Introduction
Radishes are inexpensive and readily available. So, it’s natural for you to ask whether or not you can feed these to your beardies. Are they nutritious enough for your bearded dragon? Or will they negatively affect their health?
In this article, we will go over the answers to these questions and more. So, can bearded dragons eat radishes? Let’s get started.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Radishes?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat radishes, and there are plenty of benefits that your bearded dragon needs. Your Dragon can eat the radish head occasionally, but they can eat the greens more often. Radish leaves are loaded with vitamins and minerals that your beardie needs to grow and stay healthy. But, there are still a few things you need to know about before you decide to add these to their diets.
What Part of the Radish Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
You often think that the radish fruit is the most important part of the vegetable, and you’re right. But your bearded dragon should have the greens instead. The greens are tasty, and they have vitamins and minerals that your bearded dragon needs.
Pro-Tip: To make their after-meal rests more comfortable, add this reptile carpet to their enclosure for added comfort!
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Radishes?
The fruit part of the radish offers several vitamins and minerals that your dragon needs. But, the nutrients in them are not enough to make the meal balanced. Only give these to your dragons once or twice a month in small amounts.
On the other hand, bearded dragons can eat radish greens and radish tops more often. Your beardie can have this green once a week without developing any issues. Just remember to give these in moderation to keep their meals balanced.
If you want to find other fruits that your beardie can eat, you can read about them here.
What Nutrients Are There in Radish Greens?
Radish greens are packed with nutrients that are necessary for your bearded dragon’s health. Let’s take a look:
- Vitamin A: This helps maintain their vision. It is also necessary for your dragon’s skin and reproduction.
- Vitamin B6: This vitamin is linked to keeping a healthy nervous system and helps your dragon’s muscles function properly.
- Vitamin C: This vitamin helps maintain a healthy immune system. They are also necessary for keeping your dragon’s skin and digestive systems healthy.
- Magnesium: This is essential for your bearded dragon’s skeletal growth and development. It also helps with nerve function and hormonal imbalances.
- Calcium: This is among the most important minerals for your dragon. These help your dragon’s bone to develop and are great for producing eggs while they’re pregnant. Make sure to give them food packed in vitamin D3 to help them metabolize the calcium.
- Phosphorus: This helps balance the amount of calcium your bearded dragon absorbs through their bloodstreams.
- Iron: This mineral helps prevent anemia. Dragons can overdose on iron, so make sure to monitor the amount of this mineral you give your friend.
- Potassium: Your bearded dragon’s kidneys need this mineral to keep it functioning properly. If they do not consume enough potassium, it can lead to kidney problems.
- Fiber: This is important to help regulate your bearded dragon’s digestive system. It helps prevent diarrhea and control the amount of water they ingest.
Pro-Tip: You can add more nutrients to your pet’s meals using supplements. You can get some of the best ones here!
How to Introduce Radish Greens to Your Bearded Dragon?
It is important to give your dragons different plants and insects for each of their meals. You need to rotate between different foods to help entice your dragon to eat. Dragons usually refuse to eat food that is foreign to them. This doesn’t usually mean that they do not like it. They need a get used to it first.
Anyway, here are a few tips that can help you introduce new food to your dragon:
- The best way to introduce new items to their diet is by only feeding them when hungry. This will encourage your dragon to try new things.
- Give the radish green as snacks instead of adding them to a salad. You can try to hand feed these greens to your dragon if they are used to being handled. This may help you feed new items to your dragons better.
- You can scatter the leaves in your dragon’s enclosure. This will encourage your dragon to scavenge while they eat the food scattered around their enclosure.
If you want to introduce new green for your dragon, you can read on another veggie here.
Conclusion
Radishes are safe for bearded dragons to eat occasionally. In comparison, radish greens can be fed to your scaly pal more often. However, either part of the radish should not be part of their staple diets. Regardless, the benefits they will get from eating these greens will help them grow to their fullest potential.
With that, you should be able to decide if you want to add radishes to your bearded dragons and when to give these to them. As long as you remember what you learned in this article, there shouldn’t be any problems for your dragon’s health.
