Below are comprehensive lists of bearded dragons food choices and their nutritional data making it easty for you to make informed choices. Plus the printable bearded dragon food chart is a handy reference to stick on the fridge.
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did you know…
of bearded dragon owners are not feeding sufficient plant material to adult bearded dragons.
Did you know that almost 50% of bearded dragon owners are not feeding sufficient plant material to adults (Barboza et al, 2022 – survey of Canadians and Americans). Pet owners under 18 years old are more likely to feed too many insects, particularly larvae. This could be a high risk factor in obesity and hepatic lipidosis.
Bearded Dragon Food List with Ca:P Ratio’s
Greens for Bearded Dragons
Leafy greens are the mainstay of a bearded dragons food. Greens and other plant matter should make up the majority of a bearded dragons diet, especially dark, leafy greens.
Some vegetation is best picked at a certain age, or only particular parts of the plant, to reduce potential issues. For example, alfalfa sprouts should be fed when they are between 2-4 days old to reduce saponin levels. For more information see the post on what bearded dragons shouldn’t be fed.
Food Item | Frequency | C:P | Calcium (Ca) (mg) | Phosphorus (P) (mg) | Total dietary fibre (g) | Moisture (Water) (g) | Protein (g) | Total sugars (g) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arugula (rocket) US data | 3.1:1 | 160 | 52 | 1.6 | 91.7 | 2.58 | 2.05 | |
Alfalfa sprouts | 0.5:1 | 32 | 70 | 1.9 | 92.82 | 3.99 | 0.18 | |
Artichoke heart | 34.4:1 | 44 | 1.28 | 5.4 | 84.94 | 3.27 | 0.99 | |
Asian Greens (Pak choi) | 2.8:1 | 105 | 37 | 1 | 95.32 | 1.5 | 1.18 | |
Asian Greens Bok choy | 3.0:1 | 83 | 28 | 2.4 | 94.8 | 2.5 | 0.6 | |
Asian Greens Chinese Flowering Cabbage | 1.8:1 | 70 | 40 | 2.8 | 94.2 | 1.3 | 0.8 | |
Asian greens Gai choy | 4.6:1 | 130 | 28 | 1.8 | 93.8 | 2.3 | 0.7 | |
Basil | 2.4:1 | 220 | 91 | 3.3 | 91.6 | 2.6 | 0.0 | |
Bean sprouts green | 0.3:1 | 10 | 30 | 1.3 | 93.4 | 3.1 | 1.0 | |
Beet Greens | 2.9:1 | 117 | 41 | 3.7 | 91.02 | 2.2 | 0.5 | |
Cabbage red | 1.2:1 | 35 | 30 | 3.4 | 88.1 | 2.2 | 2.7 | |
Cabbage white | 0.8:1 | 32 | 40 | 2.4 | 90.8 | 1.3 | 2.8 | |
Cabbage, common | 2.0:1 | 47 | 23 | 2.3 | 92.52 | 1.21 | ||
Cabbage, Savoy | 0.8:1 | 35 | 42 | 3.1 | 91 | 2 | 2.27 | |
Carrot tops | ||||||||
Celery tops | ||||||||
Chicory leaves | 2.1:1 | 100 | 47 | 4 | 92 | 1.7 | 0.7 | |
Clover (data based on dry matter analysis)* | 4.2:1 | |||||||
Collard greens fresh | 9.3:1 | 232 | 25 | 4 | 89.62 | 3.02 | 0.46 | |
Collard greens frozen | 7.4:1 | 201 | 27 | 3.6 | 89.53 | 2.69 | ||
Coriander Cilantro leaves | 1.4:1 | 67 | 48 | 2.8 | 92.21 | 2.13 | 0.87 | |
Dandelion greens & flowers | 2.8:1 | 187 | 66 | 3.5 | 85.6 | 2.7 | 0.71 | |
Endive – Escarole | 1.9:1 | 52 | 28 | 3.1 | 93.79 | 1.25 | 0.25 | |
Grass Kentucky Bluegrass | 1.0:1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 8.1 | ||||
Grass Bermuda | 2.4:1 | 0.53 | 0.22 | 25.9 | ||||
Grape leaves | 4.0:1 | 363 | 91 | 11 | 73.32 | 5.6 | 6.3 | |
