If you have a bearded dragon, you know they make some of the best pets around. These intelligent, interesting, and fun reptiles are a joy to keep and watch grow. However, being a beardie owner comes with a lot of new added responsibility. Therefore, you probably have a lot of questions about it. While we all know that bearded dragons are carnivores, you may be wondering: can bearded dragons eat grass?
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Can Beaded Dragons Eat Grass:
Beardies can eat grass but they have no or little nutritional value and they are difficult to digest. Like humans, bearded dragons do not have the proper digestive systems to break down and absorb grass nourishment. The grass is extremely challenging to ingest for a variety of creatures, including bearded dragons.
Is it Okay for Beardies to eat Grass in the Backyard?
The grass in your yard is not safe for your bearded dragon to eat because it has likely been treated with harmful chemicals like pesticides or herbicides. They are not the same as the grass you would find in their natural habitat. It is always best to err on the side of caution and not let your beardie anywhere near the grass in your backyard.
Why Beardies Should not eat grass?
Pesticides:
Pesticides and herbicides are chemicals that are sprayed on lawns to kill bugs and weeds. Unfortunately, these chemicals can also be harmful to your beloved beardie if ingested.
Insects:
Another reason you don’t want your bearded dragon eating grass from the backyard is because it could contain harmful insects. These insects could make your beardie sick or even kill them.
Diseases:
There are also a variety of diseases that can be transmitted to your bearded dragon through the grass in your backyard. These diseases could make your beardie very ill and may even be fatal.
Their digestive system isn’t suited for grass digestion:
As we mentioned before, bearded dragons do not have the proper digestive system to break down and absorb grass nourishment. The grass is extremely challenging to ingest for them.
They are nutrient deficient:
Grass is not a significant source of nutrition for bearded dragons. In the wild, beardies will only eat grass if they are desperate or if there is nothing else available. That’s because grasses don’t contain a lot of the nutrients that bearded dragons need to stay healthy.
Bearded dragons are nutrient deficient when they eat grass. This is because grass does not contain the necessary nutrients that bearded dragons need to stay healthy.
Primary Nutrients in Grass – Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K):
Grass such as turfgrass, rye, and fescue contains high levels of nitrogen. The leaves are full of chlorophyll, which helps the plant make food from sunlight. Turfgrass blades also have a waxy coating that helps protect them from disease and pests.
Nitrogen: Most plants, including grass, get the majority of their nitrogen from the air. This means that the amount of nitrogen in grass is very low.
Phosphorus: Phosphorus is important for root growth and photosynthesis but, like nitrogen, it is also found in very low levels in grass.
Potassium: Potassium helps with water metabolism, photosynthesis, and protein synthesis. It is found in higher levels than nitrogen and phosphorus, but is still considered low when compared to other food sources.
Vitamins and Minerals:
Grass does contain some vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium. However, the amounts are so negligible that they provide little to no nutritional value for bearded dragons.
Can I Give My Beardie Grass From the Store?
The short answer is no. While there are a variety of “safe” greens that you can give your beardie, grass is not one of them. The grass that you find at the store is likely treated with chemicals that could be harmful to your beardie.
If you are looking for a safe green to give your beardie, we recommend collard greens, mustard greens, or turnip greens. These greens are packed with nutrients that your beardie needs and are safe for them to eat.
Additionally, the type of grasses that are safe for bearded dragons to eat are not the same ones that you would find in your yard. The grasses that are safe for beardies to consume are actually a type of sedge grass called fescue. Fescue is a low-growing, clumping grass that is native to Europe and Asia.
Why Bearded Dragons Can’t Eat A lot of Grass Understanding beardies’ digestive tracts:
The digestive tract of a bearded dragon is not designed to eat or digest tough plant matter like grass. Their intestines are very short, which means that anything they eat has a very short time to be turned into nutrients and absorbed before it is excreted.
Do Beardies Eat Grass in The Wild?
In the wild, bearded dragons live in arid climates where there is very little plant life. As a result, they don’t have many opportunities to eat grass. When they do come across grasses, they usually only eat them out of desperation or because there is nothing else available.
In the wild, bearded dragons eat about 80% insect and protein with 20% miscellaneous plant matter. If they must consume grass, they will do so; however, it is not their preferred food since it does not taste good, is difficult to digest, and has little nutritional value.
Can I Feed My Bearded Dragon Grass from My Yard?
The grasses in your yard are not the same as the fescue grass that is safe for beardies to eat. The grasses in your yard are likely to be treated with chemicals like pesticides or herbicides, which can be harmful to your bearded dragon.
Additionally, the blades of grass in your yard are likely to be too tough for your bearded dragon to digest. If you want to feed your bearded dragon grass, it is best to get a hold of some fescue grass from a pet store or online retailer.
How Much Grass Can I Feed My Bearded Dragon?
You should only feed your bearded dragon small amounts of grass at a time. A good rule of thumb is to offer them no more than what would fit in their mouths.
Additionally, you should only feed your bearded dragon grass a few times a week at most. This is because grasses are difficult to digest and can cause problems for beardies if they eat too much of it.
What Are the Benefits of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Grass?
Even though grasses are not a significant source of nutrition for bearded dragons, they can still offer some benefits. For instance, grasses can help beardies with digestion and can act as a natural laxative. Additionally, some people believe that eating grass can help beardies clean their teeth.
While there are some benefits to feeding your bearded dragon grass, you should not do so on a regular basis. This is because grasses are not a significant source of nutrition and can cause problems if beardies eat too much of them. If you want to offer your bearded dragon grass as a treat, do so sparingly and only offer them small amounts at a time.
The bottom line:
So, while technically beardies can eat grass, it is not something that you should include in their regular diet. If you do decide to give your beardie grass, make sure that it is fresh and clean and only offer a small amount at a time. Additionally, be sure to only feed them grass a few times a week at most. too much grass can cause problems for beardies, so it is best to err on the side of caution.
What can bearded dragons eat if they can’t eat grass?
Baby dragons:
If you have a baby dragon, you’ll need to give them live food such as crickets or mealworms. You can also offer them small amounts of chopped vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and green beans.
Adult dragons:
As your dragon gets older, you can start to offer them larger pieces of chopped vegetables. You can also give them frozen or live food such as crickets, mealworms, and pinky mice.
What should bearded dragons not eat?
There are a few things that bearded dragons should not eat, including:
– Avocados
– Cauliflower
– Chocolate
– Rhubarb
– Spinach
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grass Leaves
Bearded dragons can consume grass, but it is not recommended.Grass does not have the nutrients and minerals needed by your bearded dragon pet. Grass can be difficult for bearded dragons to digest, resulting in a variety of digestive problems. They could also contain harmful pesticides and herbicides.
If you insist on feeding your bearded dragon grass, get a hold of fescue grass from an online retailer or pet store. Only feed your bearded dragon small amounts of grass at most a few times a week.
Check out our full guide on what to feed bearded dragons here.
FAQs
Q: Is it harmful to bearded dragons if they eat grass from my yard?
A: The grasses in your yard are likely to be treated with chemicals like pesticides or herbicides, which can be harmful to your bearded dragon. Additionally, the blades of grass in your yard are likely to be too tough for your bearded dragon to digest. If you want to feed your bearded dragon grass, it is best to get a hold of some fescue grass from a pet store or online retailer.