pinkies???

[dvs]

What's everybody's opinion on feeding pinkies???? I don't do it very often, but the guy at the pet store seemed to think it wasn't a good idea...... is it true???? he said something about there kidney's, can anyone shed some light????


They get the usual crickets and veggies and silkworms.... but they seem to love the pinkies so I give them one every once in a while, thanks.

[eyespy]

I've seen a lot of beardies brought into the clinic with fatty liver disease and/or visceral gout from eating too much animal protein and pinkies are the most common source of this. I've also seen impactions when the little dears forget to chew their food and are unable to pass the skull or pelvis.

If you are going to feed pinkies at all, most folks seem to agree that only females at the start of the breeding season need them, and then only one per year. Males never need them. By the time they are physically large enough to properly digest a pinkie, they should have shifted over to the adult diet of 70-80% vegetable foods and 20-30% animal protein.

Trying to bulk up a sick beardie by offering pinkies is the worst possible scenario for liver disease, it takes a high-running metabolism to digest all that protein.

[dvs]

I see....... thanks for showing me the light.

I'll lay off the pinkies then, they just seem to really like them. I think Im going to lay off the crickets too, and just stick with the veggies and silk worms. Thanks.

[dvs]

I hope I haven't caused any damage so far :(

[eyespy]

Try not to worry, the liver is a highl resilient organ and laying off rich foods can usually allow even a pretty impaired liver to regenerate itself over a few months. I'm sure your beardie will do just fine.

No need to lay off crix, either, variety is a key to a happy beardie diet. Just don't offer dozens at a shot a few times a day like when you had a growing juvie.

[eyespy]

highl YYYY, even. :D

[dvs]

That's good to hear..... got a little worried and started trying to count back to see how many they've eat'in so far. They both seem very healthy though, so I won't worry to much. Thanks.

[silke]

also...please do not take the word of a petstore clerk as gospel
they very often pass on incorrect information that they were told when they started working there