How to Get Picky Bearded Dragons to Eat!

Bearded dragons are a lot like toddlers: eating their greens is mission impossible. Last week, we discussed what your bearded dragon should be eating because stores like to push feeding pellets, and that’s not what they should be eating. 

Bearded dragons should be eating a diet consisting of insects and plants.

But bearded dragons can be picky.

It doesn’t matter how fresh the leaf or plump the insect, beardies sometimes make dinnertime a very stressful experience for you when they refuse to eat. So today, let’s cover how to get your picky little compadre to eat his greens. See? Like I said, they’re just scaly little toddlers which sounds absolutely horrifying.

First Things First

Let me begin by saying don’t panic. 

This may seem like overkill to say, but having a pet refuse to eat can be very stressful. You may worry they aren’t getting the nutrients they require, or what if they starve themselves to death??

Don’t worry, we’ll get them eating in no time!

But if your bearded dragon has been consistently refusing food, here is a disclaimer: please make sure you are taking your reptiles to the vet for check-ups. Make sure to monitor things like their weight. And make sure to continue to offer food even when they refuse.

Most times, picky bearded dragons are in a new environment or are being offered new foods. However, if you have a bearded dragon that has refused to eat long-term and they’re only eating insects, a vet visit might be in order and your vet may be able to help you figure out what’s going on.

Today, we will be covering how to handle a typical picky dragon who is healthy but not quite sure about those greens.

Offer Variety

Offer a variety of both plants and insects—and take note of what works. This means you may have to buy a significant amount of greens to experiment. We went through multiple types of greens before we determined that my beardie, Bumble, absolutely loves mustard greens. She will not touch any other green but will eat mustard greens like they’re going out of style. So provide a variety of greens and vegetables for your dragon and see what catches their attention. 

Take note of what works and what does not, especially if they are staple feeds like greens. That means you know what to offer them regularly.

Hide Your Bugs

Haven’t had any luck getting them to try anything at all? Try hiding the bugs in the salads. We’ve done this before with our dragons, and it works beautifully. 

When my dragon, Q, arrived, he refused to eat any greens at all, even though he was severely malnourished. He thought he could survive off of bugs alone. I had been trying him on multiple types of greens with no success when I put Dubia roaches under the greens, causing the greens to move around a bit. Once he saw those greens moving, they became bugs in his mind and he finally ate his greens. Now, he eats consistently on his own, a trick that has worked for so many of my reptiles.

Sneaky Switcheroo

Alright, this one is a little sneaky, but we do it because we love them, right?

If your dragon is refusing to eat greens, offer them a bug and slip them a green instead. I can feel all of my reptiles giving me the stink eye right now…

Sometimes, experimenting with different varieties of salads and even hiding the bugs under the greens still isn’t enough, especially for dragons placed in new environments or families. That’s when it’s time for the old switcheroo.

Taking a Dubia roach, I hold it close to their face until their little tongue comes out. Before they can take the bug, I quickly swap the roach out for a green or vegetable. 

Do they always love it? No. 

Does it get into their mouth and in their belly? Nine times out of ten, yes.

So don’t be afraid to be a little sneaky with them. 

Bee Pollen

Finally, try adding some bee pollen into their food. You heard me right. 

Bee pollen is available at many natural grocery stores. I get mine at Wegmans, but you can also order it online. It comes in a powder and you simply sprinkle it on top of the food, easy peasy. For some reason, dragons absolutely love it. It smells good, tastes good, and it gets them to eat those greens.

These are all great starting points to get your picky bearded dragon to eat, but if you are still struggling, don’t be afraid to contact your vet. Reptiles need vets too, just like any other pet. 

But the biggest piece of advice I can give you here is to be patient. Your dragon has its own personality and its own likes and dislikes; it’s up to you to find what they like.

Did any of these tips work for you? Have any tips of your own? Let me know in the comments below. I’m always looking to talk all things reptile :)