Bearded dragons, along with chameleons and geckos, are popular pets.Although bearded dragons are a popular choice for pets, not many of are able to survive for a long time. This is often because of a lack of proper knowledge about how to care for these lizards and what they need from their caregivers, including the appropriate diet.The genus of Pogona includes six lizard species which are commonly known as bearded dragons. This name is given to them because of the underside of their throats, also known as beards, that puff out or turns black when bearded dragons are stressed or feel threatened. Bearded dragons are native to the inland Australian region. They can be found in varied environments such as deserts, eucalyptus woodlands, and shrublands.The species of bearded dragons are considered to be semi-arboreal. This means that while they stay on land, they also like to live on branches and in bushes. You might also spot some bearded dragons around the vicinity of your house if you live in a region that is in their habitat. These creatures love to bask in the sunlight, and they do this while perched on a branch or on a rock.If you are a new parent to a pet bearded dragon or are about to be, it is necessary that you understand the habits and behaviors of these lizards before you adopt one. You should also be aware of what makes a healthy diet for bearded dragons.Is kale safe for your bearded dragon?A bearded dragon’s healthy and well-balanced diet includes various greens, vegetables, and insects. Because kale is considered to be a leafy, green vegetable, is it then safe to offer kale to bearded dragons to eat?While you might think that whatever is healthy for humans should also be healthy for your beardie, that is not the case. Like collard greens, cabbage, and broccoli, kale is also a cruciferous vegetable. Kale has only recently been acknowledged in the nutritional world and is now known as a superfood because of its high nutritional value. However, there is still a lot of doubt when it comes to feeding kale to a pet.However, experts have deemed kale a safe vegetable to be fed to bearded dragons. Kale can become part of the varied diet of bearded dragons. Yet, kale should not to be considered a staple food for bearded dragons. It can be a part of the plant-based part of a bearded dragon’s balanced diet, but it is not to be fed on a daily basis or in very large portions. Eating kale every day can be harmful to bearded dragons.Benefits Of Kale For Bearded DragonsKale has many health benefits in general as a plant-based food for humans. But does it have any health benefits for bearded dragons if they eat it?Green vegetables usually have nutritional content. Kale, being a green vegetable, is also rich in nutrients. Kale contains a high amount of calcium. Calcium is one of the many minerals that are significant to the health of bearded dragons. If a bearded dragon’s diet does not contain an adequate amount of calcium, then the lizard might suffer from various health issues, including metabolic bone disease. Calcium is known to help with the development of bones in animals and humans. It is the same for this reptile species. Being high in calcium, kale can be fed to bearded dragons to improve their bone health. You can safely add this calcium-rich food to your beardie’s diet in order to prevent it from suffering from metabolic bone disease.In addition to making your bearded dragon eat calcium-rich food items, experts advise that you also feed a lizard calcium supplements so that its calcium need is completely satisfied. The high calcium levels cancel out the negative factor of the presence of phosphorus in kale, thereby making it a safe choice to feed your beardie.Apart from being a rich source of calcium, kale also contains a high amount of vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin A. These vitamins can be very beneficial for bearded dragons in regards to their health. Vitamin C is popularly known for boosting the immune system of both animals and humans. Food, like kale, with a high amount of vitamin C can also improve the immune system of bearded dragons. Vitamin C can also help heal wounds in bearded dragons. It is also useful in the repair and development of body tissues.Meanwhile, vitamin A is not only important for immunity but also for better vision. Vitamin A will help bearded dragons to see and spot danger or predators. However, excessive vitamin A can also be potentially harmful to bearded dragons. A high intake of vitamin A can cause vitamin A toxicity in bearded dragons.Kale also contains vitamin K, which can be found in many green vegetables. Vitamin K can be helpful in healing wounds by clotting the blood. Apart from these nutrients, kale contains a high water content. Most leafy green vegetables have high water content. Kale ,being such a vegetable, can be fed to bearded dragons to provide them with an adequate amount of water.Kale is a food that is low in calories. This makes kale a very healthy food for a bearded dragon. Kale also has low sugar content. Feeding bearded dragon food that is high in sugar content can make them fat, cause obesity, and lead to further health issues such as diabetes or fatty liver disease. Feeding bearded dragon kale can be good to make the lizard have a balanced weight while fulfilling its need for various nutrients. Kale also has protein, a nutrient needed by all living organisms. Protein helps in the development and repair of muscles. Along with calcium, protein can be quite beneficial for juvenile or baby beardies while they are still growing. Protein can also help more with muscle repair for an adult bearded dragon if it ever gets hurt.There is a myth about nutrient-rich kale containing a high amount of oxalates. Oxalates are substances that bind the calcium present in the body of a bearded dragon. When the oxalates bind the calcium, they cannot be absorbed into the body of the lizard and cannot provide any health benefits. This then hinders the fulfillment of the calcium requirement of the beardie and can cause health problems. However, compared to the other vegetables that can be fed to the bearded dragon, kale has the lowest amount of oxalates out of all of them. Therefore, you can safely feed kale to your beardie without worrying about oxalates.While kale has low levels of oxalates, sugar, and phosphorus, it has high levels of goitrogens. The goitrogens are substances that affect the normal working of the thyroid gland. Kale also has high iodine levels, which can counter the iodine loss created by the effect of goitrogens on the thyroid gland.All in all, while kale is high in minerals and nutrients, it also has some substances such as oxalates which can be bad for your beardie. Feeding kale to your beardie is safe only when you know the right amount to feed. Going over the feeding limit can make your beardie suffer from various illnesses.Can bearded dragons eat frozen kale?The question of can bearded dragons eat kale has already been explored, and the answer is yes, these lizards can eat kale. However, there are many ways kale is kept and consumed, including frozen kale. So, can bearded dragons eat kale that is frozen?Frozen kale can be pretty solid compared to fresh kale. While you can indeed feed some kale that’s frozen to your bearded dragon, you should feed it to them only after it has thawed. If these lizards eat kale that is frozen and solid, it can cause choking and hurt them. Kale which is thawed becomes softer as the iciness melts away, and it becomes easier to eat for a bearded dragon.While you can still feed them frozen kale which is thawed, fresh kale is the best option. Fresh food is always a healthier option for humans as well as animals. People also might try to feed cooked kale to these lizards. However, it is better to stick to fresh or frozen kale as cooking kale makes it lose its nutrition. Feeding kale that has low nutrition and reduced water content from cooking cannot be healthy for a bearded dragon.A bearded dragon should not be given fresh kale or any other vegetable without first washing it. These plants may be covered with dirt particles or bacteria which are not visible to the naked eye. Washing leafy greens ensures that these dirt particles and bacteria are washed away and cannot harm the lizard in any way.How much kale can bearded dragons eat?While it has been found that a bearded dragon eating kale is safe, how often can kale be given to a bearded dragon? Experts have contrasting views on how often kale should be fed to bearded dragons.Some experts believe that it is safe to feed kale to a bearded dragon every day. They believe that feeding these lizards kale on a daily basis can be good for them. However, other experts believe that kale cannot be a staple food in the diet of these lizards. The reason behind this side of the argument is that kale is high in vitamin A. If kale is eaten regularly, it can increase the levels of vitamin A too high, which can cause vitamin A toxicity.The high amount of water can also be a problem. If there is too much water inside the body of the bearded dragon, it can cause the lizard to suffer from diarrhea. Prolonged diarrhea can further lead to dehydration. Both views on kale and its inclusion in the diet of the bearded lizard are logical. It might be confusing to properly understand the right amount of kale to give to these lizards.To be safe, it is better to add kale to the diet of a lizard once or twice a week. This can provide the needed nutrition without exceeding the required limits. Kale can be served in smaller pieces in a mixture of other leafy greens. A salad of mixed greens can offer more flavor and nutrition to bearded dragons.
Bearded dragons, along with chameleons and geckos, are popular pets.
