Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator – Daily Insect and Salad Amounts by Age
Enter your dragon’s age, weight and favorite feeder insect to get a daily diet plan: insect-to-plant ratio, how many insects per feeding, salad portion, supplement days and a full weekly schedule.
Quick Answer: How Much Should a Bearded Dragon Eat?
A bearded dragon’s diet changes with age. Hatchlings eat about 70–80% insects and need two to three insect feedings a day. Juveniles eat roughly 50–60% insects, sub-adults 30–40% and adults 20–30%, with a fresh salad offered daily. A good starting rule is to offer as many appropriately sized insects as your dragon will finish in about ten minutes, then add a pile of chopped greens roughly the size of its head. The Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator above turns that rule into exact ranges for your animal.
Description: What Is a Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator?
A bearded dragon feeding calculator is a planning tool that converts three facts about your lizard (its age, its weight and the feeder insect you use) into a day-by-day menu. Instead of a vague instruction such as “feed a lot of insects when young and more vegetables when old”, it tells you how many insects fit in one meal, how many meals to offer, how much salad to chop and which days to dust with supplements.
I have kept and advised on bearded dragons for many years, and nearly every feeding problem I have been asked about falls into one of two groups. Either a growing baby was under-fed and ended up stunted, or a settled adult was over-fed on insects and became heavy and sluggish. Both mistakes come from the same source: owners applying one routine to every life stage. The central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) is an omnivore whose needs shift dramatically between hatching and maturity, and a good Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator is simply a way of respecting that shift with numbers.
The tool above is built around the same habits I use at home. It starts with a life-stage ratio of insects to plants, converts that ratio into feeding frequency and portion counts, and then checks the result against the typical weight for your dragon’s age. If your animal is above or below that range, the plan nudges the insect amounts and tells you why.
What the calculator gives you
- The recommended insect-to-plant ratio for your dragon’s age.
- Insect feedings per day and insects per feeding, adjusted for the feeder species you choose.
- A daily salad portion in tablespoons and cups.
- Calcium and multivitamin dusting days, plus bath days for hydration.
- A seven-day schedule you can screenshot and stick on the enclosure.
- A weight check against the typical curve, with plan adjustments when needed.
Who should use it
It suits first-time owners who bought a baby and feel overwhelmed, keepers who inherited a rescue, breeders feeding several clutches at different ages, and experienced owners who want a sanity check before a vet visit. It is a starting point, not a prescription: a reptile veterinarian always has the final word on a specific animal.
How to Use the Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator
The calculator takes under a minute. Follow these steps.
- Enter the age. Type a number and choose months or years. If you only know the approximate age, use your best estimate; the plan changes gradually, not suddenly, so a month or two of error rarely matters.
- Add the weight (optional but recommended). Weigh your dragon on a kitchen scale using a small container. Choose grams or ounces. This unlocks the body-condition check.
- Pick the main feeder insect. Choose the species you buy most often. Staples such as dubia roaches, crickets and black soldier fly larvae are marked, and treat feeders such as superworms and hornworms are labeled as such.
- Press “Calculate Feeding Plan”. You will see the life stage, a ratio bar, a set of tiles with portions, a weekly schedule and a chart that marks where your dragon sits on the age curve.
- Copy or screenshot the plan. The “Copy Plan” button gives you a short text summary you can paste into notes or send to your vet.
Reading the result tiles
The ratio bar shows the share of the diet that should come from insects (orange) versus vegetables and greens (teal). “Insects per feeding” is a range for one session, and “Insects per day” multiplies that range by the number of daily feedings. “Salad per day” is the chopped volume to offer fresh. The supplement tiles show how many days a week to dust insects with calcium and when to use a multivitamin. The final tile tells you when the plan will change next, so you can plan ahead for an enclosure upgrade or a shift toward more salad.
Expert tip: Treat the insect count as a ceiling, not a target. If your dragon walks away after six crickets, stop. Rigid counting leads to overfeeding, while watching behavior tells you what the animal actually needs that day.
Example: Three Real-World Calculations
Example 1 – A two-month-old hatchling on dubia roaches
A breeder-bought baby is two months old, weight not entered, and eats small dubia nymphs. The Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator returns a hatchling plan with about 75% insects and 25% plants. That means three insect feedings a day, six to twelve small insects per feeding (roughly 18 to 36 per day), and about half to one tablespoon of finely chopped greens daily. Calcium goes on insects six days a week and a multivitamin once a week. Insects are offered every day of the week. This plan matches what I would do with a fast-growing baby: frequent protein, constant exposure to greens and careful supplement use to support bone growth.
