One of the main factors to consider when caring for your bearded dragon is the type of food you provide, since it has to be a balanced diet and should be of nutritional value. Since they are omnivorous animals, we aim to determine whether potatoes are also a viable and healthy option for them.
So, can a bearded dragon eat potatoes? Due to health and nutrition reasons, the bearded dragon cannot eat potatoes, whether cooked or raw. This vegetable contains high phosphorous levels, making it acidic, with low nutritional value, and hinders calcium absorption in their bodies. Therefore, it is one of the foods that you need to avoid, mostly when raw. However, occasionally providing a small chunk of a cooked potato will not harm your pet.
Potatoes are one of the most common vegetables eaten by most people globally as a source of starch. They are also versatile; hence, you can cook them in so many ways for a tasty meal. Given that it is a common household vegetable, you may wish to know whether you can incorporate it into your bearded dragon’s diet.
Bearded dragons cannot eat raw potatoes due to their high phosphorous to calcium ratio. The phosphorous is also acidic with low nutritional value, excess water content, and interferes with calcium absorption. However, there would be no harm if you decide to provide small amounts of cooked potatoes once in a while. But for the well-being of your pet, it would be best to avoid raw potatoes entirely.
There are two things to consider as a pet owner regarding the type of food you provide your bearded dragon: balance and nutrition. So, if the food is unbalanced or has low nutritional value, it is best to avoid it. Bearded dragons are omnivorous, meaning that both plants and animals form part of their diet. As much as they eat various fruits and vegetables, the case is quite different when it comes to the potato.
Looking at the vegetable’s nutritional components, it has high levels of phosphorous, fiber, and water. First, fiber and water are beneficial to their bodies; water helps in hydration while fiber is necessary to ease bowel movement and digestion.
In contrast, nutrition experts recommend that you should balance the calcium to phosphorous levels; or else, it may harm your pet. The ideal ratio is 1:1 but not more than 1:2 so that phosphorous does not exceed the calcium levels. If the calcium levels are lower, then it would be tasking for the beardies to absorb them in their bodies.
The nutritional value for every 100g of the potato indicates that the phosphorous: calcium levels are highly skewed. The vegetable contains 8%/ gm phosphorous and only 1%/ gm calcium; this implies that the ratio is approximately 1:8, surpassing the recommended value. Therefore, for their health, it would be best for you to avoid potatoes in their diet. On the other hand, if there is no alternative, you can feed them cooked potatoes; however, it should be in small amounts and only on rare occasions.
Notably, while raw potatoes have high phosphorous levels, cooked potatoes is still not an ideal solution. Cooking the potato reduces all the other essential nutrients, so it will not be very nutritious to your pet. We advise against feeding them food without nutrients because doing so only fills up their stomach, so they can’t eat other healthy food after that. So the wisest thing is to feed them nutritious food instead so that they can be full but still get the essential nutrients.
Do Bearded Dragons Eat Cooked Sweet Potatoes?
The sweet potato is also a tuberous crop found in most countries and is one of the most versatile and tasty carbohydrates. Their skin is smooth, and it comes in various color variations for one to choose. We aim to determine whether this vegetable can also be a viable option as part of your pet dragon’s diet.
Bearded Dragons can occasionally eat raw and cooked sweet potatoes since they are safe and quite nutritious, unlike the traditional potatoes. However, too much of it is harmful to your beardie, so you only need to feed it in small portions. Some bearded dragons like them raw, while others prefer cooked ones, so it would help to know your pet’s preference. However, we recommend providing it cooked.
Based on their nutritional content, the sweet potato is not as harmful as the potato. The calcium to phosphorous level is almost 1:2, which is acceptable, so you need not worry about harming your beardie. However, if you regularly add the vegetable in the diet, these levels may be harmful. Thus, most owners give them to their pets as treats and not staple meals. Some experts further recommend that you can provide it at most once a week.
The sweet potatoes contains vitamin A, B5, B6, potassium, carbohydrates, fiber, and copper, all necessary dietary requirements for pet dragons. Thus, including it in their diet will be essential for their growth and development. Vitamin A, for instance, helps them in eye and bone development and reproduction.
But, be keen on the amount and sizes you provide. It would help if you chopped them into tiny pieces to make it easier for them to swallow. Besides, you should thoroughly wash the vegetable to eliminate any harmful contaminants. Lastly, consider how your pets like it because some prefer having it raw while some like it cooked.
Do Bearded Dragons Eat Potato Skins?
It is common to find potatoes in most households, same as potato peels and skins. So, as a beardie keeper, you may wonder whether you can give these peels to your pet. Is it the same as giving them raw potatoes?
Bearded dragons do eat potato skins; however, it may not be a preferred meal for them. As much as the reptiles are not picky in their diet matters, it may be better to provide the flesh part of the potato instead. It has more nutrients, and the beardies may find it tastier.
Other than feeding them scraps, it would help to give them small potato chunks. Remember, the potato has low nutritional value, so it would be wise to avoid giving them any potato skins since they are even lower in nutrient levels than the potato flesh.
What Flowers Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
Flowers can form part of your pet’s diet since they contain some minerals and vitamins. As much as their nutrient levels are lower than that of vegetables, they are still a great option to add to your pet’s diet. It also helps that they are readily available since you can pluck them from your backyard or purchase them at a local store.
The bearded dragon can feed on various flowers such as dandelion, roses, and hibiscus. These flowers are safe for consumption, and most beardies love them. However, you should only provide them rarely since they do not contain high nutrient levels; they can be used as rare treats and not as a staple diet.
