How to Get Bearded Dragons to Eat Greens: Guide with Tips

Introduction to the topic

Your bearded dragon isn’t a fan of its enclosure’s deep dish of veggies.

Insects and treats are likely to be consumed quickly, but the bowl of leafy greens is likely to be left to languish.

Health complications like metabolic bone disease can be avoided if they are encouraged to eat more greens.

The real challenge is persuading them that these leafy greens are actually delectable snacks.

As babies, bearded dragons can be taught to enjoy greens.

Mix it up, make a smoothie in your food processor, or add small amounts of fruit or bee pollen to get them to eat more.

To ensure that they eat their greens, you can refuse to feed them anything until they do.

Bearded dragons can be difficult to train to eat their greens.

These tips and tricks may help if you’re feeling stuck and frustrated.

What are bearded dragons fed?

How to get bearded dragons to eat greens?

Because they evolved in a habitat where food is scarce, bearded dragons are willing to eat a wide variety of things. It is common knowledge that bearded dragons are omnivores, which means they eat a wide variety of foods, including insects.

Bearded dragons consume both plant and animal foods.

They have a keen sense of sight and smell. Adult bearded dragons are more likely to be herbivores than carnivores when they’re young and growing, and vice versa. As a general rule of thumb, a bearded dragon’s diet should consist of roughly equal parts plant and animal products, depending on its age. Consult your vet about the best diet for your pet lizard.

Where can I get my bearded dragon some protein?

Grasshoppers, gut-loaded (i.e., fed nutritious food that is then passed on to the lizard) or calcium-dusted crickets and mealworms, spiders, wax worms (occasionally, as they are high fat), silk worms (occasionally), tofu, moths, slugs, and earthworms are all suitable sources of animal-based protein.

Owners can raise their own live prey, such as crickets and various worms, at home or buy them from a pet store, a bait store, or a reptile breeder. Insects collected from outside or from the garden may contain fertilizers and insecticides that could be harmful to bearded dragons if fed to them. Bearded dragons should never be fed fireflies because they are poisonous to lizards. Feeding pinkie or young “fuzzy” mice to larger bearded dragons is possible, but it should be done sparingly.

Remember to include a wide variety of foods from each of the food groups listed above in your pet’s diet to ensure a well-balanced diet.

Why doesn’t my beardie like to eat greens?

Your bearded dragon may not eat vegetables for one of the following reasons:

1. Age

Insects from a wide variety of species are necessary for bearded dragons until they reach juvenility, when they become omnivores. It’s not unusual for a young bearded dragon to refuse to eat vegetables.

But as they mature, bearded dragons transition from insectivores to omnivores; prior to this, they remain insectivores. When bearded dragons reach adulthood, they will consume the majority of their food in the form of greens and vegetables.

2. Overeating

This is related to the first reason. There’s a good chance that you’re overfeeding your bearded dragon if it won’t eat any vegetables. Hatchlings need 60-80% of their food in the form of bugs, while adolescents require 50-60% and adults require 20-30%. If your bearded dragon isn’t eating bugs, that’s an entirely bug-based diet! Because of this, it’s a problem.

Be sure to feed your bearded dragon on a regular schedule, and he or she will have a better chance of eating the mixed greens.

3. Bearded Dragon is too young for this

Bearded dragons don’t become omnivorous until they are pre-adults, so they need a wide variety of insects while they are growing up.

It’s normal for a baby bearded dragon to refuse to eat vegetables. Before they reach adulthood, bearded dragons are insectivores, but as soon as they do, they become omnivores (Wotherspoon 2007). Bearded dragons begin eating greens and vegetables as juveniles and continue to do so as adults.

4. Too many supplements

Supplements like calcium and vitamins aren’t exactly mouthwatering. As a result, bearded dragons may avoid eating greens and vegetables if they are heavily dusted.

5. Obnoxious Choices

Bearded dragons, like us, have tastebuds, and so do bearded dragons. To get your bearded dragon to eat more vegetables, try changing things up a bit! Change up the greens or include some fruit. Fruits that are red or orange are particularly appealing.

6. No idea what a salad is

Beardies that have been fed only bugs for years are more likely to suffer from this problem. It’s a surefire way to get your bearded dragon’s attention if you include insects such as mealworms or black soldier fly larvae in your salad. In the end, they’ll grab a leaf instead of a bug. In this way, they will understand that greens are food.

7. The environment isn’t properly set up

Heating

A bearded dragon will slow down and lose interest in food if the temperature is too low. As a result, it won’t want to eat if the temperature is too high.

Irregularity of the illumination

UVA and/or UVB rays aren’t strong enough. UVA affects how the environment is viewed, which in turn can affect feeding habits.

8. Dish is too deep

In the first instance, it may be difficult to see the food in deep dishes, reducing the appeal. Wide and shallow dishes are ideal for serving food that can be seen from a distance and is easily accessible. For obese bearded dragons, deep food dishes are also a good idea.

9. Injuries and Illness

When bearded dragons are sick or in pain, they will not eat vegetables. There may be a desire to eat the wriggling insects, but as the disease or injury worsens, that will also stop.