Example 2 – An eight-month-old juvenile weighing 380 g on crickets
For an eight-month-old dragon eating crickets, the plan shows about 55% insects and 45% plants. Because crickets are smaller than dubia, the per-feeding count rises to about eight to thirteen, with two feedings a day (roughly 16 to 26 insects). Salad is two to four tablespoons daily. Typical weight at eight months is around 340 g, so a 380 g animal sits at about 112% and falls inside the normal band. No adjustment is needed. In practice, this is the age where owners should increase salad variety every week, because a juvenile that learns to love greens becomes a far easier adult to feed.
Example 3 – A three-year-old, 640 g adult on dubia roaches
A three-year-old adult normally weighs near 500 g, so 640 g is about 128% of typical and flagged as heavy. The calculator reduces insect counts by about 20%, cuts the insect days from four to three and lowers the insect share from 25% to 20%. The result is four to eight insects per feeding on three days a week, with a large daily salad of about six to twelve tablespoons (roughly half to three-quarters of a cup). Retest the weight every two weeks. A gentle trend downward of a few grams a week is ideal; a sudden drop calls for a vet visit.
Bearded Dragon Diet Ratio Chart by Age
The chart inside the calculator plots the recommended insect share as a curve that falls from about 80% at hatching to about 25% at two years. Below the curve is the insect portion, and above it is the plant portion. The table lists the reference points so you can see the numbers behind the picture.
| Age | Insects | Vegetables and greens | Typical weight (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newly hatched | 80% | 20% | 4 |
| 3 months | 70% | 30% | 90 |
| 6 months | 60% | 40% | 260 |
| 9 months | 50% | 50% | 370 |
| 12 months | 40% | 60% | 440 |
| 18 months | 30% | 70% | 480 |
| 24 months and older | 25% | 75% | 500 |
These ratios are guides, not laws. Some healthy adults thrive at 20% insects, and some active juveniles do best slightly above the curve. The weight check inside the calculator is how you decide whether your dragon needs more or less.
Feeding a Bearded Dragon by Life Stage
The table below summarizes the starting plan the calculator uses for each stage. Counts assume medium-sized dubia roaches; other feeders scale up or down.
| Stage | Insect feedings | Insects per feeding | Insect days | Salad per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchling (0–3 mo) | 3 per day | 6–12 small | 7 days | ½–1 tbsp |
| Juvenile (3–6 mo) | 2–3 per day | 8–12 | 7 days | 1–2 tbsp |
| Juvenile (6–12 mo) | 2 per day | 6–10 | 7 days | 2–4 tbsp |
| Sub-adult (12–18 mo) | 1 per day | 6–10 | 5 days | 4–8 tbsp |
| Adult (18 mo–8 yr) | 1 per day | 5–10 | 4 days | 6–12 tbsp |
| Senior (8 yr+) | 1 per day | 4–8 | 3 days | 4–8 tbsp |
Hatchlings: build the frame
In the first three months a bearded dragon can multiply its body weight many times over. The goal is steady protein, correctly sized prey and daily calcium. Insects should be no wider than the space between the animal’s eyes. Anything larger raises the risk of choking, regurgitation and impaction. I offer food in three short sessions, starting a couple of hours after the lights come on so the dragon has warmed up. Greens are chopped finely and left in a shallow dish; hatchlings often ignore them, but the habit is worth building.
Juveniles: protein plus a salad habit
From three to twelve months, appetite peaks. Insect feedings drop from three to two a day, and salad grows from a spoonful to a handful. This is also the stage where picky eating shows up. A dragon that gorges on insects will often hold out for them over greens, so I fill the bowl with salad first, let the animal try it and only then offer insects.
Sub-adults: the great ratio flip
Between twelve and eighteen months, growth in length slows and weight gain becomes the main change. Insects shift to once a day or less, and vegetables become the largest share. Owners who keep feeding juvenile amounts at this age are the ones whose dragons turn heavy by two years old.
Adults: a salad-first diet
Adults do best on a large daily salad with insects on about three to five days a week. A single feeding of five to ten insects is typical, and many adults eat fewer. If your dragon is active, bright and stable in weight, you have found its level.
Seniors: smaller, softer, easier
Older dragons often eat less and chew more slowly. Offer softer vegetables, smaller insects and shorter intervals between check-ups. Kidney and dental problems become more common, so unexplained appetite changes deserve a vet visit rather than a wait-and-see approach.
Best Feeder Insects for Bearded Dragons
The species you choose affects both portion counts and nutrition. Variety is the single best protection against deficiencies, so I rotate at least two staples and keep fatty treats occasional.
| Feeder | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dubia roaches | Staple | High protein, low fat, easy to keep. They need calcium dusting because natural calcium is low. |
| Crickets | Staple | Readily accepted and active, which stimulates hunting. They need gut-loading and dusting. |
| Black soldier fly larvae | Staple | Naturally calcium-rich and a good boost for growing animals. |
| Silkworms | Staple or treat | Soft, nutritious and good for fussy eaters. |
| Hornworms | Treat | High moisture and low fat, useful for hydration but very large. |
| Superworms and mealworms | Treat | Hard shell and high fat. Offer sparingly and avoid for hatchlings. |
| Waxworms and butterworms | Occasional treat | Very fatty; best used for appetite recovery under veterinary guidance. |
Gut-loading and safety
Feed your feeder insects a nutritious diet of vegetables and quality insect feed for 24 hours before offering them. Never use wild-caught insects, which can carry pesticides or parasites, and never feed fireflies, which are toxic to reptiles. More background on a widely used staple is available in this overview of the dubia roach (Blaptica dubia).
