For proper development and health, your bearded dragon needs a diet rich in calcium. Avoid foods that contain oxalates, which bind calcium and prevent it from being absorbed into the body. Calcium supplements can be beneficial for your dragon, but they also require vitamin D3, which your beardie needs to utilize the calcium in its diet. To reduce the need for vitamin D3, you can dust your beardie with calcium supplements or use calcium dust. Bearded dragons synthesize vitamin D3 in their skin.
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Zucchini
As with all reptiles, your beardie’s diet should be high in calcium-rich vegetables. While zucchini is a healthy veggie, it doesn’t offer much in the way of nutritional value. If you’d like to offer your beardie a treat, try adding a few pieces to your salad. However, make sure to thoroughly wash the vegetables before feeding them to your dragon. Otherwise, you’ll risk giving them bacteria that could make them ill.
Before serving zucchini to your beardie, make sure that it’s completely peeled. To prevent your beardie from choking on it, you should slice it thinly or use a cheese grater to grate it. Once peeled, cut into strips and offer your beardie a bite or two of each. If you’d like to reduce the risk of Metabolic Bone Disease, you can also dust the vegetables with calcium powder.
Cilantro
One of the benefits of cilantro for your pet is its high calcium content. A proper ratio of calcium to phosphorus is important for healthy bone growth and tissue maintenance. The ratio should be 4:1, as too much phosphorus can cause metabolic bone disease. Cilantro also contains high amounts of fiber, which helps your dragon eliminate its waste regularly. As a bonus, cilantro is 92% water, which is great for hydration.
Another benefit of cilantro is its vitamin A content. This vitamin helps maintain healthy skin and eyes. Vitamin C is crucial for your beardie’s development. It also supports a healthy reproductive system. In addition, cilantro contains vitamin K, which regulates tissue and blood cells. Cilantro is also rich in potassium and manganese, which help regulate their metabolism. This food also has a high calcium content.
Peas
While fresh peas are the most nutritious option, canned and frozen varieties are available for ease of use. Peas can be used for diets, but the pea pods should be sliced so that the beardie does not choke on them. Fresh peas are healthier than frozen or canned ones, but may not be as nutritious for beardie’s teeth and bones as some other foods.
Peas are rich in thiamine, which helps beardied dragons build strong bones. Despite the fact that pea seeds are not toxic for bearded dragons, they should be mixed with fresh vegetables or a mixture of the two. It is important to mix frozen and fresh greens when preparing food for beardie. Providing calcium is vital for beardie health, so peas are not the only food option for beardie owners.
Liquid calcium
While you may be tempted to give your bearded dragon a handful of ice-cold milk every day, this will probably not be good for your animal. There are some benefits to liquid calcium for bearded dragons, and this is one of them. Your beardie will get the nutrients it needs by drinking this water. And since it’s essential for reptile health, you shouldn’t be surprised if he starts to show signs of hypercalcemia.
There are several ways to give liquid calcium to your beardie, and each brand has specific instructions. You can sprinkle the liquid on greens, crickets, mealworms, and mice, or you can dust it on their food. If you don’t want to use liquid calcium, simply sprinkle some bone meal on their food. Liquid calcium is the most effective way to supplement your beardie’s diet.