Periodontal disease is common in bearded pet dogs. So make sure your teeth and gums are spotless. If you’re unsure if your bearded dragon is ill, check out this helpful post.

10. Brumation

Bearded dragon brumation can range from mild to barely discernible. Brumation symptoms in bearded dragons may be as subtle as a decrease in appetite and a general slowing down of activity.

10 Tips and tricks to make your bearded dragon eat greens

Your bearded dragon isn’t eating their vegetables, and you don’t know why. There’s nothing to be concerned about if this is the case. As a result of these eight tips, their taste buds will be transformed in no time!

1. Mix it up

In the event that you’re not already familiar with this first suggestion on the list, here it is:

Changing up their diet is a great way to get your bearded dragon to eat more fruits and vegetables. Seriously. Sometimes bearded dragons refuse to eat their food because they simply dislike the vegetable options available.

2. Adding Bee Pollen to their Salad

Bee pollen is a favorite food of bearded dragons. This all-in-one vitamin not only adds flavor to otherwise bland and boring vegetables, but it also provides extra nutrition for your bearded dragon!

To avoid overdoing it, I recommend adding just a pinch. This bee pollen powder is my go-to supplement for my bearded dragons.

3. Handfeed

What do you do when your bearded dragon will not eat mustard greens?

Using your hands to feed them may be a way to get them to notice you.

Make a nice assortment of chopped leafy greens to choose from.

Pick up a few pieces of vegetables and move them around in an attempt to entice your bearded dragon.

In order to entice them to pursue what you’re offering, this mimics their natural prey drive.

Make sure you don’t get bitten while you’re doing this.

4. In the Salad, use Feeders

Getting a bearded dragon to eat greens

To find a cockroach in your salad is the only time you’d want it. The only time is when you’re feeding it to your stubborn bearded dragon.

5. Greens are enough

Is your bearded dragon eating their greens but you can’t afford to buy anything else? It’s all good! It’s a simple way to increase the chances that they’ll get some vegetables while they eat their salad.

6. Through the use of Flavors

You can juice, mash, or finely chop your bearded dragon’s favorite fruits and vegetables and spread them over the rest of the plants. Fruit such as berries, apples, and other types of fruit are frequently chosen as snacks. Feed some of the flavor-enhanced food to your bearded dragon by hand or leave it for him to eat. Investigate your options to determine which is most effective.

7. Finely dice the food

Finely cut vegetation should be used when introducing it. This will keep you from having to pick and choose between different foods because the food will be chopped so finely that you won’t be able to distinguish between them.

8. The salad dressing

The salad’s dressing entices children to eat it by making it appear appetizing. Bearded dragons can be trained in the same way. Your beardie will be more likely to consume salad and greens if they are presented in an appetizing manner.

9. Make it juicy

Juicing vegetables is much more convenient for us than eating or chewing them. The same is true for bearded dragons, who are more likely to eat the vegetable slurry than the actual vegetables themselves.

10. Keep your head up

It’s understandable that this final suggestion may come across as a little harsh. However, bearded dragons, like children who are made to eat their peas and carrots before they are allowed to leave the table, will eventually crumble.

You see, sometimes all it takes to win is a little bit of stubbornness on your part. If you’ve exhausted all other options, you may want to give this a try.

Watch How to feed a baby bearded dragon | Tips and tricks | Video

What’s wrong with my bearded dragon?

There’s a good chance that you’re overfeeding your bearded dragon if it won’t eat any vegetables. Hatchlings need 60-80% of their food in the form of bugs, while adolescents require 50-60% and adults require 20-30%.

Is there any way to get dragons to eat their greens, like spinach?

Here’s an example of how you can get your bearded dragon to eat vegetables:
Getting a Dragon to Eat Its Greens
Don’t Be Stale.
A Bee Pollen Pinch Is a Second Option.
Reptile Salad Dressing, Number Three:
Using Feeders in the Salad is a fourth tip.
Make a Slurry for Them!
Begin Early.
Hand feeding
Don’t Back Down!

My bearded dragon refuses to eat, so how do I get him to?

Feeding bearded dragons, a treat is one of the most effective ways to get them to eat. Waxworms, hornworms, and silkworms are all good options for fatty insects. Fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, and mango are also good options for dessert toppings.

What kinds of greens can I feed my bearded dragon?

A wide variety of vegetables, including collard greens, beet greens, mustard greens, broccoli, turnip greens, alfalfa, bok choy, parsley and Swiss chard, are all acceptable in a diet that should include at least a large portion of vegetables.

What if my bearded dragon refuses to eat vegetables?

Conclusion

Here are some helpful hints for getting your bearded dragon to eat more vegetables and greens. And if you’ve read the article, you may be able to figure out exactly how to get your bearded dragon to eat more vegetables and greens. In addition to everything else, patience with your pet is the most important factor.

Bearded dragons are one of a kind reptiles that necessitate a lot of time and patience to care for properly. In some cases, bearded dragons can be stubborn, but if you stick to the above guidelines, you’ll get the best results possible. It’s important to remain calm and patient with your pet. It’s important to keep experimenting until you find what works best for your bearded dragon if one suggestion doesn’t.

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