If you have a bearded dragon as a pet, and pondering whether you should include dubia roaches in its diet, read this article to know more.
Bearded dragons are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals to survive. Dubia roaches are an excellent source of nutrition that bearded dragons will surely enjoy, and it’s not just because they’re tasty, but because they provide all the nutrients they need to stay healthy and happy! This article will discuss the benefits of feeding Dubia roaches to bearded dragons, provide information on the nutritional value of Dubia roaches for bearded dragons, and describe how to properly feed Dubia roaches to bearded dragons.
Why Feed Dubia Roaches To Your Beardie?
Here are a few reasons why Dubia Roaches are an excellent choice for your Beardie.
Nutritional Value: There are many reasons to feed your Beardie Dubia roaches. First, they’re considered a super nutritious food source. Dubia roaches are high in protein (almost 80%!). In fact, they’re similar to crickets in terms of nutrition, and are actually lower in fat and higher in calcium than crickets!
What’s more, Dubia roaches contain high levels of minerals, such as iron and zinc. They even have B vitamins for energy production! These critters are much healthier for your Beardie than other insects or commercial feeders because they don’t require any additional supplements to ensure their nutritional value. All you need is some clean sand to give them a safe place to burrow.
Harmless: Dubia roaches have some good points that make them an ideal food for your bearded dragon. First, they are a lot safer than crickets, particularly if you have small children at home or around your pet. Unlike crickets, which can jump and fly, roaches don’t move around much. This means that you and your family won’t be at risk of stepping on them barefoot while they dart through the house, which is an all-too-common occurrence with crickets. Another bonus is that Dubia roaches don’t climb as well as cricket does.
Dubia Roaches Are Easy To Keep: Cost-Saving for You It’s challenging to keep many of these feeder insects alive, and many die before they’re consumed by your pet. Dubia roaches have a much longer lifespan than most other feeders, which means they’ll last longer in storage and you won’t have to buy as many. This saves you money! When the time comes to feed your bearded dragon, simply place a few Dubia roaches in its enclosure. You don’t need to monitor their activity because these insects live on their own and they don’t need special care, unlike crickets and mealworms that need to be cared for frequently. For getting top-quality dubia roaches for your beardie, check out trusted suppliers such as TopFlight Dubia Roaches.
Tips for a Successful Transition
A bearded dragon might not be your or your child’s first pet, but it surely is a flexible amphibian pet; you can feed them any available critter. The transition to Dubia roaches can take a little time, as your bearded dragon will likely be finicky at first. It may seem counterintuitive, but when starting out with Dubia roaches, give your bearded dragon smaller quantities at first. Then gradually add more over time as you don’t want to overwhelm your dragon with new food on the very first day.
Ultimately, you want your bearded dragon to be consuming between two and four dubia roaches daily. If your bearded dragon seems reluctant to eat any of these nutritious arthropods, try warming them up before offering it to them. During their shedding process, it is common for bearded dragons to eat less or stop eating completely. Molting and growing new skin is a complicated process that can make your beardie not interested in food. However, you should continue to offer fresh and nutritious meals to your bearded dragon for when their appetite comes back. If you need a guide about their shedding process, you can find more information here. Dubia roaches are cold-blooded creatures and prefer a warmer environment than what they’ll find in most reptile enclosures.
The Right Way to Feed Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches have long been considered one of, if not, the best feeder insects for bearded dragons. The great thing about feeding Dubias to your beardie is that they are high in protein and calcium but low in fat, providing a much healthier diet than crickets or mealworms. They also have a longer lifespan than most feeders, meaning you need to order fewer times, enabling you to save money.
You may have to do a little research to find out how many roaches to feed your dragon because they can eat these less often than crickets or mealworms (which should be fed once per day). One rule of thumb is to give them as many roaches as they will eat in one sitting.
Are There Any Risks with Feeding Dubia Roaches?
Feeding Dubia roaches to your bearded dragon have a number of health benefits, but there are still some things you need to keep in mind. Feeding these insects can help prevent your pet from overeating (which can result in impaction or even death), as well as provide a good source of protein and calcium.
In addition, Dubia roaches are high in chitin, an indigestible fiber that has been shown to benefit intestinal health. However, there have been instances where bearded dragons have bloating issues after eating Dubia roaches; although it’s rare, it does happen sometimes so make sure you stay on top of any potential symptoms such as excessive gas and weight gain.
How Much Should I Feed my Beardie?
First of all, you need to know that Dubia roaches aren’t bugs, They’re not just flies or crickets, they are a delicious species of insect called isopterans.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to feeding bearded dragons. Some owners feed their lizards two or three times a day, while others just offer a morning and evening meal. The only way to know what’s best for your lizard is to observe how much food it can consume in one sitting, then adjust your schedule accordingly. Dubia roaches also vary in size; a one-month-old dubie could only eat a small piece of fruit at each feeding while an adult roach could make up half or more of a bearded dragon’s diet. You may want to start with four or five medium dubias per serving and go from there.
Final Thought
The next time you’re at your local pet store, be sure to stock up on Dubia roaches for your bearded dragon. These nutritious insects are safe and healthy, and best of all, they make a great superfood. Your beardie will thank you for the awesome meal!
