Can Bearded Dragons Eat Locusts?

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Locusts? The Short Answer

Yes, bearded dragons can eat locusts, and they are an excellent staple feeder. Locusts are high in protein, relatively low in fat, and easy to digest, which makes them one of the better everyday insects for dragons of all ages. Many keepers favor locusts because they are nutritious, come in a range of sizes to suit growing dragons, and tend to move in a way that triggers a dragon’s natural hunting instinct.

As with all feeders, locusts should be appropriately sized, gut-loaded, and dusted with calcium, and offered alongside leafy greens and vegetables. Used this way, locusts are a reliable and healthy cornerstone of the insect side of the diet.

Why Locusts Are an Excellent Feeder

Locusts (sometimes sold as hoppers) are a favorite feeder for good reason. They provide quality protein to support growth and muscle maintenance, and their fat content is moderate, so they suit regular feeding rather than being limited to treats. Their active movement also encourages natural foraging and hunting behavior, which is enriching for your dragon.

Key advantages of locusts include:

• High protein, fueling growth in juveniles and maintenance in adults.
• Moderate fat, making them appropriate as a staple feeder.
• A range of sizes, so you can match the feeder to your dragon’s age.
• Active movement, which stimulates hunting and provides enrichment.
• Good digestibility compared with harder-shelled insects.

Because they are nutritious and easy to size correctly, locusts can responsibly form a regular part of the feeder rotation for bearded dragons.

The Eye-Width Size Rule and Calcium

The most important feeding rule for bearded dragons is the size rule: never offer an insect larger than the space between your dragon’s eyes. Oversized feeders are a leading cause of impaction, a dangerous intestinal blockage, and can also cause choking or hind-leg paralysis. Locusts are sold in graded sizes, so choose the size that fits your individual dragon, using smaller hoppers for juveniles.

Calcium and UVB lighting are the foundation of skeletal health. Without enough calcium and proper UVB, bearded dragons develop metabolic bone disease, a painful and disabling condition. Our guide to bearded dragon metabolic bone disease explains how to recognize and prevent it. Dust your locusts with a calcium supplement on most feedings.

Gut-loading makes any feeder more nutritious. Keep your locusts on a healthy diet before offering them so the extra nutrition passes to your dragon, as described in our guide to gut-loading and dusting feeder insects.

How Many Locusts Should You Feed?

The right amount depends on your dragon’s age. Growing juveniles need more insect protein, while adults need fewer insects and more greens.

• Juveniles eat insects multiple times a day and can take several appropriately sized locusts per feeding, alongside chopped greens.
• Adults eat insects a few times a week; offer locusts as part of a rotating mix with other feeders.

A good practice is to feed as many appropriately sized locusts as your dragon will eagerly eat in about 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the rest. As your dragon matures, gradually shift the balance toward leafy greens while keeping locusts in the protein rotation.

How to Serve Locusts to Your Bearded Dragon

Follow this simple routine:

1. Buy quality locusts. Source captive-bred feeder locusts from a reputable supplier.
2. Check the size. Confirm each locust is no bigger than the space between your dragon’s eyes.
3. Gut-load them. Keep the locusts well fed before offering them.
4. Dust with calcium. Lightly coat the locusts with a calcium supplement.
5. Feed and clean up. Offer them in a feeding session and remove uneaten insects.

Good digestion depends on correct husbandry, so make sure your enclosure provides the right heat and UVB. Our guide to bearded dragon enclosure setup covers the basking and lighting your dragon needs.

Locusts Versus Crickets: How They Compare

Locusts and crickets are the two most common staple feeders for bearded dragons, and many keepers wonder which is better. The honest answer is that both are excellent, and the best approach is usually to rotate between them. Still, locusts have a few characteristics worth knowing.

Locusts tend to be meatier and offer a good protein-to-fat ratio, and many keepers find them easier to manage than crickets. Crickets are notorious for escaping, hiding, chirping loudly, and dying off quickly in their holding container, whereas locusts are generally calmer, quieter, and hardier in captivity. Locusts also come in clearly graded sizes, making it easy to match the feeder to your dragon’s age and avoid the size-rule pitfalls.

