Most pet owners are not familiar with the diets of bearded dragons. They may find them difficult to follow and spend much time researching. As with all pets, understanding your beardies’ food habits is crucial to their long-term health.
A beardy will eat many fruits, vegetables, as well as insects. You can give your lizard friend a few fruits to add to its diet but do not include avocados.
Avocado is a healthy superfood that is enjoyed by most people. However, it’s not suitable for beards. Here are some reasons why beardies shouldn’t eat avocados.
Why Avocados Are Bad for Your Bearded Dragon
Oxalic Acids
What are Oxalic acids then? Oxalate is also known as Oxalate and can be found in leafy vegetables, avocados, and nuts.
A small number of oxalic acids can cause serious illness in your lizard friend, or even death if consumed in large quantities.
Binding with other minerals
It is well-known that oxalic acid can bind to vitamins and minerals to create oxalates. Oxalates can be eliminated by the body naturally, but the beardies might not have the ability to eliminate them completely if they consume large amounts of the compound.
Binding can occur in the colon, kidneys, and urinary tract. This can lead to health problems such as kidney stones.
Reduced Mineral Absorption
To boost its health, your beardie needs lots of vitamins. Your bearded dragon is unable to absorb calcium and other minerals because of the binding of oxalic acid.
The dragon is deficient in crucial minerals like calcium, which can affect its skeletal development as well as other vital body functions. It can develop a metabolic bone disorder (MBD), which is a condition that weakens the body. The bearded dragon might experience limb paralysis, weakness, shaky limbs, and fractures.
Inadequate calcium-to-phosphate ratio
Bearded dragons need their calcium levels to exceed the phosphorous. Avocados contain more phosphorous than calcium which isn’t the right balance.
When phosphorous levels are higher in the body, it can work against calcium and hinder its absorption. In a beardies’ diet, the ideal ratio of calcium to phosphorous should be 2:1
Obesity can lead to
Avocados, which are high in both total calories and macro-nutrients, are unsurprisingly among the most fattening fruits. Excess fat can lead to obesity, as you already know.
Bearded dragons are also at risk, particularly if they are kept in captivity. This can lead to serious health problems such as liver disease, dental decay, heart failure, and liver disease. Avocado is a dangerous and unwise food choice for your lizard friend.
Choking Hazards
Bearded dragons can’t chew, so they eat by swallowing. Even though avocados are ripe, they can become rigid. The beardie may choke on the avocado if it isn’t mashed up well.
Fungicidal Toxins
Avocados, apart from oxalic acids, contain persons which are equally deadly to bearded Dragons. These substances can be found on the skin and seeds of avocados and tend to penetrate the flesh. Your beardy could experience diarrhea, vomiting, or respiratory failure.
What to do if your beardy eats an avocado
Unintentionally, your lizard friend could eat avocado leaves or other fruits while on walks. Or you could give it avocado without knowing its dangers. Here are some things to do if your beardie does this.
1. Contact a vet immediately
When your lizard friend eats avocado, it is normal to be worried. You can be calm, however, and contact your vet immediately if you suspect that your pet is in an emergency.
Tell the vet about your concerns and explain your situation. It is possible that you will need to reveal the age of your pet and how many avocados it has consumed.
An experienced reptile vet can determine whether your beardie needs emergency medical attention. If he feels you are capable, he might give you instructions or help you with supportive aid therapy. If he feels the beardie needs an antidote, he might have to visit you in person.
2. You can monitor its behavior
It is important to be aware of any unusual behaviors in your reptile friend. You should check for signs of respiratory distress, lethargy, and restlessness, as well as vomiting and diarrhea.
Avocado ingestion can also be characterized by dry heaves, increased salivation, and mouth, as well as facial irritation. This can lead to scratching and decreased activity. If you notice your pet acting strangely, you should inform an experienced veterinarian.
3. Give your Beardy a warm bath
Encourage your bearded dragon into going to the bathroom to give it a warm bath. It will then be able to flush out any toxins.
4. Let your Beardy Drink Lots of Water
To flush out the toxic substances, it is important to give your lizard friend lots of water. The beardie is no longer able to drink water by itself. Use a syringe or a water bottle to give it lots of water to flush out the poison.
5. Give it Activated Charcoal
To administer the solution, mix activated charcoal and a few drops of water. Activated charcoal can help to bind poison and save the body.
Bearded Dragons should not eat certain foods
Beardies can eat almost any food, but there are certain food items that they shouldn’t eat.