Salad and Vegetables: What to Offer
The salad is where most adults get their calcium, fiber and hydration. The best salads are varied, chopped small and fresh every day. A pile roughly the size of your dragon’s head is a handy visual check for adults.
Everyday staples
- Collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens
- Dandelion leaves (pesticide-free), endive and escarole
- Butternut or acorn squash, grated or finely diced
- Bell peppers and green beans, in smaller amounts
Occasional items
Kale, spinach, beet greens and bok choy can appear now and then, but their oxalate or goitrogen content means they should not be daily staples. Fruit such as blueberries, strawberries or papaya is a treat, a spoonful once or twice a week at most, because sugar and water content are high.
Foods to avoid
- Fireflies, which are toxic.
- Wild-caught insects of any kind.
- Avocado and rhubarb.
- Iceberg lettuce, which offers little nutrition.
- Anything with salt, seasoning or added sugar.
Getting a picky juvenile to eat greens
Offer salad first thing in the morning when appetite is strong, sprinkle a few live insects on top so the movement draws the dragon in and mix a little finely grated squash for sweetness. Persistence works better than force. I have seen dragons ignore greens for six weeks and then clear the bowl nightly.
Supplements, Calcium and UVB
Bones, muscles and nerves all depend on calcium, and bearded dragons need vitamin D3 to absorb it. They make D3 themselves under UVB light, which is why correct lighting matters as much as the menu. A calculator can give you a dusting schedule, but it cannot correct a weak UVB tube.
- Calcium powder: Used on insects at most feedings for babies, and at a few feedings a week for adults.
- Multivitamin: Once a week for most growing animals, and about every other week for adults, on a different day from heavy calcium dusting.
- D3: Whether to use calcium with or without D3 depends on the quality of your UVB lighting and your vet’s advice.
- UVB lighting: A quality linear tube for ten to twelve hours daily, replaced on the manufacturer’s schedule.
Chronic calcium shortage leads to metabolic bone disease. Signs include tremors, a soft or bent jaw, swollen limbs and trouble climbing. You can read a general description in this article on metabolic bone disease, but any suspicion needs a veterinarian, not a web search.
Hydration: Water, Baths and Moisture-Rich Foods
Bearded dragons come from dry habitats and many do not recognize a still water bowl as a drink. Provide a clean shallow dish anyway, and support hydration in other ways: a lukewarm bath two to three times a week (shallow, no higher than the elbows), leafy greens with a light mist of water and occasional hornworms. Signs of dehydration include sunken eyes, wrinkled skin that stays pinched and dark, sticky urates. If you see them, increase baths and call your vet.
Daily Timing: When to Feed Your Bearded Dragon
Digestion depends on heat, so timing matters. I offer the first insect feeding about one to two hours after the lights turn on, once the dragon has basked. Salad stays in a dish through the day. Insects are offered in sessions and any uneaten feeders are removed, since they can bite a sleeping dragon or hide and breed. The last insect feeding should finish at least two hours before lights-out.
A typical adult day
- Lights on and let the dragon bask for about an hour.
- Offer salad and, on insect days, a measured insect feeding with dusting as scheduled.
- Remove uneaten insects after about ten minutes.
- Spot-clean droppings and refresh water.
- Bath on scheduled days, then a warm-up under the basking lamp.
Weight and Body Condition: Is Your Dragon Eating the Right Amount?
Scales and eyes together tell the story. Weigh your dragon every two weeks when young and monthly when adult, and write the numbers down. The calculator compares your figure with the typical weight for the age. Between about 80% and 120% of typical is a healthy band.
Signs of overfeeding
- Bulging fat pads behind the head, over the eyes or at the base of the tail
- A rounded, heavy belly that touches the ground
- Reduced activity and reluctance to climb
Signs of underfeeding or illness
- Visible hip bones and a thin tail base
- A dull appearance and slow growth in a baby
- Persistent weight loss even with normal portions, which suggests parasites or illness
If the weight is outside the healthy band, adjust gradually. A heavy dragon gets fewer insect days and smaller counts; a light one gets an extra insect day and a vet check. Quick crash diets are dangerous for reptiles.
