Correct Diet for a Bearded Dragon

A native of Australia, the bearded dragon is often kept as an exotic pet. Ensuring proper nutrition is a crucial aspect of keeping a bearded dragon and, if they are not correctly fed, they can encounter many problems, from malnutrition to nipping other dragons.

  1. Meat

    • As bearded dragons are omnivores, they require a balanced diet of meat and vegetables. This includes crickets, mealworms, wax worms, king worms, cockroaches and, as adults, pinky mice.

    Young Dragons

    • Young bearded dragons (between two and four months of age) should have a diet of 80 percent insects and 20 percent greens. They will need to be fed two to three times per day. As bearded dragons mature, their diet should be modified to include a higher percentage of plant matter and greens.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • Plant matter should make up a large percent of an adult bearded dragon's diet, consisting mainly of leafy green vegetables like kale, parsley and clover. Other plant matter, like broccoli, okra, peas, green beans and grated carrots are good choices as well. Fruits like figs, kiwi, papaya and melon can also be given, but to a lesser extent.

    Tips

    • When feeding an insect to your dragon it should be cut into pieces that are smaller in width than your dragon's mouth. Similarly, vegetables and leafy greens should be cut into small pieces to avoid choking. Do not feed your dragon iceberg lettuce as this is low in nutritional value and can cause diarrhea. Giving your dragon a calcium supplement one day a week is also recommended.