What to feed a bearded dragon
The short answer: young bearded dragons eat mostly live insects, several times a day. Adults flip the ratio: mostly leafy greens every day, with insects just a few times a week. The numbers below are general keeper guidance — if your dragon is underweight, pregnant, or refusing food, talk to a reptile vet.
How many insects, by age
| Age | Dubia roaches | Crickets |
|---|---|---|
| Baby (up to ~4 months) | 10-20 small roaches, 3 times a day | 30-60 per day, across 3 feedings |
| Juvenile (4-12 months) | 10-15 roaches, twice a day | 20-40 per day, across 2 feedings |
| Adult (18+ months) | 10-20 roaches, 1-3 times a week | 10-20 crickets, 1-3 times a week |
Offer only what your dragon eats in about 10-15 minutes, then remove uneaten insects. Loose crickets left overnight can nibble on a sleeping dragon.
Feeder size matters
Match feeder size to your dragon. Babies need small nymphs (around 1/4 inch); size up as the dragon grows. A good rule is that a feeder should be no wider than the space between your dragon's eyes — oversized prey is a common cause of choking and impaction. When in doubt, go smaller.
Greens, every day for adults
Adults should get leafy greens daily — dark leafy greens such as collards, dandelion greens, and endive are the backbone, with chopped vegetables mixed in. Offer as much as the dragon eats in about 30 minutes and remove leftovers so they don't grow mold. Babies get greens too, but insects are the priority while they grow.
Dusting: calcium and multivitamins
Dust feeder insects before offering them. As a widely used schedule: babies get calcium dust 4-5 times a week and a multivitamin 2-3 times a week; healthy adults get calcium about 3 times a week and a multivitamin once a week. Follow the supplement maker's label and your vet's advice for your animal.
Variety beats a single feeder
Rotate staples — crickets one week, dubia roaches the next — and use treats such as hornworms and waxworms occasionally rather than daily. Variety covers nutritional gaps no single insect fills on its own. Note that dubia roaches cannot be shipped to Florida or Hawaii; see our state restrictions page.
Order the feeders in this guide
Banded Crickets - 1,000 ct
$28.99
Dubia.com · $8.95 flat shipping
The classic staple feeder, bought weekly by reptile keepers everywhere. Banded crickets are hardy, active, and easy for bearded dragons, leo...
Dubia Roaches - Small - 100 ct
$19.99
Dubia.com · $8.95 flat shipping
Small dubia roaches are quiet, slow-moving, long-lived, and more nutritious than crickets — the premium staple for bearded dragons, geckos, ...
You order here; we place your order with the breeder, and the breeder ships direct to you in the breeder's packaging and branding. Live arrival is covered within the supplying breeder's window — see our live arrival policy. General keeper guidance only, not veterinary advice: if your animal is sick, not eating, or losing weight, see a reptile or aquatic vet.