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Welcome to part two of our bearded dragon articles! As stated before we do want to emphasize that these reptiles are quite an extensive type of reptile and require tons of care and research. We have compiled this blog and more come in order to highlight some of the information we have learned in our time to make it easier. Below we will list our resources as well.
Now onto the plant portion of the bearded dragon's diet! Bearded dragons can eat as many veggies as they want and not get overweight from it. Of the plants you feed your bearded dragon 80-90% of them should be vegetables. There are different categories of fruits and veggies that you should feed your beardie. One is the main veggies(fed daily), the second is secondary or extra (fed every few days), supplementary (ones that are fed every other week to supplement the diet), and then treats ( these are the veggies or fruits that can be fed occasionally).
Main Veggies:
- Alfalfa- part of the legume family great leafy green; can be fed daily
-Butternut Squash- a great source of fiber; can be fed daily.
-Cactus leaf/prickly pear- flowering fruit portion of the cactus; can be fed daily.
-Collard greens- a type of leafy greens that provide a great source of calcium; can be fed daily.
-Dandelion leaves- make sure to purchase from a farmers market to avoid bugs or diseases; good source of nutrients for your reptile; can be fed daily.
-Endive- a type of leafy green; a great source of nutrients and calcium; can be fed daily.
- Mustard greens- peppery flavored leafy greens; a great source of vitamins for your beardie; can be fed daily
- Turnip greens- rich in calcium and vitamins; should be fed raw not dried; can be served daily.
Secondary Veggies & Fruits:
-Acorn Squash- rich in fiber; should be fed raw; can be served a few times a week.
-Asparagus- a great source of vitamins; should be normal green asparagus, not any other variety; can be fed weekly.
-Bell peppers- all colors and types to provide a variety of vitamins to your beardie; can be fed weekly.
-Carrots- provide a great source of vitamins and fiber; should be fed raw; can be fed weekly.
-Cilantro- a great source of antioxidants and antimicrobial properties for your beardies' gut health; should be fed raw and preferred to be store-bought to prevent contamination and can be served every other day.
-Green beans are a great source of vitamins; make sure to be raw before they start to get overripe beardies tend to like them crunchier; they can be served a few times a week.
-Hibiscus- yes they can eat hibiscus flowers they provide a great source of nutrients and antioxidants; make sure to buy them from a farmers market or reputable source to prevent pesticide contamination; can be served a few times a week.
-Kale- a great source of calcium; should be fed raw while cooked kale won't hurt your dragon it provides fewer nutrients; can be fed weekly.
-Parsnip- a great source of calcium, but contains an unbalanced level of phosphorus so should be kept in moderation; can be fed weekly.
- Pumpkin- lots of nutritional value; can be fed raw (obviously the cooking or "pumpkin pie") or canned version; can be fed weekly.
-Red cabbage- a great source of phosphorus and calcium; plus beardies love the crunch; can be fed weekly.
- Watercress- super high in vitamins; preferably fed raw to get the maximum amount of nutritional value; can be served weekly.
-Yellow squash- high in essential vitamins and minerals; should be fed raw; can bed fed weekly.
-Apples- make sure they are peeled!; a great source of nutrients; due to sugar content can be fed at a maximum amount of weekly.
- Blueberries- a great source of antioxidants; can be fed weekly.
-Grapes- a great source of minerals; contain high amounts of sugar and should be cut up to prevent choking hazards; served at a maximum amount of weekly. *KEEP AWAY FROM OTHER PETS!! Grapes are highly toxic to dogs and cats make sure to keep away from them*
-Guava- contains many essential vitamins and minerals for your dragon; make sure to cut off the skin and cut it into small pieces; can be fed weekly.
- Mango- contains a high amount of vitamins known to boost the immune systems; should be served without the skin and in small pieces; contains high amounts of sugar and should only be served a maximum of a week.
- Peaches- a great source of calcium and low in sugar; serve without the skin and in small pieces; can be fed weekly.
- Strawberries- nutrient-packed fruit; serve in small pieces; can be fed weekly.
Supplementary Veggies & Fruits:
-Bok choy- a great source of vitamins; good mix into their daily salad; due to high level of goitrogens ( compounds that interfere with the thyroid function) should be fed every other week.
-Celery- chopped celery is a great additive for hydration and vitamins; doesn't contain enough nutrients for regular feeding; can be fed every other week.
-Cucumbers- a great source of Vitamin C and for hydration; since they do not provide extensive nutritional value can be fed every other week.
- Green cabbage- a great addition to their salad but also high in goitrogen level so should only be every other week.
-Okra-a great source of fiber but since it is mainly fiber should only be added in on an every-other-week basis.
-Peas/ snap peas- a great addition to their salad but due to phosphorus ratio should only be fed every other week.
-Apricots- great treat or salad additive; make sure to feed without skin or pit; can be fed every other week.
-Blackberries- a great source of vitamins and antioxidants; due to high sugar content should only be fed at a maximum of every other week.
-Figs- a great source of calcium and low in phosphorus; but again due to the high sugar content should only be fed every other week.
Treats:
-Broccoli
-Tomato
-Zucchini
-Sweet potato
-Banana
-Cantaloupe
-Cherries
-Kiwi
-Raspberries
-Watermelon
Most of these are dubbed as treats due to their high sugar content, lack of nutritional value, or phosphorus ratio, which can cause health and digestive issues. Due to this, they should only be fed very rarely once to maybe twice a month.
Foods to Avoid:
-Avocado
-Beet greens
-Citrus fruits (while not toxic if overfed will cause harm to your dragons' digestive system, therefore it is easier to avoid these)
-Mushrooms
-Rhubarb
-Wild Plants
These plants on this list should NEVER be fed to your beardie. They can be toxic and cause severe health issues to your dragon.
This is meant as a guide to help determine the best diet for your bearded dragon. This does not mean that you need to feed all of these to your beardie. But instead gives you options on what you can feed. I would suggest making a schedule for feeding your dragon to ensure you provide the best diet plan for both of you. As always make sure to do your own research and if you still have concerns or questions finding and discussing this with an exotic veterinarian would be the best course of action. We will be continuing to post more about the bearded dragon diet and other care tips.
-Jordyn, Ann, and The Misfits
Important Links
-Dragon's Diet: "The Complete Bearded Dragon Diet Plan." By Team Dragon Diet
-Falls Road Animal Hospital: "The Bearded Dragon's Diet: What Can They Eat?"
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