Bearded dragon’s mellow temperature, hardiness, and long life span make them an amazing choice for individuals who are interested in keeping a pet reptile.
However, part of the duties of being a responsible owner is ensuring that you meet the daily needs of your pet. This has to do with providing them with the right food and proper habitat.
Bearded dragons are not difficult reptiles to feed, as these famous lizards are very resilient eaters that like devouring a large variety of food substances and items. Having an suitable nutrition and diet will not only make your bearded dragon healthier but could also assist in enhancing its activity level, life span and help in keeping its coloring livelier and vibrant.
Given that these renowned reptiles need a mixture of live food and vegetables to stay healthy, their nutritional requirements could seem quite overwhelming and complicated to anyone inexperienced with reptiles, however, the hints and tips provided in this article will assist in ensuring that your bearded dragon gets the proper stuff.
Table of Contents
Age Matters
Your beardie’s age plays a very significant role in its nutrition and diet needs. A young bearded dragon’s diet will contain mostly insects because they need fat and protein to grow, while a grownup beardie needs a diet made with mostly vegetables for general nutrition and health.
Given that under-aged bearded dragons are continually growing and protein is needed to help in that growth, they will have large appetites for insects. You should always feed younger bearded dragons with as many insects as they can consume in 15 minutes, up to three or four times a day.
Though younger bearded dragons are always hungry, most owners find it challenging getting them to consume greens; but, it is essential to ensure their diet contains 75 to 85 percent insects and 30 to 40 percent greens.
Once your bearded dragon approaches adulthood, its appetite starts to change. Some will start consuming more vegetables before six months of age, while others may take longer.
As your bearded dragon grows older, it will gently start eating more of the vegetables. There are certain instances where matured bearded dragons won’t eat vegetables, but this is because they have been fed with too many insects, thus keeping them satisfied, and/or they are being fed with vegetables they don’t like.
As soon as they become mature you will notice that your beardie will not be as hungry as it was when it was rapidly growing, and its eating preferences will change to 20 percent insects and 80 percent greens.
To make up for dietary change, feed them with adult insects once every one to three days and always maintain a fresh supply of plants, vegetables, and fruits in the cage for them to consume throughout the day.
Feeding insects to a bearded dragon
Bearded dragons will eat just about any kind of insect that crawls past them. Insects are an essential part of bearded dragons diet (particularly younger bearded dragons), thus, it is important to ensure that your beardie is consuming the appropriate amount, species and type to stay healthy.
Favorite Insects:
- Crickets
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Butterworms
- Cockroaches
- Dubia roaches
- Earthworms
- Locusts
- Redworms
- Superworms
First off, your bearded dragon will devour literally every insect that crawls in front of it. But, not all insects are healthy foods for bearded dragons’ consumption.
It is up to you to ensure that they are consuming safe insects. As long as tasty insects are concerned, you cannot go wrong with butterworms, soldier fly larvae, cockroaches, Dubia roaches, redworms, superworms, earthworms, and crickets. These insects are conducive and safe for bearded dragons to eat and are somewhat easy to get.
Insects to Avoid:
- Fireflies
- Elderbugs
- Venomous insects, like scorpions, wasps, and bees.
- Glowing insects
- Insects you found outside
- Insects vended as an enticement for fishing
- Insects found inside your house
When feeding, allow your bearded dragon to eat as many insects as possible within 15 minutes. After that time frame has passed, collect the uneaten insects and save them for the next feeding session.
In case you leave the bugs in your beardie’s tank for a longer time, you are risking your beardie overeating or the bugs burrowing and hiding within the enclosure.
Ensure you get your bearded dragon’s bugs from a good feeder insect supplier. Do not feed your dragon insects you see on or outside your property, or bugs intended to serve as baits for fish.
The reason for this is because, it is rare for the insects around your home to have parasites or to have pesticides, both of which are risky and dangerous for bearded dragons.
You can also buy safe insects from an online feeder insect supplier or your local pet store.
Feeding Vegetables to Your Bearded Dragon
Fruits, plants, and vegetables are an essential part of all bearded dragons’ diet. Consuming these is how many bearded dragons stay hydrated and also get important minerals and vitamins.
Frozen items can make them lose their appetite easily, thus, it is necessary to utilize fresh greens and veggies. Bearded dragons will consume most veggies and greens raw, however, in case the veggies are too hard, you might want to think of cooking them so they are soft enough for your bearded dragon to consume.
There are several fruits, plants and vegetables that are healthy and safe for bearded dragons’ consumption, however, some favorites include, collard greens, squash, seedless watermelon, bell peppers, and mustard greens.
Of course, it is best to always mix up your beardie’s diet once in a while. Adding variety sometimes can enhance your bearded dragon’s appetite.
Safety Concerns for Bearded Dragons
Bearded dragons are not hard to feed, as these renowned lizards are extremely hardy eaters that love devouring a large variety of food items. The following few tips should assist you in making feeding your bearded dragon safer and easier.
- Monitor the amount of food you feed your bearded dragon. Do not feed your pet anything wider than the space between your eyes. Anything wider than this space could cause severe impaction or put pressure on your beardie’s spine, which can cause mobility and health issues, so always make sure that insects are not wider than this, and always cut veggies and fruits you offer your bearded dragon to the right size.
- While not a main issue, overfeeding your beardie can lead to obesity and should always be avoided for health concerns. Most scenarios of overfeeding are always as a result of owners giving grownup bearded dragons insects that are too high in fat (like waxworks) regularly. It is advisable that you feed grownup beardies lower-fat insects, like crickets, for meals, and offer them fatty waxworks for occasional treats or snacks only, and not as standard fare.
Hydration for Bearded Dragons
Bearded dragons reside in very dry and hot climates; thus they are used to surviving on very little water. But, hydration is still a very essential issue. Your beardie will receive most of its water from veggies and plants.
But, given that the tank of your bearded dragon is dry and hot, it doesn’t take long for the veggies and greens to get dehydrated. That’s why it is necessary to provide them with other water sources.
Some owners put dishes in their dragon’s enclosure; but, bearded dragons originated from desert environments and don’t easily recognize standing water. They may end up not drinking from the water bowl.
If this is the case with your pet, it is usually more common for your pet dragon to soak in its water bowl rather than drinking from it. Soaking is considered normal behavior for beaded dragons and it assorts with the digestion process.
Given that beardies usually defecate or urinate while they soak, ensure you always change the water from time to time, and most importantly the moment you notice it has been fouled.
Furthermore, you can mist your bearded dragons to keep them hydrated. Misting beardies with fresh water at least once or twice per day helps in stimulating dew and rainfall.
Mature beardies will drink the dew or raindrops for hydration, thus misting will serve as a way of recreating such an environment.
You can also mist your pet when they start shedding. Hydration will help in moisturizing their skin and help in making the entire shedding process easier.
Essential Minerals and Vitamins for Your Bearded Dragon
Understanding mineral and vitamin requirements can be a tricky and challenging task for many pet owners and ensuring that your bearded dragon gets the appropriate amount of supplements is important for its health. To assist in understanding this, this section will be further broken down by vitamins
Vitamin A & Bearded Dragons
Most older bearded dragons will receive sufficient vitamin A form their veggies, and younger beardies typically receive enough vitamin A directly from the yolk within their eggs to last them until they are 6 to 7 months old (which is about the time they start consuming more veggies and greens).
There are several vitamin-A supplements presently available on the market which you could include in your bearded dragon food, but only utilize those containing beta carotene.
Beta carotene is also known to be present in most veggies, and when eaten, it is transformed into vitamin A by the beardie’s body. If a bearded dragon eats excess beta carotene, it’s body merely excretes it rather than absorbing it, thus, posing little or no risk of vitamin A overdosing.
In case you feed your bearded dragon with vitamin A supplement containing synthetic or artificial vitamin A, your beardie will absorb the vitamin A even if it isn’t necessary, which can lead to vitamin A toxicity.
Bearded Dragons, Vitamin D3 and Calcium
Beardies can’t absorb calcium without proper vitamin D3, hence, most supplements often contain both. Vitamin D3 and calcium are very significant for growth and development.
They enhance healthy bones and assist in preventing certain metabolic bone disease. Vitamin D3 and Calcium are essential for gravid female dragons and young, growing bearded dragons.
Usually, baby beardies will require a daily dose of vitamin D3 and calcium, juveniles will require the supplement three to four times every week, while grownups only need it once every week.
Phosphorous for Beardies
Phosphorus assists with bone development. Vegetables and fruits naturally contain phosphorus; Therefore, most bearded dragons tend to receive enough phosphorus from their daily diet.
You should always keep an eye on your beardie’s calcium-to-phosphorus levels to ensure that they are getting the proper amount of both supplements. In case your dragon’s diet is too high in phosphorus, you may want to make use of multivitamins which are phosphorus-free.
Foods to Avoid When Feeding Your Beardie
As mentioned earlier, there are several plants and insects that you should avoid feeding your beardie. While some of these items are merely unhealthy, others could be poisonous and can be deadly if ingested. Never feed bearded dragons any insect or bug that glows.
Stay away from lighting bugs, fireflies, or any other worms that glow in the dark. The chemical responsible for making these bugs glow is extremely toxic and dangerous to bearded dragons.
You should also avoid feeding your beardie with avocados, as they are also poisonous to bearded dragons. Non-poisonous foods you should avoid giving to your beardie, due to their unhealthiness, include spinach and lettuce.
Spinach is healthy; but, it can cause calcium to bind to it while digestion is ongoing, making it more challenging for your beardie to digest.
Lettuce contains no nutritional value and is literally made of only water, therefore avoiding feeding your bearded dragon anything pertaining to lettuce.
Final Remark
The bearded dragon’s long life span, temperament, and general hardiness are what make it the best addition for any family. Irrespective of the fact that you are excited about getting your first beardie or you just wish to add another bearded dragon to your family, these bearded dragon nutrition guide will assist in ensuring your beardie stays healthy for as long as possible.
Check out Bearded dragon food chart below
Green -Feed daily, staple
Black -Feed occasionally
Blue -Feed rarely
Pink -Questionable
Red -Never
| Food list | Fat | Protein | Sugar | Water | Fiber | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa (plant, not sprouts) | % | % | % | % | % | High content of antioxidants, vitamins C and K, copper, folate and magnesium |
| Alfalfa sprouts | .7% | 4% | .2% | 93% | 2% | Great source of vitamins C & K |
| Apple (peeled) | .3% | .2% | 11.5% | 85% | 1.9% | extremely rich in important flavanoids, antioxidants and dietary fiber |
| Apricot (fresh) | .4% | 1.4% | 9.3% | 86% | 2.4% | A high amount of vitamin C, as well as potassium |
