You searched this topic because you saw your dragon eating grass today, and this question must have crossed your mind that can bearded dragons eat grass?
You became curious and want to know about it. As an owner, you must be curious about your beardie’s health and food.
Sometimes you may want to know what they can and cannot eat or what they would like to eat in their wildlife. There are other confusions too that you may want to remove, like:
- Should bearded dragons eat grass?
- Is grass a good snack?
- What kinds of grass can bearded dragons eat?
- Is grass a good source of food and energy?
- Do bearded dragons like grass?
People ask us various questions regarding bearded dragons and grass. And they want us to puzzle out if bearded dragons eat grass or not. So we did thorough research on this topic and tried to resolve their confusion and difficulties. So let’s get rid of your mess in just three minutes read!
This article has been reviewed by Dr. Dilber. Read more about our knowledge control process here.
Contents
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grass?
Bearded dragons are omnivores. They can eat plants and hunt tiny insects as their prey. Ideally, they like to eat other animals and smalls that contain a high amount of protein and other needed nutrition.
Wild bearded dragons eat grass just to remain alive when they don’t get any food. As they have multiple choices of food, bearded dragons can eat grass at ease.
Do Bearded Like Grass?
You can say that eating grass is in their nature for their survival. The grass is not their favorite treat.
They usually eat wild grass while eating any insect that is laying on it. Or sometimes bearded dragons eat grass because of the lack of food and the unavailability of insects. Bearded dragons eat grass as roughage to fill their stomach.
So, eating grass is their compulsion. It is not enough to satisfy bearded dragons’ cravings.
Should Bearded Dragons Eat Grass?
Young beardies need 20% of their diet for plants to grow and gain weight.
At this age duration, they should eat grass plants.
So, if you have a young bearded dragon, you can provide him leaflets of grass.
Remember that you should keep changing their diet as they grow older and mature. Every period of age has its requirements.
If you have a bearded pet lizard, you should take care of it appropriately.
Additionally, it is the opposite of an adult bearded dragon.
An adult bearded dragon should eat 20% of insects and 80% of a vegetative diet because of their inactive health state and body organs.
Is Grass A Good Source Of Food And Energy?
If we talk about grass, it doesn’t fulfill their body requirements.
It has not such nutrients and energy that a bearded dragon requires.
Moreover, it is not very rich in protein. Therefore, it is not a perfect source of food.
Moving forwards, grass has few calories locked in its cellulose.
As humans, we do not break down calory from the cell. We need calories in raw form.
However, bearded dragons have defined the digestive system that accepts every type of food. Still, their digestive system doesn’t have such organs that can digest grass and extract its nutrients properly.
We can’t compare wild grass to lawn grass when it comes to bearded dragons food. Both wild grass and lawn grass have a couple of differences in their nutrient values.
Lawn grass has fibers. A bearded tummy can not ingest that.
On the other hand, domestic animals like cows, horses, goats, and sheep can ingest fiber because they have strong and well-defined digestive systems.
Should I feed Grass to Bearded Dragons?
From all the above information, now it is known whether the grass is necessary for the dragon and whether the dragon can eat grass.
But if it still confuses you because you‘ve noticed that your bearded dragon likes to eat grass with why you think your animal eats grass fondly, then this paragraph is for you.
Let’s get to the point! If you are concerned about your pet’s health, needs, and requirements, you know how to take care of it very well.
Anything that isn’t ideal for your pet may become harmful. Similarly, the grass isn’t a perfect snack.
You should feed grass with moderation.
Frequent feeding of grass may cause constipation and other digestive diseases. You need to be aware of all those circumstances that may affect your beardie’s health.
Things you need to know before feeding grass to your bearded dragon!
Beardies eat wild grass from their natural habitat.
They become used to that wild grass. But if you are feeding your pet beardie the grass of your lawn, then you should keep the following things in your mind:
- It should be free of any insecticide and pesticide.
- It should be adequately washed and dried and free of any toxics.
- No bacteria or fungus of any kind should be on the grass.
Fungus, bacteria, and the above elements can affect a bearded dragon’s digestive system as its organs are susceptible.
They are not passive to bacteria and harmful toxic substances.
What kinds of grass can bearded dragons eat?
As mentioned above, lawn grass is not enough for your bearded dragon’s good health. You should be conscious of its health.
Some organic foods are even toxics for your beardie. But there are certain types of plants that can provide a sufficient amount of energy to the body of bearded dragons.
They are more beneficial than grass. I would recommend you to feed the following plants to your bearded dragons.
- Dandelion greens
- Alfalfa
- Mustard
- Colard
You can feed staples such as mustard and dandelion greens as a corresponding diet to your bearded. They are highly enriched and nutritious.
Lets Recap
- Bearded dragons eat grass to save themselves from starvation and death. They don’t prefer grass over insects and other food diets.
- You should feed your young bearded dragon with lawn grass to make him grow healthy.
- Grass can’t be compared with other food treats as to why it has a scant amount of protein and other beneficial nutrients.
- Overeating of grass causes different gut disorders, such as constipation.