The internet has conflicting answers on the question of “Can bearded dragons eat dog food?” However, the answer is no, bearded dragons can not eat dog food. If your bearded dragon has accidentally eaten a small amount of it, that’s fine. A tiny amount won’t hurt them, but stop feeding your beardie dog food immediately.
While some reptiles like blue tongue skinks can thrive on dog food, bearded dragons can not. This is due to their relatively weak digestive system.
Can bearded dragons eat dog food?
- Can bearded dragons eat dog food?
- Why can’t bearded dragons eat dog food?
- Foods bearded dragons can eat:
- Vegetables to feed your bearded dragon:
- Insects to feed your bearded dragon:
- Getting your bearded dragon calcium:
- How often should you feed a bearded dragon?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
- Recap: Can bearded dragons eat dog food?
Why can’t bearded dragons eat dog food?
Dog food is usually a formulation that includes preservatives. While the higher end dog food that is over 99% natural ingredients may be safe for your bearded dragon to eat, most people aren’t feeding their dogs this stuff as it’s incredibly expensive.
It’s impossible to know what these preservatives will do to your bearded dragon’s digestive tract long term, so it’s best to avoid feeding them dog food.
Other complications could include:
- Your bearded dragon not getting the right amount of nutrients
- The preservatives upsetting their stomach
- Obesity from the high calories in dog food
- The high protein and calcium in dog food can give them digestive issue
Foods bearded dragons can eat:
If you’re wondering what you should feed a bearded dragon, read our guidelines below. Bearded dragons are insectivores, which just means they thrive on insects as well as plant materials.
If you have a juvenile bearded dragon (between six and eighteen months old), give them about 80% vegetables and 20% live insects.
As your bearded dragon transitions into adulthood, give them the inverse, so 20% plant materials and 80% insects.
Vegetables to feed your bearded dragon:
- Peas
- Dandelion
- Green beans
- Cabbage
- Zucchini
- Pumpkin
- See our full list of vegetables to feed your bearded dragon
Note: Bearded dragons can also eat fruit in moderation. See here for a complete list of fruits bearded dragons can eat.
Insects to feed your bearded dragon:
- Crickets
- Kingworms
- Waxworms
- See our full guides to insects you can feed your bearded dragon and worms to feed your bearded dragon
Quick note: Live insects raised by you or bought from the pet store are best because they’re definitely pesticide free.
Getting your bearded dragon calcium:
Calcium is especially vital to a bearded dragon, especially a young one that is still growing. There are several ways to introduce more calcium into your beardie’s diet:
- Add in more high calcium vegetables like dandelions, bok choy, and collard greens.
- Dust calcium powder over their insects and vegetables to increase calcium levels.
- Make sure they’re getting their 12 hours of UVB exposure as they need this light to be able to properly absorb nutrients.
How often should you feed a bearded dragon?
During the first 3-6 months of your beardie’s life, try to feed them four to five times a day by giving them as many insects as they’d like in 10 minutes. They’re growing and need lots of protein during this stage.
Reduce the number of feedings to about two to three times a day when they’re growing into their juvenile years (between six and eighteen months).
As they become an adult, you can feed them once daily.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What are bearded dragons not allowed to eat?
Aside from the obvious like food that’s been exposed to pesticide or gone bad, bearded dragons should not eat onions, garlic, chives, leeks, rhubarb, avocados, fireflies, ladybugs, any venomous insect, dairy, and high acidity fruit. Also avoid feeding them wild caught insects as they may be covered in pesticides that will harm your beardie.
Can bearded dragons go without live food?
Bearded dragons can go for weeks without food of any kind, as they’ve adapted from living in the desert, where food is scarce. In theory, they could survive without live food for their entire lives, but live insects will keep them happy and healthy over a longer period of time.
What is a bearded dragon’s favorite food?
Bearded dragon’s favorite food would have to be live bugs, which is typically crickets or roaches.
What fruit is toxic to bearded dragons?
High acid fruit like citrus should never be fed to your bearded dragons. As well, avoid feeding them avocados!
Does my bearded dragon have to eat every day?
It depends on their age, but try to feed young bearded dragons two to three times daily, and older ones daily or every two days. Each beardie is different, so try out different time tables to see what they like and what works best for your schedule.
Recap: Can bearded dragons eat dog food?
- Bearded dragons should not eat dog food regularly.
- If they’ve accidentally eaten a little dog food, that’s fine, but stop feeding it to them after you’ve caught them eating it.
- Feed them insects and plants as part of a healthy diet.
For our full list of food to feed a bearded dragon, see our guide here.
Related articles:
