Definitely, bearded dragons can eat a variety of green leafy vegetables. Leeks are some of them.
So, can bearded dragons eat leeks?
Yes. Bearded dragons can eat leeks but only occasionally. When feeding your beardies with leeks, just give them the green part. Cut it in small pieces to allow your bearded dragon to eat the leeks easily.
If you are new to caring bearded dragons, many questions may flood into your mind in terms of choosing the safe and best food for your beardies.
When I started owning my first bearded dragons, I also had doubts. I was not sure what to feed them. If you experience the same, then this article is for you. Here I share some of the safe and unsafe plants you can and can’t give to your beardies.
I hope that this will help you make good decisions.
Table of Contents
Things to Remember Before Feeding Bearded Dragons
It is very important to remember that not all fruits and vegetables are safe for bearded dragons.
That said, some fruits and vegetables are harmful to reptiles even if they are safe for humans.
Generally, the fruits and vegetables that are not good for bearded dragons are the ones that are rich in water. Foods like these can cause bearded dragons diarrhea.
If you are using sand based substrate, make sure to use a high rim bowl to keep beardies’ food safe from dirt. You don’t want their salad get dirty.
Give your bearded dragon a balanced diet with green leafy vegetables and fruits. If needed, give your beardies multivitamin dusting supplement.
When doing so, however, you need take some cautions. This is because multivitamins could cause Vitamin A toxicity.
Goitrogen-rich foods should be given in moderation. Goitrogens are substances that inhibit or disrupt the production of thyroid hormones. Examples of vegetables that contain goitrogen are cauliflower, broccoli, and kale. There are many of them that are not included in this post.
Foods rich in oxalic acid should also be moderated. Oxalic acid-rich foods are not appropriate for bearded dragons.
Vitamin A and D3 consumption should also be controlled and moderated. This is because both vitamins could cause vitamin toxicity.
If your beardies have low calcium, you can dust the foods with calcium powder. In addition, don’t give your beardies with frozen vegetables. Freezing could lose the vitamin B1 in those vegetables.
Avoid feeding your bearded dragons with the plants or vegetables with pesticides or fertilizer. These chemicals can harm your bearded dragon.
Lastly, avoid giving your bearded dragons with insects from the wild. You can buy insects from pet supplies for safety of your beardies.
Foods that Bearded Dragons Can and Can’t Eat
As mentioned, bearded dragons can eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Below are some of the foods you can and can’t give to your bearded dragons. Some have reminders too.
Fruits and Veggies that Bearded Dragons Can Eat
1. Apples
Bearded dragons can eat apples. But the best practice is to peel it first.
2. Asparagus
Asparagus contains protein something needed by your beardies especially the jeveniles. However, the consumption must be moderated.
3. Bananas
Bananas are fine for bearded dragon in moderate consumption. This is because bananas contain high level of phosphorus which binds calcium which in turn cause metabolic bone disease.
4. Basil
Bearded dragons can eat basil. Basil leaves are rich in calcium and vitamin A that your beardies need.
5. Beetroot
Beetroot is fine food for bearded dragons. But is should be given in moderation. Beetroot contains oxalic acid that binds with calcium.
6. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are fine occasional food for bearded dragons. The red ones are high in vitamin C.
7. Blackberries
Blackberries have good calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. They are good for bearded dragons in occasional consumption.
8. Blueberries
Like blackberries, blueberries can also be an occasional food for bearded dragons.
9. Broccoli
As an occasional treat, broccoli is good for bearded dragons. This is because, as mentioned, although it contains vitamin C, it also has goitrogen a substance that is not good for beardies.
10. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are rich in goitrogen. This means that the bearded dragon’s consumption should be in moderation. It contains vitamins too.
11. Cabbage
In moderation, bearded dragons can eat cabbage. It is important to remember that cabbage contains low vitamins.
12. Carrots
Carrots contain a great amount of vitamin A. But they are good only for moderate consumption. This is because too much vitamin A could result in toxicity. This usually when you use multivitamin supplements to your beardies.
13. Cauliflower
Cauliflower can be added to your bearded dragons’ salad in moderation. As mentioned, cauliflower is one of the vegetables that contain goitrogens. So feed your beardies occasionally.
