You probably know that bearded dragons can eat a variety of greens including herbs. Most of these plants are safe and nutritious for bearded dragons.
However, there are some plants that should not be fed to bearded dragons. This is because some greens are poisonous.
So, can bearded dragons eat dill at all?
No. I don’t recommend dill for bearded dragons. Dill is too acidic for beardies and can cause them harm than good. Although some reptile owners recommend it, I don’t. It is better to keep the bearded dragon safe.
Apart from dill, there are several herbs that bearded dragons can and can’t eat. In this post, I will share some of them. Plus, I will also mark what are safe and not safe for beardies.
But of course, the following list is not perfect. There could be more than what is listed. The list below only contains the herbs that I know.
Table of Contents
Herbs that Bearded Dragons Should and Should Not Eat
As mentioned, many herbs are too acidic for bearded dragons. Therefore, extra caution should be exercised when feeding herbs to bearded dragons.
The list below contains the safe and unsafe herbs for beardies and those that can be fed occasionally.
Safe Herbs for Bearded Dragon
Fennel – Bearded dragons can eat fennel. It is safe for them.
Lavender – Bearded dragons can eat lavender. It is safe for them.
Lemongrass – Bearded dragons can eat lemongrass. It is safe for them.
Mints – Bearded dragons can eat mints. It is safe for them to eat.
Oregano – Bearded dragons can eat oregano. It is safe for them eat.
Herbs for Bearded Dragons’ Occasional Consumption
Basil – Bearded dragons can eat basil but only on an occasional basis. This is because basil contains a high amount of fiber.
Cilantro – Bearded dragons can eat cilantro but only on an occasional basis. Cilantro is a little bit acidic making it not too good for bearded dragons when ingested in large amounts.
Rosemary – This is fine for beardies on an occasional basis. It contains fiber making it not too good for large consumption.
Tarragon – bearded dragons can eat tarragon on an occasional basis. Not good as a staple food.
Thyme – not too good for large consumption but bearded dragons can eat thyme on an occasional basis.
Herbs that are Not Safe for Bearded Dragon and Should Be Avoided
Chives – I don’t recommend feeding your bearded dragons with chives. They are too acidic for beardies. Avoid these herbs.
Dill – as mentioned at the beginning of this post, dill is too acidic for bearded dragons. I don’t recommend it for your beardies.
Garlic – It is one of the potentially toxic herbs for bearded dragons. So you should prevent your beardies from eating garlic.
Parsley – It has high oxalates content therefore not good for bearded dragons.
Sage – another herb to avoid for bearded dragons.
Plants are very important for beardies especially the adult ones. Without greens, their diet will be imbalanced. And when that happens, they could develop health issues in the future.
If you are like me who wants to keep my beardies healthy all the time, you might be looking for foods that are safe for them. That might also the reason why you’re reading this article.
If that is the case, then you are in the right place. Apart from herbs, I will also share with you a variety of plants you can give to your bearded dragons.
The list below contains many fruits and vegetables where you can offer a whole new set of the menu from time to time to your beardies.
This is very important especially if you have a picky bearded dragon. You need to think a new combination of foods every now and then to entice them to eat.
If beardies receive the same food over and over again, they will lose appetite. So you need to be creative.
Below is the list of different food categories. I put some caution on some of those foods though.
Without further ado, let’s dive in to the list.
Good for Salad
When making a salad for your beardies, there are a variety of greens you can choose from. This may include;
- Chicory
- Endives
- Lollo Bionda
- Lollo Rosso
- Radicchio
- Romaine lettuce
- Arugula
- Lamb’s lettuce (this should be on occasional basis only)
Quick note: Not all lettuce is safe. There are other varieties that you should not include in the salad for bearded dragons. Examples of these are iceberg and cabbage lettuce.
Vegetables for Bearded Dragons
When it comes to vegetables, bearded dragons eat a variety of them. Below are some of the beardies’ favorite.