Lettuce
Beardies love lettuce, but you shouldn’t give it to your lizard friend. This is because the veggie is mostly water-soluble and has very little nutritional value for beardies.
Lettuce may also cause diarrhea. Instead, give it dandelion leaves or escarole.
Spinach
Even though spinach is safe for humans, it contains a calcium-binding compound that could endanger your beardies’ lives. This chemical binds calcium to reduce its absorption and cause a decrease in the skeletal development of the bearded dragon.
Metabolic Bone Disease is caused by calcium deficiency.
Wild Insects
After landing on plants, wild insects will likely carry herbicides or parasites. These can cause poisoning and even death in bearded dragons who eat them.
You can either buy insects in the shops or harvest them in colonies for your lizard friend. These commercial insects can be dangerous for your lizard friend.
Onions & Garlic
If ingested in large quantities, these taste boosters could be dangerous for your pet’s health. Bearded dragons are not recommended to consume them.
Rhubarb
Beardies are extremely poisoned by rhubarbs because they are very leafy. Bearded dragons can be killed by poisonous Anthraquinone Glycosides and oxalic Acid from this vegetable.
Beet Tops
Beet Tops are healthy and rich in vitamin A and magnesium, but they also contain mineral-binding substances that inhibit calcium absorption by beardies.
Oak Nuts
Oak nuts, also known as Acorns or Oak nuts, are an important part of human and animal diets. They are high in tannins, which can be dangerous for bearded dragons after being crushed or processed.
Fireflies
Fireflies can be a cheap treat that you could give your beardie as a quick catch. Beardies and other reptiles are likely to be poisoned by these flies. You should also avoid bees, centipedes, and wild maggots.
Last Thoughts
You must be a loving parent with a beard. You will be able to avoid giving your bearded dragon avocado or other calcium-inhibiting foods. It’s not worth the risk when there are other foods that can be beneficial to your lizard friend.
You can help bearded dragons eat the right foods. This will reduce their oxalate intake and support their calcium-to-phosphorous ratio. It will also prevent them from eating fatty foods. If you have any doubts, stick to the foods that veterinarians recommend for safe beardy consumption.
What happens when a bearded dragon consumes an avocado?
A bearded dragon should never be fed avocados. They have a high concentration of oxalic acid, which can be lethal to bearded dragons in excessive amounts. A tiny bit of avocado might make the bearded dragon sick, while a huge amount could kill the lizard over time.
What do Beardies like to eat?
Bearded Dragons consume animals in the wild, which account for around 75% of their diet and can include crickets, cockroaches, worms, and even tiny species such as mice; however, mice are not fed to bearded dragons maintained as pets. The remaining 20% to 25% of their diet is made up of greens, vegetables, and little fruit.
What soothes a beardless dragon?
A warm bath (85-92 F) will soothe your beardie while also allowing them to clean and hydrate themselves. Every day, provide meals. Provide food on a regular basis, even if they are uninterested, in addition to their usual greens. This will encourage the beardie to associate favorably with you.
How long does a bearded dragon live?
They have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years or more, thus they require a significant investment. It is critical to recreate their native habitat as closely as possible. Learn more about caring for your bearded dragon and keeping it healthy and happy.
What do Beardies enjoy having in their tank?
Every dragon needs a basking area that is between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Some areas of the tank should be colder so that your dragon may control his or her body temperature as needed. Temperatures during the night. At night, the temperature in the tank should be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can Beardies consume eggs?
The solution is straightforward: Every other week or such, bearded dragons can safely consume up to half an egg. This is mostly due to the high protein content of eggs, which your beardie should already be getting from feeder insects. There are several advantages to sometimes adding an egg to your beardie’s salad: Protein.
Can bearded dragons consume tuna?
Fish should not be eaten by bearded dragons. It includes cooked, raw, and fed. Can bearded dragons drink milk? To summarize, reptiles are lactose intolerant! Reptiles, unlike mammals, are not born with the enzymes required to digest dairy products. Bearded dragons do not produce milk, and their young do not consume it. Because they simply cannot digest dairy, it can only cause mild to severe injury.
Can Beardies consume cheese?
No. Bearded dragons cannot digest cheese or any other dairy product. Bearded dragons, like most other lizards, but not all, are lactose intolerant, just like people, therefore avoid offering your bearded dragon cheese and other dairy products.
What is poisonous to bearded dragons?
Fireflies, lightning bugs, and other worms that glow in the dark are examples of this. The substance that causes these insects to shine is extremely harmful to bearded dragons. Avocados should also be avoided since they are toxic to bears