Hibiscus leaves | 2.7:1 | |||||||
Kale frozen | 4.7:1 | 136 | 29 | 2 | 91.12 | 2.66 | ||
Kale | 1.6:1 | 150 | 92 | 3.6 | 84.04 | 4.28 | 2.26 | |
Lemongrass | 0.6:1 | 65 | 101 | – | 70.6 | 1.8 | – | |
Lettuce Boston & Bibb | 1.1:1 | 35 | 33 | 1.1 | 95.63 | 1.35 | 0.94 | |
Lettuce red | 1.2:1 | 33 | 28 | 0.9 | 95.64 | 1.33 | 0.48 | |
Lettuce, Cos or Romaine | 1.1:1 | 33 | 30 | 2.1 | 94.61 | 1.23 | 1.19 | |
Microgreens | ||||||||
Mint fresh | 4.5:1 | 210 | 47 | 7.2 | 84.2 | 3.1 | 0.9 | |
Mulberry leaves | 2:1 | |||||||
Mustard greens | 2.0:1 | 115 | 58 | 3.2 | 90.7 | 2.86 | 1.32 | |
Nasturtium leaves | ||||||||
Parsley | 1.3:1 | 120 | 94 | 5.0 | 86.2 | 3.9 | 1.0 | |
Rocket (arugula) Australia | 3.4:1 | 214 | 63 | 2.4 | 91.8 | 3.3 | 0.3 | |
Spinach | 2.0:1 | 99 | 49 | 2.2 | 91.4 | 2.86 | 0.42 | |
Squash Pumpkin leaves | 0.4:1 | 39 | 104 | 92.88 | 3.15 | |||
Sweet potato leaves | 1.0:1 | 78 | 81 | 5.3 | 86.81 | 2.49 | ||
Swiss Chard (silverbeet) | 1.1:1 | 51 | 46 | 1.6 | 92.66 | 1.8 | 1.1 | |
Thyme | 3.8:1 | 405 | 106 | 14 | 65.11 | 5.56 | – | |
Turnip greens | 4.5:1 | 190 | 42 | 3.2 | 89.67 | 1.5 | 0.81 | |
Watercress | 2.0:1 | 120 | 60 | 0.5 | 95.11 | 2.3 | 0.2 |
Vegetables
After leafy greens vegetables stand next in line for a bearded dragons food list. Add small amounts of mixer vegetables to your bearded dragons diet, again using variety rather than the same thing often.
Food Item | Frequency | C:P | Calcium (Ca) (mg) | Phosphorus (P) (mg) | Total dietary fibre (g) | Moisture (Water) (g) | Protein (g) | Total sugars (g) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asparagus | 0.3:1 | 11 | 43 | 2.2 | 92.8 | 2.5 | 1.4 | |
Beans | 1.4:1 | 45 | 32 | 2.8 | 91.8 | 1.8 | 2.6 | |
Bell peppers Capsicum Green | 0.2:1 | 6 | 26 | 1.5 | 94.4 | 0.9 | 2.5 | |
Bell peppers Capsicum Red | 0.2:1 | 7 | 31 | 1.1 | 93.0 | 1.1 | 4.4 | |
Broccolini | 0.6:1 | 39 | 61 | 2.5 | 92.2 | 3.2 | 2.3 | |
Carrot fresh grated | 0.8:1 | 26 | 31 | 3.4 | 88.5 | 0.6 | 6.2 | |
Cauliflower | 0.5:1 | 22 | 44 | 2.0 | 92.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | |
Corn kernels frozen | 0.0:1 | 3 | 71 | 2.5 | 76.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
Corn sweet white fresh | 0.0:1 | 2 | 89 | 2.7 | 75.96 | 3.22 | 3.22 | |
Cucumber peeled | 0.7:1 | 14 | 21 | 0.7 | 96.73 | 0.59 | 1.38 | |
Lentils, boiled | 0.2:1 | 15 | 66 | 4.1 | 74.4 | 7.3 | 0.5 | |
Okra | 1.3:1 | 82 | 63 | 3.7 | 88.3 | 3.1 | 1.4 | |
Parsnip | 0.5:1 | 36 | 71 | 4.9 | 79.53 | 1.2 | 4.8 | |
Peas | 0.2:1 | 25 | 108 | 5.1 | 78.86 | 5.42 | 5.67 | |
Prickly pear cactus pads | ||||||||
Squash (pumpkins) many varieties | ||||||||
Squash Butternut raw | 1.5:1 | 48 | 33 | 2 | 86.41 | 1 | 2.2 | |
Squash, Queensland Blue peeled | 2.0:1 | 41 | 21 | 2.7 | 83.8 | 2.0 | 4.9 | |
Sweet potato boiled peeled | 0.8:1 | 28 | 34 | 2.7 | 77.1 | 2 | 6 | |
Sweet potato shredded | 0.6:1 | 30 | 47 | 3 | 77.28 | 1.57 | 4.18 | |
Tomato | 0.4:1 | 10 | 24 | 1.2 | 94.5 | 0.88 | 2.63 | |
Vegetable mix frozen | 0.4:1 | 25 | 59 | 4 | 82.08 | 3.33 | 2.8 | |
Zucchini | 0.5:1 | 16 | 34 | 1.0 | 94.1 | 2.2 | 1.1 |
Flowers, nom, nom!
Flowers can make a great addition to any bearded dragons food. Although it is difficult to get data on the nutritional value of many flowers, vets such as Dr Boyer (2021) and the NC State Veterinary Hospital recommend adding flowers to the diet of reptiles.
Interestingly the color of the flower can also make a difference in the nutritional content. Research on carnations by Zhou et al (2023) found that of the 4 colors of carnations they tested for antioxidants and anticancer activities, the purple carnations lead the pack. It turns out that purple carnations are especially rich in compounds. These compounds not only add a burst of color but also contribute to their ability to fend off harmful invaders, like cancer cells.
While purple carnations top the chart with their health benefits, other colors like green, yellow, and white aren’t far behind. Each color has its own set of nutritional value. For example, yellow flowers might have different types of beneficial compounds, contributing to a well-rounded diet for your bearded dragon. To take advantage of the spectrum of nutrients flowers offer, try different colors.s.
Food Item | Frequency |
---|---|
Basil flowers | |
Carnations | |
Coriander flowers | |
Geranium flowers | |
Hibiscus flowers | |
Nasturtium flowers | |
Pansies | |
Petunias | |
Rose petals | |
Squash Pumpkin flowers | |
Guava | |
Kiwi fruit gold | |
Kiwi fruit green | |
Mango | |
Melon balls frozen | |
Melon Rockmelon Honey dew | |
Melon Watermelon | |
Mulberries | |
Nectarine | |
Papaya | |
Peach | |
Pears | |
Pineapple | |
Plum | |
Prickly pear cactus fruits | |
Prunes | |
Raspberries | |
Strawberries | |
Strawberries frozen |
Fruit, Occasional Treats
In human nutrition, fruits are seen as healthy and we associate this also being good for animals. However, zoo research advises against feeding animals commercially cultivated fruits designed for human tastes.
The reason fruits are frowned upon for reptiles is that fruits have been cultivated to match our love for sugar as humans, and they have a lower fiber content (Clauss & Hatt, 2011). Neither of those qualities are considered appropriate for animals kept in captivity.
Offering fruits to bearded dragons has been associated with tripling their chances of developing dental issues. In fact fruits might be the primary dietary cause of dental problems in bearded dragons and as such it is recommended to exclude fruits from their diets (Mott et al, 2020).
Additionally, diets rich in sugar, including regular intake of fruits, may lead to health complications in these animals, such as metabolic bone disease.
Fruits for bearded dragons can be an occasional treat, they shouldn’t make up a regular part of the diet. However, some guidelines suggest that keeping fruit to less than 5% of the diet might be acceptable.
When feeding fruit to reptiles, several nutritional factors should be considered to ensure their health and well-being:
- Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio: Fruits often have an inverse ratio of what bearded dragons need, with higher phosphorus than calcium, which can lead to calcium deficiencies and health problems.
- Sugar to Fiber Ratio: Reptiles, especially those not naturally frugivorous, can have difficulty processing high amounts of sugar, which is common in many fruits. A high sugar intake can lead to obesity, diabetes, and gastrointestinal issues. Fiber, on the other hand, aids in digestion. Therefore, fruits with a lower sugar to fiber ratio are preferable, though still in moderation.
- Overall Sugar Content: High sugar content in fruits can lead to health issues such as obesity and dental problems. It’s essential to choose fruits with lower sugar levels and to feed them sparingly as part of a balanced diet.
- Acidity: Some fruits are highly acidic, which can upset a reptile’s stomach or lead to dental issues. Bearded dragons food should be low in acidity and high in calcium.
Bearded dragons food can include the following fruits as mixers less than 5% of the diet or occassionally:
Food Item | Frequency | C:P | Calcium (Ca) (mg) | Phosphorus (P) (mg) | Total dietary fibre (g) | Moisture (Water) (g) | Protein (g) | Total sugars (g) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apple Gala with skin | 0.6:1 | 7 | 11 | 2.3 | 85.76 | 0.25 | 10.37 | |
Apple Granny Smith with skin | 0.4:1 | 5 | 12 | 2.8 | 85.46 | 0.44 | 9.59 | |
Apricots fresh | 0.6:1 | 13 | 23 | 2 | 86.35 | 1.4 | 9.24 | |
Bananas Cavendish peeled | 0.2:1 | 5 | 21 | 2.2 | 76.2 | 1.4 | 12.8 | |
Blueberries fresh | 0.5:1 | 6 | 12 | 2.4 | 84.21 | 0.74 | 9.96 | |
Blueberries frozen unsweetened | 0.7:1 | 8 | 11 | 2.7 | 86.59 | 0.42 | 8.45 | |
Cranberries | 0.6:1 | 8 | 13 | 4.6 | 87.13 | 0.39 | 4.04 | |
Figs fresh peeled | 2.7:1 | 38 | 14 | 3.3 | 85.9 | 1.4 | 8.1 | |
Grapes green | 0.4:1 | 10 | 26 | 0.8 | 81.8 | 0.8 | 15.2 | |
Grapes red globe | 0.5:1 | 10 | 19 | 3.5 | 80.7 | 0.9 | 16.3 | |
Guava | 0.5:1 | 18 | 40 | 5.4 | 80.8 | 2.55 | 8.92 | |
Kiwi fruit gold | 0.7:1 | 20 | 29 | 2 | 83.22 | 1.23 | 10.98 | |
Kiwi fruit green | 1.0:1 | 34 | 34 | 3 | 83.07 | 1.14 | 8.99 | |
Mango | 0.8:1 | 11 | 14 | 1.6 | 83.46 | 0.82 | 13.66 | |
Melon balls frozen | 0.8:1 | 10 | 12 | 0.7 | 90.26 | 0.84 | ||
Melon Rockmelon Honey dew | 0.5:1 | 7 | 14 | 1.0 | 91.2 | 0.5 | 4.7 | |
Melon Watermelon | 0.4:1 | 5 | 14 | 0.4 | 91.6 | 0.6 | 7.0 | |
Mulberries | 1.0:1 | 39 | 38 | 1.7 | 87.68 | 1.44 | 8.1 | |
Nectarine | 0.2:1 | 6 | 26 | 1.7 | 87.59 | 1.06 | 7.89 | |
Papaya | 2.0:1 | 20 | 10 | 1.7 | 88.06 | 0.47 | 7.82 | |
Peach | 0.3:1 | 6 | 20 | 1.5 | 88.87 | 0.91 | 8.39 | |
Pears | 0.8:1 | 9 | 12 | 3.1 | 83.96 | 0.36 | 9.75 | |
Pineapple | 0.2:1 | 105 | 490 | 10.3 | 88.4 | 20.27 | 7.66 | |
Plum | 0.4:1 | 6 | 16 | 1.4 | 87.23 | 0.7 | 9.92 | |
Prickly pear cactus fruits | 2.3:1 | 56 | 24 | 3.6 | 87.55 | 0.73 | 1.02 | |
Prunes | 0.9:1 | 52 | 58 | 7.8 | 37.1 | 2.3 | 31.0 | |
Raspberries | 0.9:1 | 25 | 29 | 6.5 | 85.75 | 1.2 | 4.42 | |
Strawberries | 0.7:1 | 16 | 24 | 2 | 90.95 | 0.67 | 4.89 | |
Strawberries frozen | 0.9:1 | 21 | 24 | 2.5 | 92.1 | 0.7 | 3.8 |
There’s Bugs in your Bearded Dragons Food!
Bearded dragons food includes a wide variety of bugs (arthropods).
Young bearded dragons food can include insects that will encourage activity, prey that moves around a little fast. This is also great for adult bearded dragons however they tend to prefer slower prey.
Insects are a great source of protein, essential amino acids, trace minerals and fibre but they are pretty poor at the calcium to phosphorus ratio required by bearded dragons. Larval insects are generally high in fat and should be fed in very small quantities.
Less than 50% of the insects fed should be larval insects (Boyer, 2021) due to their high fat content.
For the complete breakdown of insects that can be fed to bearded dragons and their nutritional value check out the post on best insects for bearded dragons. Gut loading insects properly cant be over emphasized.
Bugs Bearded Dragons Can Eat |
---|
Ants & termites |
Beetles: Dung beetles (Christmas beetles), mealworm beetles |
Black soldier fly larvae |
Butterworms |
Cockroaches |
Crickets |
Earthworms |
Flies & larvae |
Fruit flies |
Grasshoppers |
Hornworms |
Katydids |
Locusts |
Mealworms & giant mealworms |
Moths |
Silkworms |
Slaters (woodlice, sowbugs, pillbugs) |
Slugs |
Snails |
Spiders |
Superworms |
Waxworms |
Weevils |
Bearded Dragons Food using Commercial Diets
The recommended portion of bearded dragons food from a commercial diet product is between 50 to 75% (Stahl and Donoghue, 2010; West Toowoomba Veterinary Surgery).
