So exciting!!! A question on feeder fish... - Page 2

JohnEDove · #11 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:08 PM

Oops, sorry about that. I saw Dragon and thought Bearded. I don't pay much attention to avatar pics.
Anyway the info would still fit a CWD as there is little difference in their diets beyond the veggie percentages.

froggsong · #12 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:08 PM

From what I have read, it isn't ok to feed fish to beardies because they would never be eating them in the wild. CWD's definitely would be. I put the fish in Rikutu's dish to start with, and he looked at it, but didn't try for it. So I took it out of the water, held it by it's tail and offered it to him. He took it right away, actually he ended up shaking it onto the wall, so I picked it off and gave it to him again, at which point he ended up eating the top half and shaking the tail against the wall again, so I gave him the tail again. He seemed to really love it. I tried giving him another one, and he tried to eat it, but it was slippery and wouldn't stick to his tongue, and he got tired of try to catch it so I threw it back in the water (the fish is fine, btw, I'll try it again when I feed him tonight). It really was a tiny fish, I don't think he'd have as much trouble with a larger one.

JohnEDove · #13 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:12 PM

You can get into that whole "wouldn't eat them in the wild thing" if you like but then we could not offer them carrots, Collard Greens etc either. Nor would they eat many of the insect species we offer them in captivity.

froggsong · #14 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnEDove

Oops, sorry about that. I saw Dragon and thought Bearded. I don't pay much attention to avatar pics.
Anyway the info would still fit a CWD as there is little difference in their diets.

I promise I'm really not trying to be testy, sorry I came off that way in the other post. I've been having to sit on concrete the whole time I have been building my frog tank and my hips are bothering me and I've been a little grumpy because of it.

As for the diets being the same, I thought that beardies ate almost all veggies? I know they eat more insects when they are babies, but after that don't they stick almost completely to veggies? I haven't ever kept one, but I'm pretty sure that's what I've read about them.

CWD's will generally not accept any plant material, though some will and you are supposed to try to get them to eat it. They are mainly insectivorous/carnivorous though. I have tried to feed mine veggies, but he wont eat them, I even got him good and hungry first. He is just such a picky eater!

lol, i read it before you edited it...

I've also read that you shouldn't feed the beardies fish because they wouldn't have access to them in the wild (they are a desert type, aren't they?). CWD's would have plenty of access to fish and definitely do eat them in the wild. Tricia Power's site is one of the best out there and she recommends fish, but doesn't say how many or what kind. (She does say that mice are preferable to chicks and chicks are preferable to fish) Since my guy isn't big enough for pinkies or chicks yet, I thought fish would be a good alternative.

oh, and Athen, I think you are supposed to be feeding him a "salad" check out Melissa Kaplan's pages to get a good recipe.

froggsong · #15 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:24 PM

Here's a link to her site, btw:

Melissa Kaplan's Herp and Green Iguana Information Collection

JohnEDove · #16 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:44 PM

The veggie percentage in a Beardies diet is about 20% where it is about 15% for CWDs.

MK is a very good site to get info from, I first started using her work to bolster my knowledge about 8 years ago.

froggsong · #17 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:57 PM

Hmmmm, it appears that what I have read in the past is inaccurate as to the amount of live prey a beardie should be getting... And btw, John, who's getting testy now? I was merely stating that I had READ that they shouldn't eat them, not saying that I don't think they should. If it was something they should be eating, why did your breeder friend say "Feed WHAT?"? I'm really not trying to get into any kind of argument with you, especially about an animal I don't even own. Can you feed them fish? Probably. Will it hurt them? Maybe not, I don't know. I only know what I've read, since I don't own one. Which is why I stated that it was what I had read.

froggsong · #18 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:00 PM

Also, from what I have read AND my own experience, the veggie percentage for CWD's is 15% ONLY if you can get them to eat it.

I quote, from Tricia's site:

" I believe a healthy diet would be a combination of all of the above diet items, using as wide a variety of each item as possible, in the ratio of:

Insects 40% - 50%
Earthworms 10% - 20%
Whole Prey 40% - 20%
Fruit & Veggies 10%
(If possible, otherwise increase % of whole prey)"

Melissa Kaplan actually even links to Tricia's page, so I am sure she is accurate.

taipan · #19 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 12:00 AM

Hi People
Froggsong - Beardies are found throughout Australia from the moister forested coastal regions to the desert in the centre of the country ( there are various species of Pogona ). The water dragons are found where there is water courses. There used to be a large colony at the bottom of our street where a creek used to flow & continue to a National park. The books I have for AWD's state that they eat various insects, crusteacens ( crayfish or yabbies - dont know what they are called in the US ) & occasionally berries.There is no mention of fish. In fact the creek at the bottom of our street did not have any fish in it. The one & only book that mentions CWD states that they eat insects but I presume they would eat virtually the same as the AWD's considering they are the same genus. Have you tried feeding your CWD moths , locusts & other insects also some minced meat fortified with calc & vitamin. At one stage I was contemplating getting sugar gliders & that US websites said to feed them "junebugs" - have you tried these ? but not lightning bugs !!!.

froggsong · #20 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 12:00 AM

Ok, so I bought some feeder guppies today. I'll get them fat and healthy and then just guess how often to fed them to him. I sacrificed a fancy to him today, but he sure loved the bigger fish! Tried to get him to eat a worm, and I think he genuinely does not like them. Every time I stuck it in his mouth he shook it out and kept trying to lick the taste off of himself. I tried with a mealworm that I still had (who new one could live so long! It's been in the fridge forever) and he was a little more interested in it, but he wouldn't eat it. I'm fine with that though, I don't want him eating stuff that is too chitinous. I don't know, I guess if he'll eat it I should offer it every now and then. Anyway, thanks for the advice everyone. If anyone has any idea how often I should feed him a fish I'd appreciate it. Thanks.