Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grasshoppers? Yes, With Rules

Are grasshoppers a good feeder insect?

The Lafeber client-education guide to bearded dragons lists grasshoppers and locusts alongside crickets, earthworms, superworms and wax worms as animal matter, which it puts at about 25% of an adult dragon's diet. VCA Animal Hospitals describes the overall diet as roughly half plant and half insect, shifting with age: young dragons are mostly insect eaters, and adults eat more plants.

Neither VCA nor NC State's feeding guide names grasshoppers specifically. They name crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, silkworms and hornworms, so treat grasshoppers as one option in a rotation rather than a staple. Whatever you feed, it starts with a correctly set up home, and our bearded dragon tanks cover the enclosure side.

Match the size to your dragon's head

NC State's veterinary hospital says insects should never be longer than the width of your dragon's head, and Lafeber gives the same rule for crickets. Measure by eye against your dragon's head before each feeding, and remember that grasshoppers and locusts come in a wide range of sizes.

Young dragons need smaller insects, and the rule applies again as your dragon grows. If a grasshopper is clearly bigger than the gap across your dragon's head, choose a smaller one.

Never feed wild-caught grasshoppers

The grasshoppers in the backyard are not a free meal. VCA warns that insects collected outdoors may carry fertilizers and insecticides that can be toxic, and NC State says not to feed wild-caught insects because they often contain parasites.

A lawn catch can also include insects you do not intend to feed. VCA says never to feed fireflies to bearded dragons because they are generally toxic to lizards, and Lafeber also tells owners to avoid lightning bugs. Buy captive-raised feeders from a reptile retailer and keep them separate from anything caught outside.

Gut-load first, then add calcium

Insects are poor in calcium compared with phosphorus. NC State explains that gut-loading, feeding insects a calcium-rich diet before they are eaten, is the best way to supply calcium, and that dusting with calcium powder helps but is not a substitute. The guides differ on timing: NC State says 24 to 72 hours before feeding, while VCA says within 12 hours. Ask your exotic vet which routine to follow.

Calcium only works with light and heat. Lafeber says dragons need ultraviolet light to absorb dietary calcium, and recommends a basking spot in the low 90s °F with thermometers at both ends of the enclosure. A digital reptile thermometer lets you check both. UVB bulbs should be replaced about every 6 months, according to NC State.

Calcium is only absorbed well when your dragon also has UVB light and a warm basking spot, so check the lighting and heat in your reptile supplies setup too.

How often to offer grasshoppers

VCA says young dragons eat once or twice daily, while adults may eat every 24 to 72 hours because they are no longer growing. No veterinary page used here sets a number of grasshoppers per meal, so keep portions modest and use grasshoppers as one of several feeders.

VCA advises offering waxworms and superworms only sparingly because they are high in fat. Variety is also what Lafeber calls the key to good nutrition, and your vet can tailor the mix to your dragon's age and weight.

An allergy warning for your household

A 2015 paper in the World Allergy Organization Journal reports that reptiles are often fed live grasshoppers or locusts, and that their wings, legs and droppings can spread allergens through the air. It describes an 8-year-old boy who developed night-time wheezing about four months after his family bought a bearded dragon kept in the living room and fed live grasshoppers.

The authors recommend that doctors ask about reptile pets when assessing allergy and asthma. The paper offers no cleaning routine, so if anyone in your home wheezes or has breathing trouble, tell their doctor you keep feeder insects and seek medical advice.

Signs of trouble, and when to call an exotic vet

NC State advises contacting an exotic veterinarian if your dragon becomes lethargic, stops defecating, has watery, foul-smelling or discolored stools, or, for an adult, stops eating for more than a day or two. Lafeber also names metabolic bone disease, linked to too little calcium, ultraviolet light or vitamin D3, which is why gut-loading and UVB matter.

If you are unsure whether an insect was safe, call your vet rather than waiting. When you are ready to improve the setup, see our bearded dragon tanks or the guide to choosing a bearded dragon enclosure.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.