When adding commercial diets into the bearded dragons meal plan, reduce vitamin and mineral supplements since the commercial diets have these added. Look for a commercial diet that has a guaranteed analysis based on dry matter of its product (Boyer, 2021).
Australian Plants as Part of Bearded Dragons Food
For Australians or those with access to Australian plants, some natural vegetation can be incorporated into the bearded dragons diet. To diversify the diet and mimic natural habitats, Simpson (2015) recommends including native Australian vegetation such as:
- Eremophilas sp
- Hemiandra pungens
- Croweas
- Correas
- Grevilleas
These native plants could provide a more natural and enriching dietary component for captive bearded dragons food, promoting overall health and well-being.
Other Australian plants known to be naturally included in the wild bearded dragons food through studies of gut content are:
- Austral Bugle (Hajuga australis)
- Gahnia sp
- Glycine spp
- Karngaroo grass (Themeda austalis)
- Xanthosia spp
Here is the link for more detailed information on the on the wild bearded dragons diet.
Supplements: Calcium & Multivitamins
For optimal support, a bearded dragons’ diet requires multivitamins and calcium supplementation:
- Calcium supplement once a week is a key mineral that requires supplementation and will aid in averting metabolic bone disease, a common preventable disease.
- Multivitamins are given fortnightly.
Incorporating these supplements is straightforward; they are generally available as powders that can be dusted over the bearded dragon’s food.
Antinutrients in Foods
Compounds such as oxalates, goitrogens and tannins are considered antinutrients and this impacts what items are on the bearded dragon food lists. However, it is not always that straight forward. They may also be counteracted by other nutrients that are of value in their diet.
Dr Boyer (2021) states that oxalates are often of great concern but foods high in oxalates such as spinach can be fed from time to time as part of a good diet. In addition, brasicas do not cause goiters and there is no reason not to feed these foods. In context, all diets should be varied and not focus on a small group of vegetation or arthropods. Anything in excess can harm any species.
With all nutrients and antinutrients data varies significantly from one source to another. Some of the major contributing factors to the variable data are conditions such as season, soil and harvesting practices (Attalla et al, 2014).
Bearded dragons can eat high oxalate foods occasionally without creating any particular health issues.
What Bearded Dragons Shouldn’t Eat
There are specific foods that bearded dragons should not be fed. See the post on what bearded dragons can’t eat for more information.
Why There is so Much Variation in Food Data?
Through scientific and research data, we can make informed decisions. This article relies on information from international and national food databases and research. However, it is advisable to treat this data as a generalization. This is because various national food databases and research studies around the globe offer differing information on food items. Several factors that influence the recorded levels of nutrients and anti-nutrients in each provides are:
- Testing methods
- Fertilisers used
- Soil quality
- Time of harvest
- Transportation conditions
- Leaf age
- Cultivar
One example of just how much data can vary is with a study Mason et al (2000) published. A huge variation of oxalate in the same spinach cultivar (Winter Giant) was found with tests by Mason et al (2000) showing 400-600 mg/100 g fresh weight whereas Gontzea and Sutzescu (cited in Mason et al, 2000) came in at double, 700-900 mg/100g.
Printable Bearded Dragon Food Chart
The printable bearded dragon food chart below lists the foods in the following categories:
- Greens
- Vegetables
- Flowers
- Arthropods (insects)
- Fruit
- Commerical diets for bearded dragons
Each section has a suggested number of foods to use per feed which is based on providing variety. More information on the items suggested on the bearded dragons food list see the articles in the diet section.
References
- Barboza, T., Abood, S. K., & Beaufrère, H. (2022). Survey of Feeding Practices and Supplement Use in Pet Inland Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps) of the United States and Canada. Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery.
- Boyer, T. H. B., DVM, DABVP (Reptile and Amphibian. (2021, November 3). Reptile and Amphibian Nutrition. LafeberVet.
- Clauss, M., & Hatt, J.-M. (2011). Green grocery guide. Zooquaria, 5.
- Mott, R., Pellett, S., & Hedley, J. (2021). Prevalence and risk factors for dental disease in captive Central bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) in the United Kingdom. Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, 36, 1–7.
- Zhou, X., Wang, M., Li, H., Ye, S. P., & Tang, W. (2023). Widely targeted metabolomics reveals the antioxidant and anticancer activities of different colors of Dianthus caryophyllus. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10.