14. Celery
Occasionally, celery can also be a good additional vegetable for bearded dragons. It contains high level of fiber. It should be finely chopped to help digest it fast.
15. Cherry Tomatoes
Bearded dragons can eat cherry tomato occasionally. It is high in acid something that is not good for bearded dragons if ingested in large amount.
16. Cranberries
Cranberries contains high level of fiber. It also contains almost balanced level of calcium and phosphorus too. You can give it to your bearded dragons occasionally.
17. Crickets
Crickets are some of the bearded dragons’ staple foods especially in juvenile beardies. Adult bearded dragons eat fewer crickets than juveniles. This is because adult bearded dragons don’t need protein as much as they used to.
18. Cucumber
Cucumber is also an occasional food for bearded dragons. It contains more water than nutrients. As you might already know, water-rich foods can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea.
19. Dandelions
Dandelions are another great staple food for bearded dragons. This means that bearded dragons can eat dandelions every day. Dandelions contain high level of calcium and vitamin A.
20. Eggs
Bearded dragons can eat boiled eggs in occasional treat.
21. Grapes
Bearded dragons can eat grapes but must be in minimal amount. Grapes contain fiber, water, sugar, and oxalates. If consumed in large amount, grapes can cause digestive issues.
22. Locusts
Locust is one of the best staple foods of bearded dragons. When feeding your beardies with locusts, I recommend that you gut load them first before giving to your beardies.
23. Kale
Bearded dragons can also eat kale but only in small amount. This is because kale contains high level of goitrogens and oxalates.
24. Mealworms
Bearded dragons can eat mealworms infrequently. Mealworms contain high level of fat but low in calcium. If you want, you can supplement this with calcium dust.
25. Pears
Pears can be given to bearded dragons occasionally. Pears contain oxalic acid that could harm bearded dragons.
26. Pineapple
If you want to feed your bearded dragon with pineapple, make sure it is small amount.
27. Plums
Like pineapple, plums should only be given to bearded dragons occasionally.
28. Pumpkin
Bearded dragons can tolerate pumpkin in occasional basis. It contains fiber, vitamin A, and calcium.
29. Rocket
Rocket is one of the staple foods for bearded dragons. This means that you can feed your bearies with rocket every day.
30. Rose petals
Rose petals are good for bearded dragons if fed occasionally. But before feeding rose petals, make sure that they don’t have pesticides.
31. Strawberries
I occasionally feed my bearded dragons with strawberries.
32. Tomatoes
Surely, bearded dragons can eat tomatoes but only in small amount. Tomatoes contain high acid. When feeding, don’t include the seeds.
33. Watercress
Bearded dragons can eat watercress infrequently. It has high vitamin A and C content. However, it is also high in oxalic acid.
34. Watermelon
Watermelon is one of the water-rich foods of bearded dragons. If ingested in large amount could cause diarrhea. So feed your beardies with watermelon occasionally.
Fruits and Veggies that Bearded Dragons Can’t Eat
35. Avocado
Bearded dragons should not be given avocadoes. This fruit is toxic to beardies. So avoid it even on occasional treat.
36. Chicken
No. Bearded dragons should not eat raw chickens. Although chickens are protein-rich, they contain phosphorus and salmonella too.
37. Corn
Although some people recommend corn for bearded dragons, I don’t. Corn contains high level of phosphorus and oxalates.
38. Earthworms
No. I don’t recommend earthworms. Just give your bearded dragons mealworms and not earthworms.
39. Fish
Bearded dragons should not be given fish. This is because the bones of the fish cause digestive problems in bearded dragons.
40. Lettuce
Bearded dragons get nothing from eating lettuce. If ingested in large amount could only cause digestive problems such as diarrhea. So I don’t recommend lettuce to feed bearded dragons.
41. Mushrooms
Bearded dragons should not eat mushrooms. Mushrooms are poisonous to reptiles so your beardies should not eat them.
42. Oranges
Oranges are not good for bearded dragons. Oranges are rich in citric acid something that could potentially cause digestive problems. Do not feed your beardies with oranges to keep them safe.
43. Rhubarb
Bearded dragons cannot eat rhubarb because it is poisonous to them. It contains high toxic substances and oxalates.
44. Spinach
I don’t recommend feeding bearded dragons with spinach. It could potentially harm your beardies.
