If you’re looking to find a new pet, you’ve probably wondered what foods bearded dragons love. This article will give you some tips for feeding your new dragon, including what to avoid, as well as some foods they’re sure to love! Fruit, vegetables, and even invertebrates can be dangerous for beardies. But you don’t have to worry – there are several things you can safely feed your beardie.
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Avoiding foods that bearded dragons love
While you may have noticed your dragon loving avocados, it’s important to avoid this particular food as well. Avocados contain high levels of oxalic acid, which can be harmful to your bearded dragon. While small amounts are not fatal, they can still cause some damage. Another food to avoid is beet greens. Beet greens are a great source of fiber, but they contain high levels of oxalic acid, which prevents your beardie from absorbing calcium.
Vegetables are essential to your beardie’s diet. Some of these include carrot tops, chicory, endive, mustard greens, radicchio, watercress, dandelion greens, and spring mix. Other vegetables to avoid include broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and rutabaga. Occasionally, you can give your beardie an egg, but make sure you wash it thoroughly first.
Fruit
When choosing the right diet, make sure that you incorporate some vegetables into the mix, too. Some vegetables have a high calcium content and some do not. While vegetables are best for your dragon, you should avoid spinach, which has a high calcium content and can lead to a deficiency. Kale is a great food choice because it has plenty of calcium and vitamins C, K, and A. Avoid giving your bearded dragon carrots because they can be toxic due to the amount of vitamin A that they contain. Also, zucchini is a safe food for bearded dragons, but it does not contain many nutrients.
When giving fruit to your beardie, make sure to inspect the fruit first to remove any seeds and tough skin. This will prevent your beardie from swallowing it whole. Also, avoid giving your dragon pieces that are too large because this can lead to choking or impaction. If you cannot remove the tough skin, consider making small pieces of the fruit before offering it to your beardie. Fruit that has a soft, peel can also be safe.
Vegetables
Vegetables are one of the best diet staples for bearded dragons. Besides fruits, the best vegetables for beardie are carrot tops, endive, watercress, mustard greens, dandelion greens, broccoli, rutabaga, and kohlrabi. Avoid giving your beardie avocado or lettuce. You can also give it rhubarb in moderation.
Mango is a good choice for beardied dragons because it is rich in carbohydrates and fiber. Papaya is similar to mango, but it is low in calcium and phosphorus and is very high in water. Although it’s not the best diet choice for beardie dragons, papaya can be a treat. Just remember to remove the seeds, because they are not digestible and pose choking hazards.
Vegetables can be either raw or cooked. The best way to give your beardie a variety of vegetables is to mix a variety of them together. A wide variety of vegetables will improve his appetite and prevent dehydration. Some beardies like to eat sweet potatoes and bok choy. Likewise, you can try to cook some vegetables in advance. Just make sure that the vegetables are small enough for beardie to comfortably chew them.
Insects
Insects are a great source of protein, and they’re a low fat source. You can feed your dragon both live and frozen bugs. Dubia roaches are an excellent choice because they’re easily digestible and come in a variety of sizes. Goliath worms, which grow to about four to five inches in length, are another excellent source of protein. They can be purchased at reputable pet stores or through online vendors. You can purchase them in large cups filled with 15 to 25 worms each.
You can provide your dragon with insects from your garden, but it’s best to buy frozen ones from a reputable source. Be sure to peel and cut your vegetables into bite-size pieces to avoid choking. You can also feed your beardie bananas, but try to limit your intake to a few a week. If you’d like to offer your beardie a whole insect, make sure to cook it first or let it cool to room temperature before offering it to your dragon.
