If you want to make a delicious and nutritious treat for your bearded dragon, you should try feeding it raw pumpkin. Pumpkin, acorn squash, butternut squash, and pumpkin slices are also suitable for your pet. These fruits and vegetables contain high levels of vitamins and minerals, so you should always ensure they are properly cooked before serving them to your beardie. Alternatively, you can cut up the pumpkin and offer slices to your pet.
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Fruits
A variety of fruits and vegetables are great treats for your bearded dragon. Papaya, pineapple, peaches, and even grapes are all delicious treats for your beardie. You can offer them peaches, raspberries, and apples, but you should only give them one or two servings per week. You can also offer them watermelon, cherries, grapes, and shredded carrots. Just make sure you wash the fruits first.
When choosing fruits and vegetables for your pet beardie, always remember to cut them into bite-sized pieces. Although the beardie will try to grab at the veggies with its tongue, you should avoid slimy or fibrous varieties. Cucumber and cactus are good choices, because they do not stick to their tongues. You can also hand-feed your beardie fresh fruit and vegetables, but be careful because your beardie may accidentally bite you!
Vegetables
Aside from being a tasty treat for your pet, pumpkins also provide essential nutrients for your beardie. They are high in phosphorus and calcium and can help your dragon develop strong teeth and bones. Additionally, the fiber content in pumpkins helps maintain a healthy digestive tract. Whether you feed pumpkins in small pieces or in larger ones, your beardie will enjoy the variety. A small piece should be enough for your beardie to enjoy.
You can provide a salad dish for your beardie by cutting up a small piece of pumpkin and adding it to a salad. Pumpkin tastes better than green vegetables and can tempt your dragon to eat more of them. Put it in the vivarium once the basking light turns on, but remember to change it out as soon as it no longer looks fresh. Pumpkin is better for your beardie’s health than green vegetables, so you should avoid giving them a bowl of rotten pumpkin as often as possible.
Vegetable oil
Adding vegetables to your bearded dragon’s diet is a simple, yet effective way to help keep him healthy. Many bearded dragons are very picky eaters, so it’s crucial to provide a diet that balances vegetables and bugs. As a general rule, your beardie shouldn’t eat more live prey than the size of its eyes. You can also try reducing his protein intake as it grows older. At first, give him 20% live prey and 80% vegetables. Never feed him more than ten crickets in any 15-minute feeding.
Another effective alternative to coconut oil is olive oil. This natural product contains lauric acid, which is beneficial for bearded dragon skin. Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, so your beardie will be happy! Using olive oil for your beardie is not harmful, but it’s important to make sure you rinse the oil off properly afterward. You can also use olive oil to moisturize your beardie’s skin.
Seeds
While pumpkin is a good source of phosphorus and Vitamin A, it is not nutritious enough to feed your beardie with large quantities of pumpkin every day. In addition to this, pumpkin is acidic, which is bad for its digestion. Try to give your beardie with a variety of fruits and vegetables instead. Pumpkin seeds can also be a beneficial addition to their diet, as they contain fiber which is beneficial to beardies’ digestive health.
For an even better diet, consider artisan lettuces for your beardie. These are rich in Ca and P, but don’t choose Romaine as it contains too much phosphorous. Another choice is arugula, also known as rocket salad. This type of lettuce contains a high Ca:P ratio and is high in vitamin A. It can be offered daily or every other day depending on its weight and health condition.
Watermelon
You can provide watermelon for bearded dragons as a treat. Just break the fruit into bite-size pieces and add them to your pet’s daily meal mix. Watermelon is delicious for beardies, and the sweet scent and taste will encourage them to try other types of food. However, only provide ripe pieces of the fruit, as unripe watermelons have a high fiber content and can be difficult for your beardie to chew.
A ripe watermelon is best when cooked or pureed. It contains phosphorus, which prevents the beardie from absorbing and utilizing calcium. However, watermelon does contain beneficial vitamins and minerals. It may not seem nutritionally dense, but watermelon is high in phosphorous and calcium, which can cause digestive problems and even metabolic bone disease. If left untreated, this condition can be fatal.