| Artichoke Heart (raw) | .2% | 3.2% | 1.0% | 85% | 5.4% | Vitamins A&K-They are number 7 on the USDAs top 20 antioxidant-rich foods list |
| Arugula (raw) | .7% | 2.6% | % | 92% | 1.6% | Great source of vitamin A,K. Primarily helps the body make new cells. |
| Asparagus (raw) | .2% | 2.3% | 2% | 92% | 2.1% | It is low in calories and a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K |
| Avocado | 17.3% | 2.1% | 1% | 73% | 4.9% | Toxicity – Big no-no for your bearded dragon. |
| Banana | .5% | 1.0% | 18.4% | 74% | 2.4% | Overdoing with banana can mess up with the calcium absorption. Be careful with it. |
| Basil (fresh) | .6% | 2.5% | % | 90% | 3.9% | Powerful Antioxidants, Vitamin A. |
| Beans, Garbanzo (canned) | 1.1% | 5.0% | 3.8% | 70% | 4.4% | Low oxalates |
| Beans, Green (canned) | .1% | 1.2% | % | 93% | 1.9% | Moderate oxalates |
| Beans, Green (raw) | .1% | 1.8% | % | 90% | 3.4% | Moderate oxalates |
| Beans, Kidney (canned) | .3% | 5.2% | % | 78% | 3.5% | Moderate oxalates |
| Beans, Lima (canned) | .2% | 4.9% | 8.5% | 77% | 4.8% | Vitamin B1, iron, magnesium and vitamin B6. |
| Beans, Pinto (canned) | .8% | 4.9% | % | 78% | 4.6% | Protein, phosphorus, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium and iron. |
| Beans, Soybeans (canned) | 9.0% | 16.6% | % | 63% | 6.0% | Moderate oxalates |
| Beef (ground, low fat) | 11.7% | 26.1% | % | 61% | 0% | High phosphorus and protein |
| Beet Greens (fresh) | .1% | 1.8% | % | 92% | 3.7% | High oxalates |
| Beets (canned) | .1% | .9% | 6% | 91% | 1.7% | High oxalates |
| Bell Pepper (green) | .2% | .9% | % | 92% | 1.8% | Moderate oxalates |
| Bell Pepper (red) | .2% | .9% | % | 92% | 2.0% | High vit. C, Moderate oxalates |
| Bell Pepper (yellow) | .2% | 1.0% | % | 92% | .9% | Good for Digestive Health. An Antioxidant |
| Blackberries (fresh) | .4% | .7% | 7.9% | 86% | 5.3% | They are packed with vitamin C , high in fiber. |
| Blueberries (fresh) | .4% | .7% | 7.3% | 85% | 2.7% | Low in Calories But High in Nutrients, Moderate oxalates |
| Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage) | .2% | 1.5% | 1% | 95% | 1.0% | Best sources of potassium combined with vitamin A and C |
| Borage (raw) | 0.7% | 1.8% | .9% | 93% | 0% | High in potassium |
| Bran, Wheat (substrate) | 4.3% | 15.6% | % | 10% | 42.8% | High phosphorus and fiber, Big no-no for your berdie |
| Bread, White | 3.6% | 8.2% | % | 37% | 2.3% | They cannot eat bread because it will expand in their stomach just like a sponge and make them sick or possibly cause other bad health issues |
| Bread, Whole Wheat | 4.2% | 9.7% | % | 38% | 6.9% | Make sure you avoid trying to feed bread wheat to your bearded dragon |
| Broccoli (raw) | .4% | 3.0% | % | 91% | 3.0% | Beardies can eat broccoli. However, you should not feed broccoli to your bearded dragon too often |
| Butterworms | 5.2% | 16.2% | % | 59% | % | Good amounts of protein and high levels of calcium. This small nutritious worm is a good feeder insect to offer as a supplement |
| Cabbage, Green (raw) | .3% | 1.4% | 2.7% | 92% | 2.3% | Vitamin C. Make sure the cabbage is raw and washed before giving it to your dragon |
| Cabbage, Red (raw) | .3% | 1.4% | 5.4% | 92% | 2.0% | Vitamin C. Make sure the cabbage is raw and washed before giving it to your dragon |