- Radish green
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Squash
- Zucchini
For occasional consumption, bearded dragons can eat;
- Broccoli
- Chinese cabbage
- Cucumber
- Kohlrabi leaves
- Fennel leaves
- Chard
- Okra
- Paprika
- Leek
- Brussels sprout
- Beetroot
- Celery leaves
- Starfruit
- Tomato
Quick note: Not all vegetables are safe for bearded dragons. There are other variables that you should not include in their meals. Examples of those are spinach and radish.
Plants and Flowers from the Backyard Garden
If you have plants and flowers in your garden, see whether or not your beardies can eat them. Below is my shortlist of safe backyard plants and flowers.
- Rose petals
- Rose leaves
- Hibiscus flowers
- Hibiscus leaves
- Pansy flowers
Plants from the Wild
There are plants from the wild that bearded dragons can eat. Examples of them are;
- Bindweed
- Maple leaves
- Borage
- Grape leaves
- Chickweed
- Daisy
- Rosehip flowers
- Hazel leaves
- Shepherd’s purse
- Chamomile
- Clover
- Cornflower blossoms
- Dandelion
- Mallow
- Evening primrose
- Petunia flowers
- Blackberries
Quick note: Although bearded dragons can eat these plants from the wild, you need to make sure that they don’t have insects, pesticides, or even herbicides with them. In other words, wild plants are not safe for bearded dragons unless you’re sure that they are clean.
Personally though, I don’t feed my bearded dragons with plants picked in the wild. This is because I cannot be sure whether or not they are clean.
As a pet owner, it is up to you if you give your bearded dragons these plants.
Fruits for Bearded Dragons
Fruits often have high water content. This is the reason why most fruits are not too good for beardies unless for small amounts.
Below are some of the fruits you can feed to your beardies on an occasional basis;
- Apple
- Mango
- Raspberries
- Blueberris
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Pear
- Papaya
Quick note: There are fruits that are not good for bearded dragons. Examples of them are banana and kiwi. If you feed your beardies with these, it should be only rarely.
Live Food
Apart from fruits and vegetables, bearded dragons’ diets should also be involved live feeders such as insects.
Below are some of the healthy live feeders you can give to your beardies;
- Crickets
- Locusts
On occasional basis, bearded dragons can eat;
- Mealworms
- Zophobas
- Wax moth larvae
Quick note: if you feed your beardies with baby rats or mice, make sure it is very rare.
Aside from these live feeders, there are other live foods. The becoming more and more popular live feeders is the Dubia roaches. These are better than crickets. They do not smell and do not produce annoying noises.
Things to Consider When Caring for Bearded Dragons
To make bearded dragons healthy, there are things you need to take into consideration as a pet owner.
Like other pets, beardies can be prone to many health issues if not provided with their needs.
Below are some of the things you need to consider.
1. Enough water
Although bearded dragons get water from their diet, they still need water to drink. If not, they could suffer constipation and other health issues.
However, if bearded dragons consumed too much water, they could also suffer from diarrhea. This usually happens when they eat too much water-rich fruits and vegetables.
When choosing fruits and vegetables, make sure that they are not too watery for beardies. Avoid feeding cucumber or tomato to your bearded dragons too often.
2. Regulated Fruit Consumption
Fruits and vegetables are important for the bearded dragons’ diet. For adult beardies, fruits and vegetables should be 70-80% of their diet.
However, fruits should be regulated due to their water content. As mentioned, many fruits are water-rich. They are not good for bearded dragons especially in large amounts.
Most fruits are also high in sugars and acid something that is not good for bearded dragons.
When feeding fruits, make sure you’re giving just enough amount and don’t go overboard.
3. Limit Spices and Herbs Too
As you can see in the list above, not all herbs are safe. Many of them may contain essential oils that may not suitable for bearded dragons.
Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Dill
There are a variety of greens and herbs that beardies can eat. However, there are many herbs that are not good for bearded dragons. One of them is dill.
Although some bearded dragon owners feed dill to their beardies, I don’t recommend it here. Dill is too acidic for bearded dragons. I always want to keep my reptile pet safe by giving them healthy foods.
But don’t worry, this post contains a list of safe herbs you can try for your beardies. Just avoid the ones that you picked in the wild. Those plants may have chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides that could potentially harm your bearded dragon.
I hope this helps. If you want to learn more about bearded dragons, feel free to visit my guide.
