Introduction
There are foods that you eat that are great for your bearded dragons as well. Not only will these food keep you healthy, but they will help your beardies too. In most cases, vegetables are a great source of nutrients for those who eat them. But which veggies can you share with your scaly pal?
Can bearded dragons eat pumpkin? If you have spare pumpkins and plan to feed them to your dragon, read this first. This article will help you decide whether or not to give this to your pet. And, give you other information you need to help you in this decision.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin?
The answer to this question is yes. Bearded dragons can eat pumpkins without running into problems. However, there are several things you need to know before you add this to their meals. And, the biggest of which is that these are not the most nutritious food you can give your dragon. A pumpkin will also fill your dragon up faster than it can give it nutrients, so it’s best not to give this to your beardie often.
What Are the Benefits of Feeding Pumpkin to Your Bearded Dragon?
Cooked and raw pumpkins are a great snack for your beardie. But, if you want to give these to your dragon, it is better to serve them as fresh as possible. And, despite them not being very nutritious, there are still a few benefits that they bring to the table.
First, it will help your dragon preserve their vision thanks to its vitamin A content. The vitamin C in pumpkins will boost their immune system. It helps hydrate them as well, thanks to their high water content.
Because of these three, a pumpkin is perfect for a shredding dragon and refuses to eat or drink. But, in these times, insects will help them much more than pumpkins.
Pro-tip: Get your bearded pal some of their favorite insects here!
What Are the Risks of Feeding Pumpkin to Your Bearded Dragon?
While there are some benefits a bearded dragon can get from eating these, there are also caveats. The biggest one is that there is two times more phosphorus than calcium in them.
Eating too much food with too much pumpkin may lead to disease. Your bearded dragon may end up with a metabolic bone disease. This illness is almost always fatal for dragons if not treated early.
While eating pumpkins too often may be dangerous, giving them as an occasional treat will not be a problem. That said, there are plenty of options that are a much better fit to keep your dragon healthy.
If you want to know how to decide which food is best for your dragon, read about where they came from to understand how they eat in the wild.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin?
Despite being safe for bearded dragons, a pumpkin shouldn’t be fed to your beardie too often. A few bite-sized pieces once or twice a month should be enough. Just this many pumpkins should be enough for your dragon to get all the benefits without dealing with all the problems.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin Seeds?
Pumpkins are fine as an occasional snack, but never give them the seeds. These seeds are too difficult for beardies to bite through and even more difficult to chew. They are a potential choking hazard for your beardie and can get stuck in their digestive systems.
The same can be said for the leaves and puree. These two should also be left out of a bearded dragon’s diet. It is best to only feed them pumpkin flesh.
How Should You Prepare Pumpkins For Your Bearded Dragons?
Like with other meals, preparing a pumpkin treat for your dragon is not complicated. You don’t have to go through several hoops to prepare pumpkins. However, there are a few things you need to know to help you prepare them. Here they are:
- Buy the freshest one you can get. If possible, get organic pumpkins.
- Wash the pumpkin to remove dirt and chemicals that are lingering on the peels
- Peel the pumpkin and cut them up. In this step, you also need to make sure to remove all the seeds.
- Put them in a bowl and serve them to your dragon.
- Enjoy watching your dragon eat through this tasty treat.
Pro-Tip: To make your bearded dragon rest better after eating a hefty meal, you can get them one of these carpets to sleep on.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons can eat pumpkins in small amounts. They can have these occasionally, probably once or twice a month at most. This way, your dragon will get all the benefits and avoid any issues that may come. But, pumpkin fills your beardie up faster than it helps their holistic health. It is better to give them other vegetables instead.
Regardless, after this article, you should be more than capable of deciding whether or not to feed your dragon a pumpkin. But, if you still need more information about what they can eat, you can read this article to help you decide what to feed your dragon.
