What Vegetables Can Bearded Dragons Eat and Their Benefits

For those who are wondering, it is possible for a bearded dragon to eat vegetables. However, there are some limitations on the types of vegetables they can easily digest and feed on. The best way to provide your dragon with a healthy diet of both greens and meat would be to use a good quality reptile food that is formulated for beardies. There are many different types of vegetables that bearded dragons can eat.

The following are some of the best types of vegetables you can feed them:

1. Romaine Lettuce

The Romaine lettuce is actually one of the most nutritious vegetables a dragon can eat because it is rich in Vitamin A and C, which are good for eye health. Since it’s vitamin B content is also low, you should limit its intake to less than 1.5 tablespoons per day. Also, Romaine is loaded with calcium and has plenty of other nutrients that are good for the dragon’s overall health. The downside is that it also has a strong smell and is not very appealing to many dragons.

2. Celery (Soft Stems)

The Celery belongs to the Apiaceae family, which means it is actually part of the parsley family. It’s a great source of vitamin C and contains plenty of carbohydrates, fiber, folate, calcium and iron. The other good thing about Celery is that it’s low in calories. The downside is that it can be hard to chew, which means your dragon could develop an impacted jaw. The soft stems are easier to digest than crisp stalks, but you should still limit the intake of Celery in general.

3. Broccoli

The reason why Broccoli is one of the most recommended vegetables for bearded dragons is because it provides lots of dietary fiber, vitamin A, potassium and vitamin C. The other great thing is that it has a very strong leafy smell, which dragons really love. However, because Broccoli has a strong taste, it means that you will have to prepare the dish with a lot of spices and/or meat. The downside of this vegetable is that it also has a high calorie content.

4. Spinach

You should be more than happy to feed your bearded dragon some spinach because it overflows with vitamin A, C and E vitamin. Six other good nutrients that are good for your dragon’s health include folate, magnesium and iron. The downside of Spinach is that it is high in oxalic acid, which can damage your dragon’s tooth when eaten in large quantities. Also, too much of it can cause the calcium in your dragon’s body to drop, which leads to health complications.

5. Beet Greens

The beet greens is a very popular vegetable to feed your bearded dragon because it contains large amounts of vitamin B, as well as calcium and iron. You should limit the amount of beet greens you feed to your dragon to 1/3 of the total greens it eats because it can actually be bad for their health since it contains oxalic acid. The other downside is that the stems are hard to digest and can be particularly difficult for some dragons.

6. Rhubarb

The rhubarb is actually a root vegetable that belongs to the Solanaceae family. Surprisingly, it contains a lot of iron and calcium. The downside is that it can be hard to digest, which means you will have to prepare the salad with low amounts of butter and/or meat. The stems can also be quite difficult for dragons to chew on. The leaves of the Rhubarb are usually chopped or sautéed, especially broccoli or spinach, which means that they can be good additions to most dishes.

7. Asparagus

You should be happy you get to feed your bearded dragon this healthy vegetable. The asparagus has a lot of vitamin C, which is great for eye health, and is also a great source of calcium and iron. The stems are usually a favorite amongst bearded dragons, but can also cause them to develop an impacted jaw due to their being harder to digest. The leaves of the asparagus are usually chopped and mixed with other vegetables because they have a strong smell.

8. Carrots

The carrots will make the perfect vegetables to feed your dragon because they contain a high amount of vitamin A, C and K and are also rich in beta-carotene. The other good thing about carrots is that they are very sweet, which makes them a favorite amongst dragons. You should be careful not to give your dragon too many carrots though because they can actually cause your bearded dragon to develop diarrhea or constipation.

9. Kale

The kale is a popular vegetable that you can feed your dragon because it is rich in chlorophyll and beta-carotene. It also has plenty of dietary fiber, iron, calcium and vitamin C. The downside is that it also contains oxalic acid and has a large amount of calcium, which leads to health complications if eaten in large quantities. The best way to feed your dragon is to chop the kale into small pieces because it tastes better when it is fed this way.

10. Cucumber

It should not come as a surprise that the cucumber belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family because it’s actually related to the pumpkin and zucchini squash. Just like most other vegetables, the cucumber has a lot of vitamin C and is also good for eye health. The downside of this vegetable is that it contains a big amount of water, which means that you can have to add butter, spices and/or meat to make sure the dragon eats it.

11. Zucchini

The zucchini belongs to the same family as cucumbers, gourds and pumpkins. The truth is that zucchini contains large amounts of dietary fiber and vitamin C. The downside of the Zucchini is that some dragons cannot easily digest it, which means they will have to be prepared with more spices and/or meat. The other thing is that the leaves of the zucchini are harder to chew on.

Conclusion

The good thing about these vegetables is that you can easily find them in any supermarket. The other really great thing is that they are relatively cheap to buy. However, you should still be careful as some of these vegetables contain substances (such as oxalic acid) that can actually cause health complications if eaten in large quantities. Another good thing is that these vegetables provide your pet with very important nutrients, which means they will be healthy, active and live longer lives.