| Cactus Pad/Leaf (raw) | .5% | .8% | % | % | % | Absolutely great staple! Just make sure you take all the thorns off and cut them up into small enough pieces. |
| Cactus Pear (Prickly Pear) | .5% | .7% | % | 88% | 3.6% | Great staple veggie, high calcium |
| Cantaloupe (fresh) | .3% | .9% | 8% | 90% | .8% | Make sure to cut the fruit into pieces and feed them to your pet only if it is clean and washed |
| Carrots (raw) | .5% | .8% | 6.6% | 90% | 1.8% | Beardies can eat carrots, however they are high in Vit A which can cause vit A toxicity if your bearded dragon is also receiving vit A supplements |
| Cauliflower (raw) | .2% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 92% | 2.5% | Many bearded dragons can eat cauliflower. Though this is true, I would only feed a dragon cauliflower every once in awhile as it may be bad for health. |
| Celery (stalk & leaves) | .1% | .8% | 1% | 95% | 1.7% | You will need to finely chop the celery before you feed it to your dragon. |
| Chayote | .1% | .8% | 1.7% | % | 1.7% | It is an acceptable occasional feeder |
| Cherries | .2% | 1.1% | 12.8% | 82% | 2.1% | The phosphorus to calcium level, though, is disproportionate, meaning that beardies should only have this delicious fruit every once in awhile as a desert. Do not feed your pet cherries too often |
| Cheerios | 6.0% | 11.0% | % | 3% | 9.0% | Too high in fibre and can cause your beardie to constipation or any other type of blockage |
| Chicken (cooked) | 4.1% | 27.1% | % | 68% | 0% | Skinless cooked chicken is okay for a treat but I wouldnot feed it often |
| Chicory | .3% | 1.7% | .9% | 92% | 4.0% | High calcium and fiber |
| Chives | .7% | 3.3% | % | 91% | 2.5% | High oxalates, Potential toxicity |
| Cilantro (Coriander) | .5% | 2.1% | % | 92% | 2.8% | Cilantro is safe for bearded dragons to eat. Just Make sure it is fresh and washed before serving it |
| Clover | % | 6% | 2.4% | % | % | It is a good treat but i would not feed it everyday |
| CollardGreens | .4% | 2.5% | % | 91% | 3.6% | Great staple |
| Corn, Yellow | 1.0% | 2.6% | 5.4% | 77% | 2.0% | High phosphorus, mod. oxalates |
| Cranberries (fresh) | .2% | .4% | % | 87% | 4.2% | Cranberries fresh are okay, but I would never give anything that has added sugar. |
| Cricket (before gut loading) | 6.0% | 21.3% | % | 70% | 3.2% | Gut-load and dust to increase calcium |
| Cucumber (peeled) | .2% | .6% | 2.3% | 97% | .7% | Cucumbers are not super nutritious but are a good source of water |
| Dahlia (flower) | % | .5% | 5.4% | % | % | Great treat |
| DandelionGreens | .7% | 2.7% | 2.4% | 86% | 3.5% | Dandelions are very nutritious and high in calcium. Offer dandelion leaves and flowers (remove the stems). Be sure to gather them from areas uncontaminated by pesticides. |
| Earthworm | 2.0% | 10.0% | 84% | % | % | Earthworms are fatty so only feed these as a treat to your dragons. You Do not need to buy worms raised for bait. |
| Egg (whole, hard boiled) | 10.6% | 12.6% | % | 75% | % | Raw eggs is a big no no. However the rare hard boiled egg is okay |
| Eggplant (raw) | .2% | 1.0% | 3.4% | 92% | 2.5% | Eggplant is quite acidic so it is not so great for them to eat. If they have a nibble of it, they should be fine. But it should not really be fed to them as a food. |
| Endive | .2% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 94% | 3.1% | endive is considered perfect greens but I would still offer them in rotation/mixed with other greens. |
| Escarole | .2% | 1.2% | 0.2% | % | 2.8% | Quite good Ca/P, mix with other greens |
| Figs (raw) | .3% | .8% | 6.9% | 79% | 3.3% | |
| Garlic | .5% | 6.4% | % | % | 2.1% | Garlic contains a lot of phosphorus and acidic content. This means that Garlic is not good for bearded dragons at all. |
| Grape Leaves (not ivy) | 2.1% | 5.6% | % | 73% | 11.0% | |
| Grapefruit (fresh) | .1% | .6% | 6.2% | 91% | % | |
| Grapes (red & green) | .4% | .6% | 16% | 81% | 1.0% | |
| Guava | .6% | .8% | 6% | 86% | 5.4% | |
| Hibiscus, Rosella (flower) | .1% | 1.6% | % | 86% | 2.5% | |
| Hibiscus, Rosella (leaves) | .3% | 3.3% | % | 85% | 1.6% | |
| Honeydew (fresh) | .1% | .5% | % | 90% | .6% | |
| Hornworms | 3% | 9% | % | 85% | % | A lot of Berdie owners give this as a treat for their pet instead of a staple food since these worms are a bit expensive than other feeding worms |
| Kale (raw) | .7% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 84% | 2.0% | |
| Kiwi (fresh) | .4% | 1.0% | 9% | 83% | 3.4% | Great source of Vit C, but it also comes with a high amount of oxalates. That is why it should only be given to them on an occasional basis |
| Kohlrabi (raw) | .1% | 1.7% | 4.5% | 91% | 3.6% | |
| Leeks (raw) | .3% | 1.5% | 3.9% | 83% | 1.8% | |
| Lemon Grass (Citronella) | .5% | 1.8% | % | 71% | 25.3% | |
| Lettuce, Loose Leaf | .2% | 1.3% | % | 96% | 1.0% | Extremely high water content; while that is not harmful to your beardie it provides little to no nutritional value. May cause diarrhea |
| Lettuce, Iceburg | .2% | 1.0% | 1.8% | 96% | 1.4% | Extremely high water content; while that is not harmful to your beardie it provides little to no nutritional value. May cause diarrhea |
| Lettuce, Red Leaf | .2% | 1.3% | % | 96% | .9% | Extremely high water content; while that is not harmful to your beardie it provides little to no nutritional value. May cause diarrhea |
| Lettuce, Romaine | .2% | 1.6% | 2% | 95% | 1.7% | Extremely high water content; while that is not harmful to your beardie it provides little to no nutritional value. May cause diarrhea |
| Mango (fresh) | .3% | .5% | 14.8% | 82% | 1.8% | |
| Mealworm | 12.7% | 20.3% | % | 62% | 1.7% | If mealworms are your only option, I would feed 10–15 mealworms in a feeding. Low calcium, high phosphorus & fat |
| Mushroom, Portabella (raw) | 12.7% | 2.5% | % | 91% | 1.5% | Mushrooms are highly toxic for beardies |
| Mustard Greens | .2% | 2.7% | .8% | 91% | 3.3% | They are very healthy and safe to use as a staple |
| Nasturtiums (flowers) | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Nectarine | .5% | .9% | 8.5% | 86% | 1.6% | |
| Okra (raw) | .1% | 2.4% | 90% | 3.2% | ||
| Olives (canned, pitted) | 10.7% | .8% | % | 80% | 3.2% | Olives are not good for them to eat. They contain too much calcium and fat. That said, if they have one or two they should be fine but they aren’t a food that you should be feeding your berdie. |
| Onion | % | % | % | % | % | Big no – Beardies can not eat onions. Onions are very acidic that would cause the dragon much displeasure |
| Orange, Mandarin | .2% | .6% | % | 88% | 2.3% | Beardied dragons seem to like it but it actually end up pretty badly. Oranges contain more fruit acid than most other fruits. |
