The bearded dragon is one of the most popular reptiles to be kept as a pet. This animal is unaggressive and relatively easy to care for. One of the most important aspects of bearded dragon care is the animal’s diet.
Bearded dragons have a somewhat varied diet and being omnivorous they eat both meat and vegetables. It is very important to feed these animals a good balance. These lizards are not made to be vegetarians nor can they survive on meat alone. The age of these animals determines what the dominant part of their diet should be.
Young bearded dragons live mostly on a diet of small insects. At this age the bearded dragon needs more protein than vegetables. Young bearded dragons should be fed insects twice daily as well as being offered some vegetables. The diet of the bearded dragon changes as it ages.
Adult bearded dragons eat mostly vegetables. They should have a variety of these offered to them daily and less meat in their diet. They should be offered insects about every other day. Adults can eat a wider variety of insects than juveniles.
Bearded dragons will eat a variety of insects. These reptiles should not be fed prey that is larger than the space between their eyes. Feeding prey that is too large may cause digestive problems and can even kill your pet. Crickets should be the main source of meat for your dragon, but earthworms, waxworms, cockroaches, kingworms, mealworms, red worms, and superworms may also be used on occasion. Adults can also eat a pinkie, a baby mouse, every once in a while. When feeding insects to your bearded dragon, make sure that they are gut loaded. Gut loaded is when an insect is fed a nutritious meal before being fed to your pet. This makes them a more nutritious meal. They should also be dusted with Calcium and Vitamin D supplements, which can be bought at your local pet stores. Never feed a bearded dragon lightening bugs or boxelder bugs as they are toxic.
Bearded dragons also enjoy a variety of vegetables in their diet. Some may also eat fruit, but this should only be fed to them rarely. Some popular foods for these animals are carrots, peas, green beans, okra, romaine lettuce, clovers, parsley, sweet potato, kale, and dandelion greens. A bearded dragon should never be fed iceburg lettuce as it can be harmful and has little nutritional value. They can have green leaf and romaine lettuce, but these should not be the main part of their diet because they do not have enough nutritional value. Make sure that the vegetables you feed your bearded dragon are chopped up small enough for it to eat.
The diet of a bearded dragon is very important to its health. Commercial prepared diets are also becoming more popular, but many people feed these animals the fresh foods found above. A good diet makes for a happy, healthy bearded dragon.
A more complete list of bearded dragon foods can be found here:
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