• Home
    • About
    • Contact
    Bearded Dragon Haven
    • Bearded Dragon Care
    • Bearded Dragon Diet
    • Bearded Dragon FAQ
    • Bearded Dragon Guide
    • Bearded Dragon Health
    Bearded Dragon Haven
    Home»Bearded Dragon Diet»Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach? You Should Know This
    Bearded Dragon Diet

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach? You Should Know This

    By LuisUpdated:January 11, 20228 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit Email WhatsApp
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach

    There is no doubt that bearded dragons can eat a variety of greens. But there are greens that are not meant for reptiles. This in fact, some greens are harmful if fed to bearded dragons.

    If you are new to raising a beardie, this might concern you. The reality is that bearded dragons are prone to health problems if fed with inappropriate foods.

    So, can bearded dragons eat spinach at all?

    Bearded dragons can eat spinach on an occasional basis. This is because spinach contain high amount of oxalates. As you might already know, greens and fruits that contain oxalates should not be part of the bearded dragons’ staple food.

    Oxalates are substances that could sabotage the overall health of a bearded dragon. These chemicals bind with calcium which in turn inhibits calcium absorption. When this happen, your beardy will suffer from different health issues caused by calcium deficiency.

    To provide better understanding, I included a table below that summarizes the nutrients your beardy can get from eating spinach.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Leeks?

    Table of Contents

    • Nutritional Facts of Spinach
    • Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach? (My Personal View)
    • What Are the Advantages of Feeding Bearded Dragons with Spinach?
    • The Problem of Feeding Beardies with Spinach on a Regular Basis
    • Can Spinach be a Regular Diet Component for Beardies?
    • How Will You Prepare Spinach for Your Bearded Dragon?
      • 1. Make sure it is clean
      • 2. Do not cook
      • 3. Mix spinach with other greens
    • Great Additional Greens for Bearded Dragons’ Salad
    • Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach

    Nutritional Facts of Spinach

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach

    Now, let’s see whether or not eating spinach is good for bearded dragons. Please refer to the table below.

    Per 100g serving

    NameAmountUnit
    Water91.4g
    Energy23Kcal
    Protein2.86g
    Total lipid (fat)0.39g
    Carbohydrate, by difference3.63g
    Fiber2.2g
    Sugars0.42g
    Calcium, Ca99mg
    Phosphorus, P49mg
    Sodium, Na1mg
    Vitamin C28.1mg
    Iron, Fe2.71mg
    Magnesium, Mg79mg
    Potassium, K558mg

    Source: Wikipedia

    As you can see in the table, aside from the mentioned level of oxalate content, spinach is also rich in water. As you know, watery foods are not good for bearded dragons too.

    Foods with high water content can potentially cause digestive issues like diarrhea. If you are a beginner, you need to be careful especially if you are feeding fruits.

    But this does not mean that your beardy should not be totally fed with spinach. Beardies can eat spinach in a small amount as an occasional treat.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Rose Petals?

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach? (My Personal View)

    Spinach is one of the most common greens. This means that it is available in almost all parts of the globe.

    So, do I recommend feeding beardy with spinach? Yes, you can give your beardies spinach occasionally. Many bearded dragon owners do the same. Just make sure that it is in a minimal amount.

    Some experts though claim that spinach is safe for bearded dragons. But for someone who once lost his reptile pet, I don’t feed my beardie with spinach regularly.

    But I admit that spinach is a great addition to a salad for reptiles. You can mix it with other greens to balance the nutrients. As mentioned, spinach is high in oxalates and water but can be offset with other nutritious greens.

    The lively green color of spinach will help make the salad more colorful and enticing to eat for bearded dragons. This is good especially if you have a picky bearded dragon.

    When done right, beardies can have several benefits from eating this green.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Celery? (Is It Safe)

    What Are the Advantages of Feeding Bearded Dragons with Spinach?

    Although spinach contains a high level of oxalates and water, it has several benefits to bearded dragons when offered in moderation.

    As stated in the table above, spinach is a good source of protein. Beardies, especially the young ones need protein for their speedy growth. This is also the reason why they eat more insects than adult beardies do.

    But spinach is not the main source of protein. Insects are. The young beardies consume about 80% insects and only 20% of greens.

    Adult beardies on the other hand only eat about 20% protein-rich foods and 80% greens. As you can see, the consumption of greens and insects change as the beardy age.

    Furthermore, spinach also has good calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. As recommended, the ideal ratio is 2:1. Fortunately, spinach has this ideal ratio.

    Calcium and phosphorus ratio is very important to put into consideration. Every bearded dragon owner should know this. Foods that do not have the ideal calcium-to-phosphorus ratio should not be offered to beardies on a regular basis.

    In addition, spinach contains a minimal amount of other constituents that are healthy to beardies. Some of these appropriate amounts are salt, potassium, vitamin C, and iron.

    Overall, it seems that spinach is a healthy staple food for dragons. But it is not. There is one big problem making spinach not good food for beardies.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Celery? (Is It Safe)

    The Problem of Feeding Beardies with Spinach on a Regular Basis

    Despite all the great nutrients that spinach has, there is one big reason why you should not feed your bearded dragon spinach on a regular basis.

    As mentioned, the main reason most bearded dragon owners, if not all, do not recommend feeding beardies spinach is because of its high oxalate content.

    This chemical can be dangerous to the health of bearded dragons as it binds with calcium and prevents the body from absorbing it. As a result, beardies may suffer from calcium deficiency.

    In other words, if beardies eat spinach on a regular basis, their body will be lacking calcium. If so, this may result in a more serious condition known as metabolic bone disease.

