waddlecaudle

Ok so I keep looking at site after site, forum after forum with similar results. People seem to feed their bearded dragon a ton of protein. I understand pumping them up with protein and calcium when they are younger, but I do not understand the purpose of feeding them crickets 2+ times a week. Looking at information from the wild, bearded dragons turn to a vast majority vegetation once they pass adolescence and eat insects far less regularly. I have also talked to a few herp guys that say that the way to keep an animal healthiest is to stick as close to their natural environment as possible. That being said, I have a hard time thinking that an animal that thrives in the wild on ~80% vegetation, would require more than, say, 2-3 dozen crickets a week (insects also contain a good bit fat, not just calcium and protein).

So here is my question. What are the diets that you give your beardies, how are they doing with it, and why do you give them that diet? I have seen a lot of beardies that are HUGE (fat) on here, yet no one seems to point out the fact that they look borderline obese haha. I am not saying anyone is wrong, if you have a healthy beardie than fantastic, just interested as to what you are feeding and why.

Thanks for your time and input