Every person keeping a bearded dragon as a pet has often been worried about what to feed their beardie to maintain its health.These beardies are omnivorous so they eat plants as well as small insects as per their digestive system. This is where the question arises of what plant to feed, in what quantity, and will it have any side effects?Well, it is time you relax now. Bearded dragons are great pets, and there is a wide variety of food beardies can consume and broccoli is one of them. Before you feed any other item to your beardie pet, do research about the quantity and frequency and if there are necessary precautions to take beforehand. There are many animals in the ecosystem who like to feast on broccoli stalks and leaves including rabbits, deer, and squirrels. Broccoli is generally known to be quite healthy for consumption, even for humans! Now, the interesting part of owning a bearded dragon is changing its diet as it grows up. When a bearded dragon is a baby, it requires protein in relatively larger amounts for healthy growth, so feeding a beardie small insects is the best option here. However, as it grows up, its diet slowly transforms from being carnivorous to a herbivore to some extent. An adult bearded dragon needs more fruits and vegetables than a baby bearded dragon, and this is the perfect stage to add broccoli to your reptile pet’s diet.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about can bearded dragons eat kale and can bearded dragons eat cabbage here on Kidadl?Is broccoli safe for bearded dragons?You now know that your bearded dragon can eat broccoli, but is it absolutely safe for them? Well, there are a couple of points you must note about feeding broccoli to a bearded dragon. Make sure to keep these pointers in mind the next time you feed broccoli to bearded dragons. Are there any side effects or eventual repercussions you need to tackle? Let us find out more in this article.They can consume broccoli, but in moderation. This is important to keep in mind as you feed broccoli to your bearded dragon the next time. There are substances in broccoli that might not be the best for the consumption of a beardie, but if consumed in a controlled manner, this nutritional veggie can be part of a healthy diet. Consuming much broccoli can be harmful to bearded dragons as it contains a substance known as oxalic acid, which must not be consumed by bearded dragons as it is quite harmful to their health. Also, it is recommended to feed broccoli a maximum of once per week in small amounts only to adult bearded dragons and avoid feeding them these leafy veggies when they are in their juvenile stage. Whenever you feed broccoli to your beardie pet, make sure to cut it up into smaller chunks and not give them entire leaves to eat at once. If you are a new owner, it isn’t necessary to feed broccoli to your bearded dragon; it is a veggie you can include if you want but only in moderation.The usual motive behind owners feeding this leafy vegetable to their beardie is when there is some spare amount of broccoli left and would go to waste if not consumed or at times to bring some slight change and innovation to your bearded dragon’s diet and excite it with a new taste. Moreover, do not force your bearded dragon into eating broccoli if it doesn’t show interest; broccoli isn’t something it must consume in order to stay healthy and live longer. Many bearded dragons do not show interest in certain food items and broccoli might be one of them for some of those beardies. If your bearded dragon doesn’t want to eat broccoli, there are other fruits and veggies it would love to feast on. Dandelions, greens mustard, bell peppers, green beans, alfalfa sprouts and yellow squash are some of the grocery items topping the list in this aspect. It has often been noted that some beardies love the taste of mustard greens, and you can give this along with collard greens to moderate the amount of oxalates.How often can bearded dragons eat broccoli?Feeding in controlled quantities and in low frequency are two primary things to keep in mind if you plan on feeding broccoli to bearded dragons. The oxalic acid in broccoli is the main reason behind keeping the use of broccoli in your bearded dragon’s diet to a minimum. There can be instances where the drawbacks of feeding this leafy vegetable may outweigh its benefits. It is thus best to feed broccoli as a change in its diet, not more than once a week and twice a month at most. If you ever thought that broccoli could be a regular item in your bearded dragon’s diet, you are highly mistaken as bearded dragons shouldn’t eat broccoli daily.How does oxalic acid affect bearded dragons? Broccoli has an excess of phosphorus and not enough calcium. At the same time, it reacts with the calcium in a bearded dragon’s body and prevents it from being absorbed by the body. Now, the oxalic acid in broccoli is not health-conscious for bearded dragons; the most noted side effect is the development of kidney stones in bearded dragons owing to