish roaches are readily available and faster moving...

 
i could sell a lot of turkistans to you because my dragon doesnt really like them.. we also could work out a trade if that works or something just message me about it!

 
I use bare bottom enclosers for beardies with a brick under the basking light. There isn't really anywhere for roaches to hide that way. Also, beardies have a hard time seeing things that aren't moving, so I just poke the roach a little to make him walk if needed. One thing I have noticed is that you need to be really careful when switching them to new foods. I just give them one or 2 a day for a few days until their stomach gets used to it. Otherwise usually they will binge feed the first go, and end up with a stomach ache and not eat for days, then they dont want roaches for a month or 2 after that. I had it happen a couple of times with different beardies before I realized that was the problem. U also have to be a lot more careful with feeder size because oversized roaches can have the same affect.

 
Jayson745 said:
I use bare bottom enclosers for beardies with a brick under the basking light. There isn't really anywhere for roaches to hide that way. Also, beardies have a hard time seeing things that aren't moving, so I just poke the roach a little to make him walk if needed. One thing I have noticed is that you need to be really careful when switching them to new foods. I just give them one or 2 a day for a few days until their stomach gets used to it. Otherwise usually they will binge feed the first go, and end up with a stomach ache and not eat for days, then they dont want roaches for a month or 2 after that. I had it happen a couple of times with different beardies before I realized that was the problem. U also have to be a lot more careful with feeder size because oversized roaches can have the same affect.
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i just take my dragon out set him on the floor and put 5-9 roaches down with him and he eats them all with in a minute!
 
I feed mine with tongs. Otherwise use B. lateralis, they are highly active and the same size as large crickets. Although you will notice they tend to smell, similar to crickets.

 
I think this might be a husbandry related issue. What are the temps of your cage?? How high is your hotspot and do you have a screen top that will dehydrate the lizard? Are you providing deep substrate for the bd to dig down into and get away from the heat?.

 
Our beardies have always loved dubia (7 or so years now). When I drop the roaches in the cage they usually land on their backs. The dragons aren't as interested them until they right themselves and begin to move away. Sometimes the roaches begin to burrow into the sand and I have to flick them back out. We keep our dragons pretty warm and feed them every other day. Their staples are kale and dubia, and though they get a smattering of other things these are their favorites. One is definitely not a picky eater, while the other has always preferred a carnivorous diet (but still gets both).

 
I think it's like most ball and kingsnake keepers they keep these snakes in a tub that does not have sufficient heat and then the keepers have non feeders and regurgers.

 
This is most certainly not a husbandry issue. This guy has an elaborate setup and a very healthy appetite for meal worms, crickets and greens. I got the dubia because I do not like the sound and smell of crickets, nor the cost in my area because here you have to pay major pet store prices and it's too cold to order online right now. So I purchased a dubia colony in hopes it would be a good alternative but he has no interest in them. He's kind of a finicky eater. He taste tests everything and will spit out what he doesn't like and him out for what he does.

 
Can we see this setup? They should not be picky with any food item.

BD's come from some pretty harsh regions and are opportunistic when it comes to prey items. Those really big mouths are like a African bullfrog eat whatever fits.

Here in fair child tropical gardens there is a feral population of agamas and you can watch them running up and down the coral rock eating the Surinam roaches that come up when the sprinklers turn on.

 
I have had the same problem with roaches not moving in a manner that stimulates some monitor babies... I have been playing with the goblin roaches and I have not had an animal that prefers crickets refuse them yet.

 
bpmojo80 said:
I have had the same problem with roaches not moving in a manner that stimulates some monitor babies... I have been playing with the goblin roaches and I have not had an animal that prefers crickets refuse them yet.
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One of the largest breeders of ackie monitors was Pro exotics and they used dubia roaches in vaness water bowls.

But I agree with crickets being way better food items. They breed much faster and there movements bring out a stronger feeding response.

 
Crickets IMO are a poor feeder...the breeding speed and maturation rate are the only area they outshine roaches.... They smell like death, they have a high mortality rate, noisy, less protein per volume then roaches. Roaches are less labor intensive to maintain.

 
I have a beardie that had a bad experience with a in-hindsight too big hisser. He now flat out refuses to eat any roach but a lateralis. My other 5 will eat anything they can fit into their mouths. True story...

 
Hi. My Beardies Zilla is about 3 months old. I know everyone says they're not picky eaters but mine is. Took him 2 months to eat Superworms, won't eat mealworms. He eats crickets but I can't get him set on a "timed feeding". He eats all greens. I can't seem to get him interested in Dubias. Tank is clear, right temp. He won't feed from my hand nor thongs. I have a food dish I put his worms/crickets in. He eats out of his dish. He is 9" long, active, very sweet. I really want him to eat the roaches. Help

 
I just purchased a 2 1/2' retired ''STUD'' 'dragon who eats his fruits & veggies ok but loves his bugs. Crickets, horned worms super worms I just bought some dubias to try. The employee warned me about them playing opossum when they sense danger. I hope he takes to them, any movement he pounces! Our 1yr. old male veiled cham devours anything moving near him. I'm assuming the dubias will need to be tong fed due to lack of movement.

 
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