Bearded Dragons eat plants, fruits as well as insects. But what plants are good and what plants are bad for their health? Similarly, what insects are healthy and what are not? Here are some short answers to your questions. In case you want to read the details, each question is also answered in detail in separate articles.
Q1. What is Omnivore?
Omnivores are animals that can eat plants as well as animals. The term originates from the Latin word Omnis, meaning “All or everything”, and Voeare meaning “to devour or eat”.
Q2. What Do Bearded Dragons Eat?
As bearded dragons are omnivores, they eat plants and animals. Their strong jaws allow them to eat hard-shelled insects, lizards, and rodents and they can also go for leaves, fruits, flowers, etc. But the recommended level is 60% to 70% insects/ proteins and 30% to 40% greens/ plants/ fruits, etc.
Also Read, “The Comprehensive Bearded Dragon Feeding Guide“
Q3. Can bearded dragons eat grapes?
The short answer is:
- Yes, as an occasional treat.
- No, not as a daily Meal.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes? All you need to know.“
Grapes have a high content of fiber and calcium which is good for lizards,
They also contain a high content of water, sugar, and oxalates, which can harm your dragon when provided in excessive amounts.
Things to keep in mind while feeding bearded dragon grapes.
Size of grapes, especially when feeding it to a baby with a smaller mouth. Always cut the grape head into 4 pieces and help your lizard to swallow it easily.
Type of grapes, always provide them with grapes that are without seeds. Avoid the grapes that are with seed. Seeds can stuck in their throat and can choke them.
Q4. Can Bearded Dragons eat bananas?
The short answer is:
- Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat bananas only once or twice a month.
- No, Not as a daily meal.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas?“
These creatures rely on calcium to keep their bones strong and intact. Calcium is most crucial for them, for their bone health and their overall survival. That is the reason, why the vet always recommends calcium powder on bearded dragons’ meals. Consumption of phosphorous should be less than calcium or it will stop the absorption of calcium in them. The recommended calcium-to-phosphorous ratio is 1:1 or 2:1. But in bananas, it’s 1:3 which is very high phosphorous. It means that phosphorous dominates the calcium and stop its absorption. If bearded dragons eat bananas daily, their calcium intake will be zero and it will cause many problems for them, i.e. deformity, fractures, tissue loss, or even death. So, giving bananas to these exotic creatures is not recommended.
Q5. Can Bearded Dragon Eat Spinach?
The short answer is:
- Yes, a few leaves every couple of months
- No, not daily.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach?“
Spanish is low in sugar, high in calcium, and has many vitamins and minerals in it. But despite all these incredible elements, Spanish has one big, fatal flaw, which is dangerous for your bearded dragon. It is full of Oxalates.
Oxalates bind with calcium and stop their absorption in bearded dragon bloodstreams. As already told, calcium is very important for the well-being of bearded dragons. The absence of calcium can cause Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), fractures, tissue loss, and eventually death of the dragon. Even if your dragon is on a calcium supplement, it’s still not recommended to feed them spinach occasionally.
Q5. Can Bearded Dragon Eat Strawberries?
The short answer is:
- Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat Strawberries Once a week.
- No, Not daily.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries?“
As already discussed in Q4, phosphorous stops the absorption of calcium in the bloodstreams of bearded dragons. Strawberries have a high content of phosphorous as compared to calcium. It has 36 grams of phosphorous and 23 grams of calcium. They are not as dangerous as Spanish but still consuming them daily will cause many problems like MBD, etc.
Q6. Can a Bearded Dragon Eat Tomatoes?
The short answer is:
- Yes, bearded dragons can eat tomatoes. Only a small amount in a complete month is recommended.
- No, Not Daily.
Read the Detailed Article, “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Tomatoes?“.
Firstly, tomatoes are acidic, can cause digestive problems, and can dehydrate your dragon. Secondly, tomatoes are a poor source of calcium and your dragon needs a lot of calcium for his well-being. 3rd and most dangerous is the phosphorus in tomatoes which is 6 times higher than the calcium in them. This high concentration of phosphorus is not recommended for your dragon.
Q7. Can a Bearded Dragon Eat Apples?
The short answer is:
- Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat apples weekly.
- No, Not Daily.
Read the Detailed Article, “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?“.
Till now, you got the rough idea that no fruit or plant in excess is good for your dragon. You know, excess of everything is wrong. The same is the case with humans. But what about the apple? Is it not, an apple a day keeps the vet away? 😀
No, not in the case of these exotic creatures. The primary reason for not feeding them apples daily is that apples contain too much sugar and your dragon has the same effect of high sugar as you. High sugar can cause tooth decay, obesity, fatty liver diseases, and even diabetes in your bearded dragon.
Q8. Can Bearded Dragon Eat Carrots?
The short answer is:
- Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat Carrots once or twice a week.
- No, they can’t eat carrots all the time/every day.
Read the Detailed Article, “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Carrots?“.
Bearded dragons should naturally be eating 80% insects and 20% plants. Carrot is one of the safest options for bearded dragons. Mainly there are two reasons why you should not feed them carrots every day. Carrots are not a sufficient source of calcium, they contain more content of phosphorus than calcium, but not as dangerously high as that in the case of banana or spinach. And 2nd reason is that they contain vitamin A, and your dragons have vitamin A toxicity.
Q9. Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumbers?
The short answer is:
- Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat cucumbers every week or so.
- No, they can’t eat cucumbers daily.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumbers?“
Cucumbers contain too much water. Too much water can cause diarrhea which can happen after consuming too much cucumbers. Cucumbers have a phosphorus-to-calcium ratio is 1.5:1, phosphorus being high in ratio, which is not recommended daily as discussed earlier in Q4.
Q10. Can Bearded Dragons Eat Watermelons?
The short answer is:
- Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat watermelons rarely (once a month or less) as a treat.
- No, they can’t eat watermelons daily or weekly.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Watermelon?“
Bearded dragons can eat watermelons as treat only in limited quantities. You can feed watermelons to your bearded dragon only once a month or even less. Watermelon is not very nutrient-dense for bearded dragons, so far less beneficial, this is one of the reasons to limit its quantity.
Q11. Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bell Peppers?
The short answer is:
- Yes, bearded dragons can eat bell peppers.
- No, they cannot eat bell peppers daily/ all the time.
So, you can feed any type of bell peppers to your bearded dragon in moderation, once a week.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bell Peppers?“
There are very few differences between types of bell peppers, while Green and yellow bell peppers are healthier, however, all types are safe for bearded dragons.
Q 11. Can Bearded Dragons Eat Zucchini?
The Short answer is:
- Yes, bearded dragons can eat zucchini, once every month.
- No, bearded dragons can’t eat zucchini every day as a staple diet.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Zucchini?“
Zucchini has very little calcium and a very poor calcium-to-phosphorous ratio, which are two major reasons it is not suitable for daily consumption for bearded dragons.
Q 12. Can Bearded Dragons Eat Arugula?
The short answer is:
- Yes, bearded dragons eat arugula, once every week.
- Bearded dragons can eat mature arugula. But baby arugula is more beneficial and recommended.
Read the Detailed Article “Can Bearded Dragons Eat Arugula?“
The baby arugula is that which has been harvested young and is smaller. Due to the peppery strong flavor of arugula, some bearded dragons might not prefer it. In this article, you will also learn to prepare the arugula so that your bearded dragon likes it.