Bearded Dragon Vegetable Diet

The bearded dragon is a medium-sized, non-venomous lizard that is native to Australia. The bearded dragon is commonly kept as a pet, and requires an omnivorous diet complete with plant and animal matter. It is essential to the bearded dragon's health to understand which vegetables and fruit can be fed to a bearded dragon and which should only be offered on occasion or not at all.

  1. Vegetables and Fruit

    • Vegetables and fruit that should be offered frequently to a bearded dragon include dandelion greens, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, alfalfa plants, prickly pear, endive, escarole, all varieties of squash and turnip greens.

      Fruits and vegetables that should only be offered occasionally include beans, tomatoes, raspberries and corn, all of which have a moderate to high amount of oxalic acid, which can cause calcium absorption issues in the bearded dragon.

    Supplementation

    • Bearded dragons require calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation like most reptiles. While normally the insects they eat can be dusted with supplement powder, it can also be sprinkled over the vegetables and fruits just before feeding.

    Frozen Vegetables

    • According to Beautiful Dragons Reptile Rescue, freezing vegetables can cause the breakdown of vitamin B1. If the dragon does not obtain enough vitamin B1 by only eating frozen vegetables, it can become ill, develop hypocalcemia or even die. Fresh vegetables and fruits should always be offered, and the smaller the bearded dragon, the more finely its fruits and vegetables should be chopped up for easy swallowing. This is especially true for leafy greens, longer strips of which can choke the lizard if not broken up before feeding.

    Vegetables and Fruit to Avoid

    • Avocado and rhubarb are extremely toxic and should never be fed to a bearded dragon.

      Spinach, blueberries, blackberries, bell peppers, and broccoli should never be fed to a bearded dragon because of their very high goitrogen or oxalic acid content, which can lead to thyroid and calcium absorption issues.

      Lettuce varieties like romaine, iceberg and green hold little nutritional value. While not harmful, they are composed of mostly water and will not provide the bearded dragon with the nutrients it needs to obtain from the vegetarian portion of its diet.

    Warning

    • It is not uncommon for bearded dragon owners to attempt to only feed their bearded dragon a vegetarian diet. While some animals can be fed a vegetarian diet and obtain necessary protein from other foods, the bearded dragon requires animal protein to survive and will develop serious nutritional deficiencies, health problems and may even die if not fed a diet of both plant and animal materials.