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 #1707698


JeannieS
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 MHD feeding question

I just purchased a captive bred mountain horned dragon from a local shop with a very good reputation. They only carry reptiles and birds. The breeders are local and frequently at the store, and the dragon has a health guarantee, so I’m pretty confident.

The little guy (gal) looks great, hearty and healthy. He’s a little stressed from the trip home, but we had everything set up for him so he could go right into his home. We’re just going to leave him alone for a while so he can get settled.

I have some questions about food. We brought him home some crickets and meal worms. I saw him eat a cricket last night (it made the mistake of parking itself right in front of his face.) The rest of the crickets are still hanging around and he has no interest in the meal worms. I have heard that they can be fed earthworms, but I’m nervous about this because earthworms are so big and my guy is probably 7-8 inches, nose to tail tip. Will the earthworms be too big and bind him up? The shop told me to make sure that I only feed him medium crickets, so I worry about something as big as earthworms.

Any advice?
04/18/08  08:58am

 #1708163


Dericka
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   Message To: JeannieS   In reference to Message Id: 1707698


 MHD feeding question

Hi, and may I just say you have chosen a wonderful pet, and that it’s a great thing you were able to find a captive bred one from a good store!
You are right to leave him alone and let him get settled in, once he/she starts eating well (after what usually takes at least a few days), that will be a good sign that it’s settling in and adjusting.
As for the worms, your dragon sounds pretty small. If you can find them though, I’d bet smaller earthworms, as opposed to big ol’ nightcrawlers would be fine. MHD’s love earthworms and nightcrawlers very much, though I have had a few that wouldn’t eat them at first. You want your dragon to have some variety, but if you aren’t confident about giving it earthworms, crickets are a good staple, just make sure to dust them with reptile calcium powder every 2nd or 3rd feeding. And mealworms, waxworms, or phoenix worms are always good to offer every now and then for that variety, and when he/she gets bigger, and you know for sure what it can handle, then you can try the earthworms!

deri



04/18/08  05:19pm

 #1708480


JeannieS
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   Message To: Dericka   In reference to Message Id: 1708163


 MHD feeding question

Thanks for the response.

Abuot how many crickets and/or meal worms should I feed him and how often?

I’d love to post a picture of him, but it tells me I’m taking up too much space.
04/18/08  09:30pm

 #1708813


Damnitbonnie
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   Message To: JeannieS   In reference to Message Id: 1708480


 MHD feeding question

My smaller ones will eat mealworms but I put them on the paper towel. When they start to move the dragons eat them. See if you can find wigglers that are on the small side. I get them at Petsmart. Even the smaller dragons eat them. You can try phoenix worms (they’re small) or silkworms but those you would have to order online.

Bonnie
04/19/08  08:01am

 #1709300


Dericka
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   Message To: JeannieS   In reference to Message Id: 1708480


 MHD feeding question

In my experience, I have found that how much to feed completley depends on each dragon. I have one that will eat three nightcrawlers or 20 large crickets at a time, and one that will only eat one nightcrawler, or 6-10 large crickets at a time! (They are both adults) Mine tend to stop eating when they are full, I don’t find that they will overeat like some lizards...so anywhere from 6-12 crickets at a time for your little one would probably be about normal. And a few mealworms, I don’t feed mine nearly as many mealworms at a time, they are a little harder for them to digest.

I have a program called Irfanview that i use for my pictures, I downloaded it free from somewhere b/c my pics were always too big. It lets you make the pictures smaller/less pixels so it will work...

deri
04/19/08  06:14pm


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