It would help if you were careful when buying or plucking flowers by ensuring that they are not harmful to the reptiles. For instance, if the farmer used pesticides on the flowers, there will be traces of the plant’s toxic chemical. Thus, by giving these flowers to your pet, you may be risking their lives. However, if you plant them yourself, ensuring that you don’t use any chemicals or fertilizers, it would be safe to feed them to your pet dragons.
Similarly, it helps to do more research to determine which flowers are safe and which ones are not. For instance, some flowers are highly poisonous and are unfit for any animal consumption. These flowers include ivy and iris, which, when consumed, can lead to instant death. Therefore, it is wise to provide familiar flowers and avoid strange flowers; if you are uncertain, it is wise to confirm first.
Flowers are not beardies’ staple food; hence, it is best to provide them occasionally as a treat. Flowers don’t have all the necessary nutrients for your pet’s diet, unlike vegetables. Therefore, by feeding them daily to your beardies, you deny them the chance to consume other highly nutritious foods. As a result, they may become emaciated and die in the process. You can instead combine greens, fruits, and insects and use the flowers as supplements.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Flower Petals?
The reptile is not very fussy, so it can feed on almost everything provided that it is not harmful. It enables the dragons to have a range of choices, whether in the wild or captivity.
Bearded dragons can eat flower petals as well as the full flower. They prefer feeding on hibiscus, basil, and rose flower petals. Flower petals have the same nutritional value as the entire flower; they contain high water levels but have low minerals and vitamins. Thus, they provide the water needed for hydration even when they run out of water in the enclosure.
Before feeding your pet the petals, you must first ascertain that the flowers are safe from hazardous chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers. You can personally run tests or take samples to a nearby laboratory to confirm how safe the petals are for your pet’s consumption.
It would be best if you also washed them thoroughly, ensuring that you eliminate any presence of parasites or dead insects since the slightest trace of pesticides may kill your dragon. Lastly, not all beardies love flower petals, so we recommend that you slowly introduce them to various flowers first. This way, you can tell which options they like and those they don’t.
Can bearded dragons eat lavender?
There are hundreds of edibles leaves for both humans and animals; however, not all are fit or the bearded dragon. While some options are highly nutritious, others are poisonous and can lead to severe consequences. Since some edible leaves may be harmful to your pet, it is essential to know what to avoid and what to incorporate into their diet.
Bearded dragons can feed on lavender since it’s rich in nutrients such as vitamin C and calcium, which are necessary for the reptile’s growth and development. The lavender’s fresh foliage is safe for your pet’s consumption, but you should not use it as a staple food but provide it only once in a while. It is also important to note that bearded dragons behave differently towards the plant; some will feed on it, but some will be choosy.
As much as the reptile eats various leafy vegetables, not every plant is fit for your pet dragon’s consumption. Some are harmful to them, while others don’t have enough nutrient content.
Beardies can eat lavenders since they are great vegetable choices that contain essential minerals, nutrients, and vitamins. Other than its nutritional value, it is safe for your reptile to consume it as long as your buddy is not picky. Lavender contains calcium, iron, and vitamins, which are vital to your dragon’s growth and well being.
The plant contains vitamins A and C. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is vital for restoring body tissues, boosting immunity, and development. Additionally, Vitamin A helps improve the reptile’s vision and enables the animal’s body organs to function correctly. Also, irons activate enzymes to increase body metabolism and improve digestion. Calcium is necessary for bone strengthening, nerve system function, and checks on blood pressure.
On the contrary, some beardies are inclined to other vegetables apart from lavender, but this should not worry you. If you give your beardies lavender, but they don’t like it, you can always find other alternatives. We recommend constant monitoring of your pets when you feed them; this way, you will quickly note their preferences and dislikes. So, if they don’t like a particular food, you can find other options since there are other plants with the same or more nutrient contents than the lavender.
Lastly, it is imperative to consider the dragon’s age before deciding on their diet. For instance, younger beardies need more proteins than mature ones, so their food should be high in nutrients. Therefore, it is wise to provide more fleshy food than vegetables necessary for their growth. Their bodies are still growing, so providing proteins will aid in bodybuilding. You can always give mature beardies vegetables like lavender (provided that they like it).
Final Verdict
When it comes to feeding your pets, the first consideration is nutrition, so any dietary decisions should rely on how beneficial it is to their overall health. We have noted that the potato has some essential nutrients required for the bearded dragon’s growth; however, their levels are low. Besides, they have high calcium to phosphorous ratio; thus, excess intake may be detrimental to your beardie’s health. Therefore, experts recommend that you feed them potatoes less frequently and in small amounts.
However, it is wise to find other alternative fruits and vegetables as supplements to their diet to be safe. Other options may be healthier; consider carrots, celery, cabbage, or okra, to mention a few. Lastly, if you want to give your pet potatoes (occasionally), hygiene is paramount. Ensure that the potatoes or sweet potatoes are fresh and that you wash them thoroughly before you serve. You also need to peel and chop them into considerable sizes, small enough for them to eat.
Remember, bearded dragons are omnivorous; as a result, they can eat both plants and animals. This trait makes them easy to breed since they consume most of the food we eat. Lavender, for instance, is nutritious for them since it contains vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it can form a significant part of the beardies’ diet.
However, juvenile beardies may not like the vegetable much since they need a lot of proteins to grow. In contrast, it is essential to the older pets since it helps improve organ functioning. Also, note that not all beardies love lavenders; the animals differ in dietary choices, so if you find that your reptile doesn’t like it, you can always find an alternative.
Some flowers are also an excellent food for beardies, but there are certain restrictions regarding safety. For instance, some flowers like ivy and iris are very poisonous (not fit for consumption); therefore, it is best not to feed them to any of your pets. Instead, give them roses, hibiscus, or lavenders. Lastly, ascertain that the flowers are clean and free from pesticides before you feed them to your beardies.
