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College of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Hospital

How To Feed Your Bearded Dragon

  • Breed: Bearded Dragon
  • Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
  • Length: 21-24 inches (♂), 16-19 inches (♀)
  • Origin: Dry and semi-dry areas of Australia

Nutrition For Juveniles

Caring for your young bearded dragons comes with some special nutritional needs. Frequency and size of their meals change as your dragon grows.

<1 month old; Feed 2-3x daily
Flightless fruit flies, pinhead crickets (gut loaded), mashed vegetables including squash/leafy greens (will likely not eat vegetation, but good to offer at mealtime to associate veggies with meals instead of litter).

1 – 4 months old: Feed 2x daily
Crickets, veggies, occasional super/mealworm

4 months old – adulthood: Feed once daily
Crickets, super/mealworms, pinky mice, salad every other day (see vegetables listed under Nutrition for Adults).

Nutrition For Adults

Adult dragons have different nutritional needs than juvenile dragons. Adult dragons can be fed everyday or every other day. Their diet should consist of 50% dark leafy greens, 20% grated or chopped vegetables, 25% animal matter and a maximum of 5% fruits. Examples of each category are as follows:

Leafy Greens:
Collard greens, kale, romaine, dandelion, turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, bok choy, swiss chard, spinach, chicory, escarole.

Grated/Chopped Vegetables:
Squash, zucchini, sweet potato, carrot, bean sprout, broccoli.

Insects/Protein Sources:
Store-bought insects such as crickets, roaches, superworms, wax worms, black soldier fly larvae, etc. Pinky mice may also be an option for your dragon as they can be a great source of calcium, especially for reproducing females. If pinky mice are given, only one mouse should be given each week.

Fruits:
Fruits should be limited in the diet, as they are high in sugar. Some safe fruits to offer your dragon include papaya, melon, banana, figs, watermelon, apples, mango, dates, peaches, and apricots.

Supplementation:
Calcium supplementation is essential for bearded dragons. Insects have a high phosphorus to calcium ratio. The best way to ensure your dragon is getting enough calcium is to “gut-load” all insects before feeding. Gut-loading is where insects are fed a diet high in calcium 24-72 hours prior to being fed to your dragon. These insect diets can be found at most pet stores. “Dusting” insects with powdered calcium supplements can provide additional calcium, but is not a substitute for appropriate “gut loading”. Insects can be shaken in a bag with calcium powder to lightly coat insects.

Additional Diet Resources

  • Mazuri Exotic Animal products
  • Repashy Specialty Pet Products
  • Rainbow Mealworms

It Is Important To Know

Do NOT feed wild caught insects, as they often contain parasites.

Do NOT feed your dragon an insect whose lengthis wider than the width of your dragon’s head.

DO provide a shallow dish of fresh water yourdragon can step into to drink. They often defecate in the water, and this should be changed daily.

DO consult with your nearest exotic veterinarianfor the best diet recommendations for yourdragon, as quality commercial diets may claim tobe nutritionally complete and provide essentialnutrients, however there is still much to learnabout balanced nutrition for reptiles.

Signs Veterinary Care is needed

Seek help from your nearest exotic veterinarian if your dragon becomes lethargic, stops eating for more than 1-2 days (adults only), stops defecating, or if stools appear abnormal; ex: watery, foul-smelling, or discolored

Without Light And Heat, How Can They Eat?

Great job! You’ve done your research and have selected an appropriate diet for your dragon’s needs. Now, for your dragon to maximize absorption of these nutrients, there are some environmental factors you should consider:

Bearded dragons are ectotherms and control their body heat, and subsequently their metabolism, through their environment. They require heat and UVB lighting to metabolize Vitamin D3 which is essential for their bone health. UVB bulbs should be replaced every 6 months, even if the light itself is still working. UVB levels will deteriorate over time.

A digital thermometer and humidity gauge in your dragon’s enclosure is essential. Heat from a heat emitting bulb or ceramic heat emitter (CHE) should be provided in a basking area on the “hot side” of the tank with the ability to retreat to a cooler side. Recommended temperatures vary even among experts. A good place to start is 76°F (24°C) on the cool side to 86°F (30°C) on the warm side, with a basking area ranging from 90°-100°F (32°-37.7°C). Nighttime temperatures should drop no lower than the low to mid 70s (21°C) on the cool side.

Sources:

  • Mader’s Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Third Edition)
  • England, J., Chambers, C. A., & Christie. (March 31, 2022). Bearded dragon lighting:The complete guide. Reptile Advisor. https://www.reptileadvisor.com/bearded-dragon-lighting/
  • Pollock C. Basic information sheet: Inland bearded dragon. May 30, 2012. LafeberVet