| Orange, Navel | .1% | 1.0% | 8.9% | 87% | 2.4% | Beardied dragons seem to like it but it actually end up pretty badly. Oranges contain more fruit acid than most other fruits. |
| Papaya (fresh) | .1% | .6% | 5.9% | 89% | 1.8% | |
| Parsley | .8% | 3.0% | 1.1% | 88% | 3.3% | Bearded dragons can eat parsley only occasionally. Do not overfeed parsley to a Berdie and make sure it is fresh and washed before feeding. |
| Parsnip (raw) | .3% | 1.2% | 4.8% | 80% | 4.9% | |
| Pea sprouts (raw) | .7% | 8.8% | % | 62% | % | |
| Peach (fresh) | .1% | .7% | 8.7% | 88% | 2.0% | |
| Pear, Asian (fresh) | .2% | .5% | % | 88% | 3.6% | |
| Pear (fresh) | .4% | .4% | 10.5% | 84% | 2.4% | |
| Peas, Green (raw) | .4% | 5.4% | 4.5% | 79% | 5.1% | Make sure to chop the green beans up well before offering them to your bearded dragon. |
| Peas, Snap (pea & pod) | .2% | 2.8% | % | 89% | 2.6% | Cut them in their salads but do not feed every day. |
| Pepperment Leaves | .9% | 3.8% | % | 79% | 8.0% | |
| Phoenix Worms | 9.4% | 17.3% | % | 65% | % | They are good staples, I would let him eat as much as he wants in a few minutes. Great source of calcium |
| Pineapple (canned) | .1% | .4% | % | 86% | .8% | |
| Pineapple (fresh) | .4% | .4% | 12% | 87% | 1.2% | |
| Pinky Mouse | .6% | % | % | % | % | Very high in fat |
| Plum (fresh) | .6% | .8% | 7.5% | 85% | 1.5% | |
| Pomegranate | .3% | 1.0% | 9% | 81% | .6% | They are medium-heavy in oxalates which can get calcium out of the beardies system which generally is not a good idea. |
| Pork Chop (cooked) | 8.1% | 30.2% | % | 61% | 0% | Bearded dragons can eat cooked Pork Chop, unseasoned, lean meats, like chicken, turkey, and beef heart, but only very rarely, not as a staple |
| Potato, Russet (cooked) | .1% | 1.7% | 1% | 77% | 1.8% | Russet potatoes have very poor calcium:phosphorus ration, they also have a little acidic content. This means it is not a good food for bearded dragons to eat |
| Potato, Sweet (cooked) | .3% | 1.7% | 5% | 73% | 1.8% | This may not be a healthy choice, but you can feed your beardie sweet potatoes every once in awhile. |
| Prunes (canned) | .2% | .9% | % | 71% | 3.8% | |
| Pumpkin (raw) | .1% | 1.0% | 4.4% | 92% | .5% | |
| Radicchio | .3% | 1.4% | % | 93% | .9% | |
| Radish (raw) | .5% | .6% | 2.7% | 95% | 1.6% | |
| Raisins (seedless) | .5% | 3.2% | 62% | 15% | 4.0% | |
| Raspberries (fresh) | .6% | .9% | % | 87% | 6.8% | |
| Rhubarb | .2% | .9% | .9% | 94% | 1.8% | Avoid feeding your bearded dragon rhubarb. Rhubarb is very toxic to them and should be always avoided. |
| Rice (brown, long grain) | .9% | 2.6% | % | 94% | 1.8% | Rice would not make a good frequent food. Rare bites of grains aren not bad but not a good part of the diet. Must be cooked |
| Rosemary (fresh) | 5.9% | 3.3% | % | 68% | 4.0% | |
| Rutabaga (raw) | .2% | 1.2% | 5.6% | 90% | 2.5% | Rutabaga is not very good for them however they can be eaten rarely in small amounts. Make sure it is raw. Rutabagas are also known as turnip. |
| Salmon, Pink (canned) | 6.1% | 19.8% | % | 70% | Seafood are no good for beardies. | |
| Sardines (canned) | 11.5% | 24.6% | % | 60% | % | It is definitely not part of their natural diet. |
| Seaweed (Kelp) | .6% | 1.7% | % | 82% | 1.3% | |
| Silkworm | % | 63.8% | % | 76% | % | The silkworm is one of the best insects to feed your reptiles. It is high in Protein, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, and B Vitamins. Highly recommended to use as a staple. |