excessive consumption of broccoli. When you offer broccoli to your beardie, there is a certain procedure to prepare broccoli. Always offer it raw, don’t cook it as it might reduce the nutrient content. Make sure to wash it thoroughly before giving it to your beardie as any existing pesticides on it might harm your pet. It is best to give the green leafy part to a bearded dragon finely chopped up into small pieces as they are easy to consume. The stalks, on the other hand, are more difficult to chew for a bearded dragon. The biggest positive about feeding broccoli to your bearded dragon is its water content. In 3.53 oz (100 g) of broccoli, there is 3.15 oz (89.3 g) of water, 0.099 oz (2.82 g) of protein, 0.091 oz (2.6 g) of dietary fiber and only 0.0016 oz (47 mg) of calcium. There are several other nutrients as well, but they are in very small quantities.Pros Of Bearded Dragons Eating BroccoliBroccoli is undoubtedly a nutritional veggie providing fiber, calcium and protein. The massive water content in broccoli is a big positive as its consumption keeps a beardie adequately hydrated at all times. Additionally, this leafy vegetable also has several other healthy substances in it including vitamin A, vitamin B (thiamin), vitamin C, and vitamin K.Let us now delve deeper into how much of these health-improving vitamins are available in 3.53 oz (100 g) of broccoli. The usual rule is, the more the merrier, but it isn’t so for every case which leads us to take a look at the drawbacks of broccoli consumption, but first let’s see why you should make your bearded dragons eat broccoli. 3.53 oz (100 g) of broccoli contains approximately 3.14 oz (89.3 g) of water, 0.099 oz (2.82 g) of protein, 0.091 oz (2.6 g) of dietary fiber and only 0.0016 oz (47 mg) of calcium. Broccoli also contains a considerable amount of phosphorus and sugars, 0.0023 oz (66 mg) and 0.059 oz (1.7 g) respectively, in every 3.53 oz (100 g) serving of raw broccoli. Green vegetables such as broccoli are rich in sodium and potassium; one can find 0.0011 oz (33 mg) of sodium and 0.011 oz (316 mg) of potassium in 3.53 oz (100 g) of broccoli. Among healthy vitamins and nutrients, there is 0.0031 oz (89.2 mg) of vitamin C, 0.000027 oz (0.78 mg) of vitamin E, with a few micrograms of vitamin A and vitamin K in 3.53 oz (100 g) of broccoli. Additionally, there are also very small amounts of beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin in broccoli. The vitamin C content in broccoli is critically important for the growth of a bearded dragon and the development of its immune system. Vitamin A and vitamin K are essential for developing good vision and regulating the blood clotting process, respectively. The dietary fiber is hugely beneficial in enhancing food digestion and avoiding any sort of constipation in these beardies.Cons Of Bearded Dragons Eating BroccoliThere must be some reason why even though broccoli has such a high nutritional profile, it is advised that bearded dragons not eat much broccoli. Though substances in broccoli are all healthy nutrients, they are at times not fit for consumption by a bearded dragon. What might be considered healthy for a human being, might be unhealthy for some other creature. Similarly, consumption of broccoli by bearded dragons might prove to be hazardous if not regulated.First of all, the high water content in broccoli might seem positive, but in reality, consumption of such a high amount of water along with fiber and protein can lead to bloating in bearded dragons. Next, the phosphorus content in broccoli is relatively higher than the calcium content in the veggie, and ideally, it must be the opposite. The calcium intake must be higher than the phosphorus consumed by these beardies. In case the phosphorus content in your bearded dragon’s diet is less than calcium, you need to take care of it and add some calcium into the diet to compensate for the lack of calcium in broccoli. Most importantly, the oxalic acid content in broccoli is its biggest drawback, and it is found in several other green veggies too such as swiss chard, spinach, beet greens and kale. It is essential that you ensure that your bearded dragon doesn’t consume an excessive amount of this oxalic acid as it can be fatal if not regulated. Oxalic acid is very harmful as it can easily mess up your bearded dragon’s mineral and calcium absorption mechanisms. Depletion in calcium absorption often causes degeneration, weakened bones and at times stunted growth in young bearded dragons. Kidney failure, hypocalcemia, and thyroid problems are some of the most commonly reported issues owing to excessive intake of oxalic acid. Many of these complications often do not take place when beardies eat raw insects.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can bearded dragons eat broccoli, then why not take a look at can bearded dragons eat eggs or bearded dragon facts?
Every person keeping a bearded dragon as a pet has often been worried about what to feed their beardie to maintain its health.