    Metabolic bone disease or MBD is a health condition wherein the bone becomes weak and brittle. Bearded dragons with this MBD have difficulties in walking and other health issues.

    The most common remedy is giving calcium supplements. This is a great way to help boost the calcium content in your beardies’ diet. The truth is, even the best diet won’t be able to supply the appropriate amount of calcium needed for beardies.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Endive? You Should Know This

    Can Spinach be a Regular Diet Component for Beardies?

    Unfortunately, no. I strongly discourage feeding beardies with spinach regularly. You already know the reason. The high oxalate content alone is enough to rule out spinach as natural food for a bearded dragon.

    But this does not mean that beardies cannot eat spinach at all. There are good reasons why your retile should eat spinach. As you can see in the table above, spinach has several good nutrients that your beardy will benefit from eating it.

    The only thing you need to remember is that when feeding spinach, make sure that is in a minimal amount and on an occasional basis only.

    What I can recommend in terms of feeding frequency is once every 2-3 months. Mix it with other healthier greens to achieve a balanced diet.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Rosemary?

    How Will You Prepare Spinach for Your Bearded Dragon?

    Feeding greens to reptiles require extra care. This is because bearded dragons can easily get sick if ingested unhealthy foods.

    This goes the same with spinach. But even it is safe for beardies on an occasional basis, there are some things you need to remember when preparing spinach for your bearded dragon.

    Here are the things you need to remember:

    1. Make sure it is clean

    Well, this is not new. We all wash the greens before making them part of our salad. But for bearded dragons, making the greens clean is very important. This is because they are prone to impaction if ingested hard and not digestible materials.

    So when making spinach as part of the salad, make sure it is clean and free from dirt.

    2. Do not cook

    When preparing food for beardies, it should always be remembered that the foods are fresh. The diet of bearded dragons in captivity should resemble their diet in the wild.

    In addition, cooked foods lose their nutritional value. This is one of the reasons why bearded dragons should not be fed with cooked foods.

    3. Mix spinach with other greens

    Because spinach contains a high amount of water and oxalates, it is best to offer it with other healthier greens. This is to somehow balance the nutrients. There are a variety of greens you can add to your salad.

    Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cabbage?

    Great Additional Greens for Bearded Dragons’ Salad

    There are a variety of healthier greens that you can mix with spinach to make a healthier salad for beardies.

    In this section, I included some of the best greens that could balance the diet of your bearded dragon. Actually, there are more than the five included below. But I just chose the five because they work well with my beardies.

    If, however, the following are not available in your location, you can search for other options. I am sure you can find plenty of them online.

    So, without further ado, here are my great and healthier recommended greens:

    • Collards
    • Dandelion greens
    • Grape leaves
    • Turnip greens
    • Watercress

    These greens are some of the most nutritious foods you can offer to your bearded dragon. They can be staple foods for your beardies too.

    Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach

    Bearded dragons can eat spinach on an occasional basis. Not more than that. This is because spinach contains high oxalate amount something that can cause health problems in bearded dragons.

    When offering spinach to your beardies, I recommend that you mix it with other healthier greens. This will make the salad healthier.

    I hope this helps. Thank you very much for spending your time reading this post.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase through affiliate links in this article, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

    Bearded Dragons Spinach
    Luis

    I am a blogger, gardener, animal lover and the owner of Bearded Dragon Haven. I love all kinds of pets including bearded dragons, and I'm here to share with you my knowledge in caring for our beloved reptilian pets.

    You May Also Like

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Peppers

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Peppers?

    September 27, 2020
    Best Greens for Bearded Dragons

    Best Greens for Bearded Dragons

    September 25, 2020
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Chard

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Chard? Something You Should Know

    September 24, 2020
    Why Does My Bearded Dragon Hiss at Me

    Why Does My Bearded Dragon Hiss at Me?

    September 23, 2020
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Onions

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Onions? You Should Know This

    September 21, 2020
    Can Bearded Dragons Hear

    Can Bearded Dragons Hear? Interesting Facts

    September 20, 2020
    Latest Articles
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Peppers

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Peppers?

    Updated:January 11, 2022
    Best Greens for Bearded Dragons

    Best Greens for Bearded Dragons

    Updated:January 11, 2022
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Chard

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Chard? Something You Should Know

    Updated:January 11, 2022
    Why Does My Bearded Dragon Hiss at Me

    Why Does My Bearded Dragon Hiss at Me?

    Updated:March 5, 2022
    Editor's Picks
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe Bearded Dragon Diet

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe?

    By LuisUpdated:January 11, 2022
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Celery Bearded Dragon Diet

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Celery? (Is It Safe)

    By LuisUpdated:January 11, 2022
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Broccoli Bearded Dragon Diet

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Broccoli? Facts You Should Know

    By LuisUpdated:January 11, 2022
    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Papaya Bearded Dragon Diet

    Can Bearded Dragons Eat Papaya? (Is It Dangerous?)

    By LuisUpdated:January 11, 2022
    About Us

    Bearded Dragon Haven aims to help bearded dragon owners care for their beloved reptile pets. We are passionate about bearded dragons. Read our informative articles and guides on how to care, feed and pamper your pet bearded dragon!

    Categories
    • Bearded Dragon Care
    • Bearded Dragon Diet
    • Bearded Dragon FAQ
    • Bearded Dragon Guide
    • Bearded Dragon Health
    Disclosure

    Bearded Dragon Haven is a participant in the Amazon Affiliate program. Some articles on this site contain affiliate links. This means that every time you click and buy a product through the links, we earn a little commission at no extra cost to you.

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosure
    © 2022 Bearded Dragon Haven. All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.