Introduction
As responsible bearded dragon owners, we should know which foods are the healthiest for our little pets. Although these reptiles might look tough and rugged, we still need to be cautious in preparing their meal. So, what should we feed our bearded dragons? What vegetables can a bearded dragon eat? Can these reptiles eat cooked veggies?
For today’s topic, we will provide all the answers to the above questions. Remember that our beardies can eat various live foods, such as mealworms, plants, and crickets. However, in the wild, they mainly eat animals. Based on our research, insects and worms make up about 75% of their diet in the wild.
In a bearded dragon’s diet, we can add human foods along with non-human foods. Well, we know you are excited to know what veggies you can give to your pet beardie. So, kindly stick with us in the discussion below to learn more!
What Vegetables Can a Bearded Dragon Eat?
A bearded dragon can consume varieties of vegetables which is similar to the human diet, too. The relieving part about taking care of bearded dragons as pets is that they are not picky eaters. Therefore, we don’t have to stress about arranging their diet. We only have to stick with the 25:75 ratio, 75% for vegetation and greens while 25% for meat. Don’t ignore this ration since veggies should always have the greater portion of an adult bearded dragon’s meal plan.
Tip: Treat your cute little dragon with these high-quality feeders.
List of Vegetables for Bearded Dragons
- Sweet potato
- Bell pepper
- pumpkin
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Squash
- Kale
- Mushrooms
- Corns
- Sprouts
- Peas
- Asparagus
- Parsnip
List of Greens for Bearded Dragons
- Collard greens
- Celery
- Spinach
- Beet greens
- Turnip greens
- Mustard greens
- Savory
- Bok choy
- Parsley
- Swiss chard
- Coriander
- Dandelion greens
- Watercress
- Floret mix
- Endive
The most acceptable vegetables with many nutrients are collard greens, mustard greens, cabbages, and bell peppers.
How Many Greens Should You Feed Your Bearded Dragon?
If you have a baby bearded dragon, he or she will need more protein for fast growth. Hence, you can keep 20-30% for greens and the rest for insects and worms. The appetite for greens only gets higher as our pet beardies get older. Therefore, we can slowly increase the number of veggies and leafy greens for our scaly friends as they grow.
Tip: Give your pet beardie some tasty dubia roaches to increase appetite.
Some beardie owners chop vegetables and fruits once a week and then freeze them. This way, all greens will remain fresh. They only thaw one mix per day and microwave it before feeding. If your pet lizard does not eat his or her food, you should remove it from the tank after an hour. This way, you can prohibit them from eating spoiled food and getting sick.
You don’t have to worry too much since adult beardies are usually good eaters. They only refuse food or eat less than normal if they are sick or suffering from injuries.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cooked Vegetables?
Bearded dragons are the furthest thing being picky eats and will surely chow down anything and everything you serve them – raw or cooked. Hence, this situation leaves the “can bearded dragons eat cooked vegetables?” question. Considering veggies make up most of their dietary needs, it’s normal to wonder what type of vegetables are good for them and how to prepare them.
Moreover, most veggies are crunchy. So, how do you serve them? Can these reptiles eat greens and veggies cooked?
Well, the answer is: You can serve your pet beardie both cooked and raw plants. However, it is essential to understand that cooking those veggies can take away some of the nutritional value offered to your bearded dragon. But, there’s no correct or wrong way to serve fresh veggies since both cooked and raw offer amazing nutritional benefits. We suggest you try serving your bearded dragons both ways, allowing your pet to decide based on their preference.
Since these cute little reptiles are notorious for their love of food and happily indulge in whatever is served to them, cooked and raw vegetables are no exception and will surely make great additions to their salad.
Despite that, our team still decided to take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of serving cooked vegetables to your pet reptile and which cooking technique offers the most nutritional benefits.
Pro Tip: Add a few drops of this liquid vitamin to your pet’s meal every day for added nutrition.
Advantage: Softens Texture
We understand that not all vegetables are soft and easy to chew, for instance, carrots. Some delicious veggies that our pet beardies love are incredibly hard and crunchy, which require a certain amount of bite to properly enjoy raw. Although our bearded dragons have powerful jaws, some of them prefer having cooked than raw, especially if your beardie is too young or too old.
Cooking veggies, like carrots, can soften the texture of a meal for your baby bearded dragons, making them easier to consume and enjoy. All things considered, the decision is yours when it comes to providing the best option for your beloved pet.
Also, if your pet beardie is injured, soft or pureed veggies would be the best option, especially if they are suffering from an incredibly painful and awful disease.
Disadvantage: Decreased Nutritional Value
When we cook vegetables, we also decrease some key vitamins that bearded dragons need. However, how you prepare your pet’s meal will still determine the amount of nutrition they can absorb from the cooked veggies. For instance, cooked carrots have decreased Vitamin C. This supplement is responsible for developing a beardie’s body tissues and preserving healthy cartilage and teeth.
Pro Tip: For stronger teeth and bones, give your pet beardie this calcium supplement.
Conclusion
We always remind our readers that bearded dragons should replicate what he or she would eat in the wild. However, as our pets get older, we need to reduce the meat they are eating, as it can lead to obesity and more health problems. We highly recommend you, guys, to feed your adult beardies more veggies than insects and worms.
Our cute bearded dragons can eat a wide range of vegetables. So, we can guarantee that you will not have difficulty finding the best veggies for them.
