Bearded dragons can eat a variety of greens. However, it is very important to remember that not all greens are safe for beardies. Some varieties are, in fact, toxic to bearded dragons.
So, can bearded dragons eat celery at all?
Bearded dragons can eat celery on an occasional basis. Although celery is not toxic to beardies, they have a high water content that may cause digestive problems in bearded dragons. In addition, when feeding beardies with celery, make sure that it is finely chopped to prevent beardies from choking.
Although celery is not toxic to bearded dragons, feeding it should be on an occasional basis only. Celery contains some constituents that are not good for bearded dragons. The table below summarizes the nutrients that beardies can get from eating celery.
Table of Contents
Nutritional Facts of Celery
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Energy | 67 kJ (16 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 2.97 g (including fiber) |
| Starch | 0.00 g |
| Sugars | 1.34 g |
| lactose | 0.00 g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.6 g |
| Fat | 0.17 g |
| Saturated | 0.042 g |
| Trans | 0.000 g |
| Monounsaturated | 0.032 g |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.079 g |
| Protein | 0.69 g |
| Vitamins | Quantity %DV† |
| Vitamin A equiv. | 22 μg 3% |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.021 mg 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.057 mg 5% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.320 mg 2% |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.246 mg 5% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.074 mg 6% |
| Folate (B9) | 36 μg 9% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.00 μg 0% |
| Choline | 6.1 mg 1% |
| Vitamin C | 3.1 mg 4% |
| Vitamin D | 0 IU 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.27 mg 2% |
| Vitamin K | 29.3 μg 28% |
| Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
| Calcium | 40 mg 4% |
| Copper | 0.035 mg 2% |
| Iron | 0.20 mg 2% |
| Magnesium | 11 mg 3% |
| Phosphorus | 24 mg 3% |
| Potassium | 260 mg 6% |
| Sodium | 80 mg 5% |
| Zinc | 0.13 mg 1% |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 95.43 g |
Source: Wikipedia
As you can see in the table above, celery contains more than 95% water. You might already know that watery food could potentially cause digestive issues like diarrhea in bearded dragons.
Like other greens, celery could cause choking if not prepared properly. Before mixing it with other greens when making the salad, make sure that it is finely chopped in small pieces.
Below is a quick guide on how to correctly prepare celery for bearded dragons.
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The Best Ways to Prepare Celery for Bearded Dragons
Because celery has high water content, it is a good addition to keep beardies hydrated. If offered correctly, celery has many benefits to your bearded dragons.
I don’t suggest making celery as a staple food for beardies though. The high water content could also harm the lizard. It should not be the main part of the menu. Make it as an occasional food instead.
In preparing celery, make sure that beardies can eat it easily. You can do it by chopping the celery into small bite-pieces. Make sure that no piece is larger than the space between the eyes of your beardy.
Yes, you read it right. The distance between the two eyes of a bearded dragon is the exact size of food he/she can take easily.
Bearded dragon owners use the space between the bearded dragon’s eyes in preparing salad. Bigger chunks of food could cause problems in beardies. They are prone to choke and digestive issues.
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What you can do is to cut the celery stalk into small cube pieces. This way assures you that everything is in the correct size.
As mentioned, do not make celery as the major component of the salad. You can incorporate other greens and fruits to make the salad more colorful and interesting to bearded dragons.
If you are dealing with a picky bearded dragon, you can mix three to four fruits and vegetables. Chop them in equal size if you can and mix them together. This way it will be hard for your beardy to choose his/her favorite food.
Lastly, do not offer your beardy with cooked veggies (e.g. cooked celery). Cooked foods have lost their original nutritional value for bearded dragons. Their food should resemble their diet in the wild that they used to eat.
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What to Add to a Bearded Dragon’s Salad?
Bearded dragons in captivity should get a balanced diet. To do that, they should eat a variety of greens and vegetables.
Unfortunately, not all greens and fruits are safe and healthy for bearded dragons. As mentioned, there are fruits and vegetables that are toxic for beardies.
Fortunately, there are a few that you can add to your beardies’ salad. The foods that I am going to share with you in this section contain vitamins and minerals necessary for the beardies’ healthy diet.
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Below is the shortlist of safe and nutritious foods you can offer to your bearded dragons.
- Alfalfa (plant)
- Cactus pad or leaf
- Cactus pear or prickly pear
- Collard greens
- Dandelion greens (just make sure they are free from pesticides)
- Endive
- Escarole
- Mustard greens
- Phoenix worms
- Silkworm
- Squash of many kinds
- Turnip greens
The foods included in the list above are high in vitamins A, B, and C. They also have a good amount of calcium and phosphorus making them perfect staple food for bearded dragons.
You have multiple choices for daily salad offerings for your beardies. You can have different combinations from the list to make sure that your beardy will not lose appetite.
Apart from the foods listed above, there are other greens and veggies that can be fed to bearded dragons on an occasional basis. But there are fruits and veggies that you should avoid feeding your beardies.
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Fruits and Veggies You Should Not Give to Your Bearded Dragon
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, not all greens and fruits are safe for bearded dragons. Some greens are in fact toxic and dangerous to bearded dragons.
Below is the short list of foods that your beardies should not eat.
- Oranges – they are high in citric acid
- Lettuce – no nutritional value for bearded dragons
- Spiders – some carry toxic substances
- Fireflies – extremely toxic to bearded dragons
- Bugs caught in the wild – they might carry pesticides and other harmful chemicals
The list of toxic food for the bearded dragon is longer than this. However, It is not the main topic of this post to list all the toxic foods for beardies. What I want to say here is that when choosing foods for your lizard, always make sure that the foods are safe and healthy for them.
Related Article: Are Mealworms Bad for Bearded Dragons?
Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Celery
Celery is one of the most common and accessible vegetables. This is the reason why most bearded dragon owners wonder whether or not bearded dragons can eat celery.
Well, celery is not toxic to bearded dragons. This means that beardies can eat celery. However, because celery has high water content, it should only be offered on an occasional basis.
Celery can also be a great addition to beardies’ salad. Just make sure that it is cut or chopped in small pieces to avoid beardies from having trouble eating.
Because celery is high in water, it can help beardies regain hydration. But the consumption should be minimized. If consumed in large amounts, celery can potentially cause digestive problems like diarrhea. So offer it as a treat.
I hope this helps. You can find more articles like this on my bearded dragon’s guide page.
Thank you for reading.