Appetite Changes: Shedding, Brumation and Picky Eating
Appetite is not constant. Dragons often eat less during a shed, after a move, when temperatures drop and during brumation, a winter slowdown that can begin from about one year of age. A brumating adult may eat little for weeks and sleep for long periods. First-time brumation should be confirmed with a reptile vet, because the same symptoms can come from parasites, infection or poor husbandry.
Quick troubleshooting checklist
- Check the basking surface temperature with an infrared thermometer.
- Confirm the UVB tube is within its replacement date.
- Look for signs of shedding, stress or recent changes in the room.
- Make sure feeders are the right size and fresh.
- Offer a bath and a different feeder species.
- Call a reptile vet if a juvenile refuses food for more than a day or two, or an adult for more than one to two weeks without a clear reason.
Common Feeding Mistakes
- Feeding adult dragons juvenile amounts. Insects are for growth; adults need far fewer.
- Oversized insects. Anything wider than the space between the eyes raises choking and impaction risks.
- Skipping gut-loading and dusting. An empty insect is a poor meal.
- Relying on one feeder. Lack of variety leads to deficiencies.
- Leaving insects overnight. They bite, die and spoil.
- Overusing fatty treats. Waxworms and superworms are best occasional.
- Ignoring weight trends. A scale is your best early warning system.
Hygiene note
Bearded dragons can carry Salmonella without looking ill. Wash your hands after handling the animal, its food dishes or the enclosure, and keep feeding tools separate from the kitchen. The CDC’s Salmonella information explains the precautions in detail, and the RSPCA’s bearded dragon care advice adds welfare guidance for new keepers. For species background, see the central bearded dragon overview.
Related Pet Tools You May Find Helpful
The same stage-by-stage thinking applies across species, and you can find many more planners on Pet Calculator Hub. If you share your home with a dog, the dog age calculator shows how age changes care needs for canines. For planning daily energy for dogs and cats, the pet alliance calorie calculator is a handy companion. And if you keep an aquarium beside your vivarium, the fish inch per gallon calculator helps you avoid overstocking, the same right-sizing principle that makes a Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator useful.
Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator FAQs
How much should I feed my bearded dragon each day?
It depends on age. Hatchlings eat small insects two to three times a day with a little chopped greens, juveniles eat insects once or twice a day plus a daily salad, and adults eat a large daily salad with insects only a few days a week. A common rule is to offer as many insects as your dragon eats in about ten minutes.
How many insects does a bearded dragon eat per day?
A baby may eat roughly 18 to 36 small insects a day spread over several feedings, a juvenile around 12 to 26, and an adult about 5 to 10 insects on the days they are offered. Body weight, activity and feeder size change these numbers, so treat them as a starting range.
How often should I feed a baby bearded dragon?
Most hatchlings do well with insects two to three times a day, each session lasting about five to ten minutes, plus finely chopped greens offered daily.
How much salad should a bearded dragon eat?
Portions grow with the animal: roughly half to one tablespoon of chopped greens for a hatchling, two to four tablespoons for a juvenile and about a half to three-quarters of a cup for a typical adult. A pile about the size of your dragon’s head is a handy visual check.
Can bearded dragons eat insects every day?
Babies and juveniles can and usually should eat insects daily. Healthy adults generally do better with insects only three to five days a week, with salad offered every day.
What is the best insect-to-vegetable ratio for a bearded dragon?
As a guide, hatchlings eat about 70 to 80 percent insects, juveniles about 50 to 60 percent, sub-adults about 30 to 40 percent and adults about 20 to 30 percent, with the remainder as vegetables and greens.
Why is my bearded dragon not eating?
Common reasons include low basking temperatures, weak UVB lighting, stress after a move, shedding, brumation and illness or parasites. If a juvenile skips food for more than a day or two, or an adult refuses food for more than a week or two without a clear cause, contact a reptile veterinarian.
What should bearded dragons never eat?
Avoid fireflies, which are toxic, wild-caught insects, avocado and rhubarb. Treat iceberg lettuce as low value, and limit spinach, beet greens and kale because of their oxalate or goitrogen content.
Is the Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator accurate?
It gives evidence-informed starting ranges based on typical captive bearded dragons. Individual appetite, body condition, enclosure temperatures and health vary, so adjust portions to your dragon’s weight trend and your veterinarian’s advice.
Final Thoughts
Good feeding is a matter of matching the menu to the life stage and then watching the animal. Use the Bearded Dragon Feeding Calculator to set a sensible starting plan, weigh your dragon on a schedule and let behavior, body condition and your veterinarian fine-tune the details. Babies need frequent insects and daily calcium, juveniles need a growing salad habit, and adults thrive on a vegetable-heavy plate with insects a few days a week. Keep lighting and temperatures correct, rotate your feeders, and you give your dragon the best chance of a long, healthy life.
Disclaimer: This tool and article are for general education and are not a substitute for advice from a qualified reptile veterinarian.