| Spaghetti (cooked) | .7% | 4.8% | % | 66% | 1.7% | |
| Spearmint | 0.7% | 3.3% | % | 86% | 6.8% | |
| Spinach | .4% | 2.9% | .4% | 92% | 2.7% | Spinach will block the absorption of calcium if used on a regular basis. Not recommend it even in small amounts. |
| Sprouts, Brussel | .3% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 86% | 3.8% | Sprouts are not suitable as a long-term regular food. Good source of Vitamin C |
| Squash, Acorn | .1% | .8% | 2.2% | 88% | 1.5% | Beardies seem to love it raw(which is absolutely okay). Just cut it up in small pieces or slivers |
| Squash, Butternut (Winter) | .1% | 1.0% | 2.2% | 86% | 11.7% | Good Staple. Slice it into small worm shapes and put it on top of a salad. |
| Hubbard | .5% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 88% | 8.7% | Vitamin A. Food that can be fed daily |
| Squash, Scallop | .2% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 94% | 3.8% | Vitamin C. Food that can be fed daily |
| Squash, Spaghetti | .6% | .6% | 2.2% | 92% | 6.9% | Good amount of Calcium. |
| Squash, Summer | .2% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 94% | 1.9% | Summer squash contains good levels of potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. |
| Starfruit (Carambola) | .4% | .5% | 7.1% | 91% | 2.7% | Starfruits are acidic for bearded dragons. Definitely a rare portion of food for your Dragon. |
| Strawberries (fresh) | .4% | .6% | 5.7% | 92% | 2.3% | |
| Superworms | 17.9% | 17.4% | % | 60% | 6.8% | One of the good supplemental meals to offer your bearded dragon but definitely not a staple feeder. The fat content is too much |
| Swiss Chard | .2% | 1.8% | 1% | 93% | 1.6% | Swiss chard is not a good source of calcium. So it is okay as a treat maybe once a week. |
| Swiss Cheese | 27.5% | 28.4% | % | 37% | 0% | Far too calcium-rich for them to digest. In fact, dairy as a whole is not good for your bearded dragon and should never be given to them |
| Tofu (soft, raw) | 4.8% | 8.1% | .4% | 85% | .3% | High in fat and can impede calcium absorption. Not recommended for your berdie. |
| Tomato, Red (raw) | .3% | .9% | 3% | 94% | 1.1% | Bearded dragons can eat tomatoes, but only every now and then. Too many tomatoes can make your bearded dragon ill. Acidic |
| Turnip (raw) | .1% | .9% | 3.8% | 92% | 1.8% | Good source of vit: C,A and E. Turnips are a good vegetables to feed a bearded dragon. |
| Turnip Greens | .3% | 1.5% | 1% | 91% | 3.2% | Safe to use as a staple. Offer turnip greens in salads along with collards and dandelion greens |
| Watercress | .1% | 2.3% | .4% | 95% | .5% | |
| Watermelon | .4% | .6% | 9% | 92% | .5% | They like watermelons as it is the red color. It is a nice treat, lots of water in it as well. So a neat way to keep her hydrated but do not feed it daily. |
| Wax Worms | 22.2% | 15.5% | % | 62% | 7.7% | |
| Wheat Grass | % | 25% | % | % | % | |
| Yams (raw) | .2% | 1.5% | .5% | 70% | 4.1% | |
| Yogurt (with active cultures) | 1.8% | 4.4% | % | 75% | 0% | No! It can make him sick. They can not digest dairy |
| Yucca Root (Cassava) | .3% | 1.4% | % | 60% | 1.8% | |
| Zophobas Worms | 17.0% | 19.0% | % | 58% | % | |
| Zucchini (raw) | .4% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 93% | 1.1% |
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