Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky Dragons View Post
I don't want to see a misunderstanding of care so let me state that a plant and insect only diet without calcium supplementation for bearded dragons, whether through vertebrate or calcium powder sources, results in conditions like metabolic bone disease. Do a quick search on bearded dragon diets in the wild, especially from Australian museums and zoos, and you'll see most believe occasional rodent and small lizards make up a small part of bearded dragon's diets in the wild. There's some good books that go more in depth. They are quite capable of catching smaller lizards or coming upon a rodent nest. Calcium is present in comparatively very small amounts in most invertebrates and ,in captivity, I would not recommend using the specialty "calcium rich" invertebrates like phoenix worms as the primary food source.

It is possible to raise healthy bearded dragons without any vertebrate supplementation in captivity using calcium powder. However, it is also beneficial, though not necessary if using calcium powder, to occasionally supplement with small rodents.
I see them hunting down other lizards and now that you mention it, I remember reading that they are big time lizard eaters, much more than eating rodents. I just don't see a beardie being able to squeeze into a burrow like a snake would to get pinkie mice.

I didn't mean that people shouldn't supplement their lizard diets with calcium, I just mean that in the wild those insects are just naturally more nutritious because of their wild diets which is why a wild beardie doesn't need someone running around dusting all the insects it eats with calcium.