Bearded dragons are high-maintenance pets that require a considerable time amount of time and effort to keep healthy. If you aren’t careful with their living arrangements and the food they eat, they might not survive very long. But what do bearded dragons eat? After observing them in captivity, it was found that their diet consists of 70% insects and 30% plant matter. But this ratio is only applicable to very young dragons.
According to experts like https://www.topflightdubia.com/, this ratio changes to 50/50 once your bearded dragon has entered adulthood. When the bearded dragon is aging, the ratio falls to 10% of insects and 90% of the vegetables. This is because Dubia roaches are an excellent protein source, which is a crucial nutrient for bearded dragons when they are growing.
Once they have fully matured, they don’t require large amounts of protein, which is why they are content with plants. But providing protein is just one of the many benefits that Dubia roaches bring to the table.
Benefits of Feeding Dubia Roaches to Your Bearded Dragon
Dubia roaches are a highly nutritious and sustainable food for your bearded dragon. Let’s take a look at some benefits of Dubia roaches:
- They are an excellent source of protein. Studies have shown that some varieties of Dubia roaches are made up of roughly 55% protein. This is why a bearded dragon enjoys eating many roaches when they are young as they are still growing.
- Another essential nutrient that bearded dragons require is calcium. This is where Dubia roaches genuinely shine. On average, Dubia roaches have up to 80% more calcium than any other feeder insect variety.
- Vitamin A and Vitamin C are two other nutrients that bearded dragons require. Usually, these are fed in the form of supplements, but Dubia roaches eliminate this need due to their significant gut-loading abilities. Their stomachs and digestive systems can carry up to twice their body weight. All you need to do is feed your roaches the leafy greens with nutrients mentioned above, and your bearded dragon will have the all-rounded meal it requires.
- Dubia roaches are not an aggressive species. They have wings, but they cannot fly, so you don’t have to worry about them getting away from your dragon. Dubia roaches do not carry the risk of biting your dragon. The best part is that Dubia roaches cannot climb smooth surfaces, so there is little chance of them escaping the enclosure where your dragon lives.
- Dubia roaches will eat almost anything you give them. While this may not be the case initially, when faced with a lack of options, they will resort to eating whatever you have left them with. This is beneficial if you want to provide them with hydration, as bearded dragons tend to get dehydrated. You can gut load the roaches with high moisture vegetables to provide your dragon with the hydration they need.
As you can see, Dubia roaches are one of the best feeder insects for your bearded dragon. They are also heavy breeders, so all you have to do is put them in a box, and they’ll take care of the rest.
Impaction
As mentioned earlier, bearded dragons are a high-maintenance pet, and you need to take multiple precautions to make sure that it lives a long and healthy life. You have to be especially careful about what you feed them and how it is fed. Bearded dragons suffer from a condition called impaction. This occurs when their digestive system cannot process the contents inside, leading to a build-up of undigested material in the dragon’s body.
The common signs of impaction are similar to constipation, where if the dragon has not excreted for a couple of weeks, it is probably facing impaction.
Various reasons can cause impaction, but the most common one is feeding them oversized insects.
Bearded dragons are wild creatures that will eat anything you give them. If you give them insects that are too large, they will be able to swallow them, but the insect will not head down to their gut. Instead, they will become stuck and stay undigested in the upper tract.
A common rule of thumb is only to feed your dragon insects that are smaller than the gap between your bearded dragon’s eyes. The good news is that Dubia roaches come in various sizes ranging from ¼ inch to 2 inches in size. Monitor the growth of your pet, and based on that, buy appropriately sized insects.
To Wrap Up
Bearded dragons will thrive as long as their living environment and food are carefully managed. Dubia roaches are a singular source of all the vital nutrients your bearded dragon needs to grow comfortably. They come in various sizes, so you may monitor your dragon’s growth and buy roaches accordingly. To check out some Dubia roach variants, explore the sites like https://www.topflightdubia.com/.