Bread is a common staple food for humans. It is part of our regular diet. But is it safe for reptiles too?
Can bearded dragons eat bread?
Bread is one of the baked foods that bearded dragons should not eat. It has no nutritional value and could also harm them when it expands in their stomach.
Bread is healthy for humans but not for bearded dragons. This baked food contains wheat flour, yeast, sweeteners, liquids, salt, and fats. Other ingredients include cream, juice, butter, and eggs.
Bread is a starchy food something that beardies are not accustomed to eating in the wild. As a rule of thumb, bearded dragons in captivity should have a diet that resembles their diet in the wild.
Table of Contents
Why Bread is Not Good for Bearded Dragons?
As mentioned, bread is one of the cooked foods that are not good for bearded dragons. Once ingested, the bread will expand in the stomach of the beardy which in turn affects the digestive system.
To have a better understanding, let’s look at everything that bread contains. The table below shows everything you need to know why bearded dragons should not eat bread.
Serving Size: 1 Slice (25g)
| Amounts Per Selected Serving | %DV |
| Calories | 66.5 (278 kJ) 3% |
| From Carbohydrate | 47.4 (198 kJ) |
| From Fat | 8.2 (34.3 kJ) |
| From Protein | 10.9 (45.6 kJ) |
| From Alcohol | 0.0 (0.0 kJ) |
| Total Carbohydrate | 11.9g 4% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.09g 4% |
| Sugar | 1.4g |
| Total Fat | 0.9g 1% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2g 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.2g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4g |
| Total Omega-3 fatty acids | 33.8mg |
| Total Omega-6 fatty acids | 325mg |
| Protein | 2.7g 5% |
| Vitamins Vitamin A | 0.0 IU 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.0mg 0% |
| Vitamin D | ~ ~ |
| Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) | 0.0mg 0% |
| Vitamin K | 1.2mcg 2% |
| Thiamin | 0.1mg 6% |
| Riboflavin | 0.1mg 5% |
| Niacin | 1.3mg 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.0mg 1% |
| Folate | 21.3mcg 5% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.0mcg 0% |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.2mg 2% |
| Choline | 4.7mg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 35.5mg 4% |
| Iron | 0.9mg 5% |
| Magnesium | 12.0mg 3% |
| Phosphorus | 38.7mg 4% |
| Potassium | 46.0mg 1% |
| Sodium | 130mg 5% |
| Zinc | 0.3mg 2% |
| Copper | 0.0mg 2% |
| Manganese | 0.3mg 14% |
| Selenium | 7.2mcg 10% |
Source: Self Nutrition Data
As you can see, nothing in the table seems to be dangerous to bearded dragons except the disproportionate ratio for calcium to phosphorus. But the fact that bread is a baked food, it is not natural.
Even on an occasional basis, I don’t recommend feeding bearded dragons with bread. This is to keep the beardies safe.
Aside from bread, there are other foods that you should not feed to your bearded dragons. In this section, I will share with you the examples.
What Are Other Foods That Bearded Dragons Should Avoid?
As you already know, bearded dragons in captivity should eat natural foods that emulate their diet in the wild. And their balanced diet involves the combination of fruits, vegetables, and live insects.
However, there are fruits, vegetables, and insects that bearded dragons should avoid consuming. These things are harmful and even toxic to them.
If you are a total beginner on this, you might be wondering what are the foods that beardies should NOT eat. But don’t worry, this post is created just for you.
I have listed a few harmful insects, greens, and veggies that your beardy should stay away from. Here are some examples:
1. Lettuce
In general, lettuce is not toxic to bearded dragons. They can eat it on an occasional basis. The only issue is that lettuce contains mostly of water and does not have a real nutritional value to bearded dragons.
As a rule of thumb, you should not feed a bearded dragon with a watery food because it could cause digestive issues like diarrhea.
If inevitable, make sure that it is only in minimal amount. Bearded dragons love lettuce and they can eat large amounts if permitted. But this instance can only bring them harm than good.
2. Fireflies
If there is an insect that you should NEVER feed to your bearded dragon, it is firefly.
Fireflies are toxic to bearded dragons. Even a small amount is extremely toxic to bearded dragons.
3. Avocados
Avocados are good for humans but not for bearded dragons. This is because avocadoes contain oxalic acid that could detriment the health of the bearded dragons.
Even a small amount could already harm the reptile. And large amounts could be fatal to beardies. Feed your beardy with other healthy fruits instead.
4. Rhubarb
Rhubarb is another toxic food for bearded dragons. Don’t make a mistake in feeding this thing to your beardy. If ingested, it could cause death to your reptile.
When accidentally eaten, seek help from a vet immediately. It is something that needs immediate attention.
5. Beet Tops
Beet tops are not toxic; in fact, it is one of the most nutritious foods. The only problem is that; beet tops also contain substances that inhibit calcium absorption in bearded dragons.
When no calcium absorbs, this will lead to a more serious problem known as metabolic bone disease. This is a calcium deficiency condition that is harmful to bearded dragons.
However, because beet tops are not toxic, bearded dragons can still eat them in moderation. Just be careful not to feed too much to avoid potential health problems in your beardies.
6. Spinach
Like beet tops, spinach also contains calcium-binding substances that will result in metabolic bone disease. If you feed spinach, make sure that it is just in small amounts. On an occasional basis, spinach may not negatively affect your beardies’ health.
Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bread
Unfortunately, bread is not good for bearded dragons. It can expand in the stomach of bearded dragons like a sponge. Needless to say that it is not good for bearded dragons.
Aside from bread, avoid other cooked or baked foods too.
Bearded dragons need natural foods that emulate their diet in the wild.
I hope this helps. To learn more about bearded dragons’ foods, feel free to visit my guide page.
Thanks for reading!
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