Crickets, on the other hand, are often cheaper and more widely available, which matters if you are feeding a hungry juvenile that eats large numbers of insects. There is no need to choose exclusively. Offering both locusts and crickets across the week gives your dragon variety and a broader nutritional base, while letting you take advantage of whichever feeder is convenient at the time. The key with either is consistent gut-loading and calcium dusting.

Locusts for Juveniles Versus Adults

The role of locusts in the diet shifts as your dragon matures, mirroring the broader change from an insect-heavy juvenile diet to a greens-heavy adult one. Knowing how this works helps you feed the right amount at each stage.

Juvenile bearded dragons are growing fast and need abundant protein, so insects make up the larger part of their diet, sometimes fed several times a day. Locusts are an ideal staple for juveniles thanks to their high protein content and the availability of small hopper sizes that fit young mouths and respect the eye-width size rule. Let your young dragon eat its fill of correctly sized locusts within each feeding session, alongside finely chopped greens to start building good vegetable habits early.

Adult dragons need far fewer insects and far more leafy greens and vegetables. The insect portion might be offered just a few times a week, with larger locusts forming part of that reduced amount. Because adults are more prone to weight gain, the moderate fat content of locusts makes them a sensible staple choice that supports muscle without piling on fat. Across both life stages, locusts remain one of the most dependable feeders you can build a diet around.

Other Feeder Insects to Rotate

Variety supports a balanced diet. Alongside locusts, rotate in staples such as crickets and soft, calcium-rich options like silkworms. Each feeder offers a slightly different nutritional profile, and rotating them helps ensure your dragon gets a well-rounded intake.

Always apply the size rule, gut-load, and dust with calcium. A varied insect rotation paired with leafy greens and vegetables is the foundation of a thriving bearded dragon.

If your dragon shows reduced appetite, tremors, or signs of weakness, consult a reptile veterinarian. Early professional attention can catch calcium deficiencies and other issues before they become serious.

The Foundation: Gut-Loading, Dusting, and UVB

However good a staple feeder like locusts may be, three husbandry practices ultimately determine whether your dragon thrives: gut-loading, calcium dusting, and proper UVB lighting. These matter far more than any single food choice.

Gut-loading means feeding your locusts a nutritious diet before offering them, so the nutrition passes through to your dragon. A well gut-loaded locust delivers far more vitamins and minerals than a starved one. Calcium dusting involves lightly coating feeders with a calcium supplement, often with added vitamin D3, just before feeding, which boosts the calcium your dragon receives and helps maintain the balance its bones depend on.

UVB lighting is the third and most commonly overlooked pillar. Bearded dragons need UVB to synthesize vitamin D3, which allows their bodies to absorb and use calcium. Without adequate UVB, even a calcium-rich diet cannot prevent metabolic bone disease, because the calcium cannot be utilized. A quality UVB bulb, replaced on schedule and positioned correctly, is essential rather than optional.

Together these practices form the backbone of responsible care. Locusts are an excellent staple precisely because they support this system, being protein-rich, easy to size, and simple to gut-load and dust, but they work best within a complete husbandry routine. If you are ever unsure whether your setup provides enough UVB or calcium, a reptile veterinarian can assess your dragon and enclosure and help you correct any gaps before problems arise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can locusts be a staple feeder for bearded dragons?

Yes. Locusts are high in protein and moderate in fat, making them a reliable staple feeder that can be offered regularly as part of a varied insect rotation.

What size locusts should I feed?

Choose locusts no larger than the space between your bearded dragon’s eyes. Locusts come in graded sizes, so use smaller hoppers for juveniles and larger ones for adults.

Should I feed wild-caught locusts?

No. Always use captive-bred feeder locusts from a reputable supplier. Wild insects may carry pesticides or parasites that can harm your dragon.

Do locusts need calcium dusting?

Yes. Dusting locusts with a calcium supplement on most feedings helps ensure your dragon gets enough calcium to prevent metabolic bone disease.