Can Bearded Dragons Eat Carrots? {Facts You Need To Know}

A bearded dragon’s diet mostly consists of a lot of insects and plants. The ideal ratio varies with the dragon’s age.

When deciding on plants to feed these small reptiles, it can be a bit challenging to figure out which ones should form part of their diet. So,

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Carrots?

Yes you can feed your bearded dragons carrots. Carrots are rich in nutrition and vitamins and your dragons will love eating them.

How often can I feed a bearded dragon carrots?

Carrots are rich in nutrients and are often enjoyed by bearded dragons when included in their diet. Among these nutrients is vitamin A, which is particularly high in carrots. This vitamin is of great nutritional value for bearded dragons, but it can also be quite toxic to them when present in very high doses.

For this reason, it’s best to serve carrots to your dragons in moderation. There are no industry-established figures but it’s safe to limit serving your dragons carrot flesh to once or twice a week. Some advice once a month. The green tops can be given to them every day if you wish.

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Some reasons to feed carrots to your bearded dragons:

• Carrots (and carrot tops) are rich in vitamin A, which promotes eye health and immune function.
• Carrots are rich in fibers, which can help improve your bearded dragon’s digestion; this is especially useful in digesting the exoskeleton of ingested insects.
• This root crop is high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps improve your pet’s general health.
• They are low in sugar.

There are many other types of nutrients available in carrots. Most of those contained in the flesh are present in insignificant proportions. Their effects are much more pronounced in the more nutritionally-balanced carrot tops which we’ll discuss next.

Can bearded dragons eat carrot tops?

Yes. The green tops of carrots are a nutritious addition to a bearded dragon’s diet. Many dragons enjoy it and will usually consume this part along with the body of the carrot when served. Carrot bodies (not the green tops) are short on calcium supply. This is why some nutritionists recommend swapping a lot of carrot flesh with carrot tops in your dragon’s diet.

Here are some benefits you get from feeding your dragons carrot tops:

• As previously mentioned, carrot tops contain vitamin A which is useful for vision improvement in bearded dragons.
• They also contain potassium, which aids muscle function.
• The potassium can also help in regulating blood pressure and water balance in this reptile.
• Importantly, these green parts contain calcium which is lacking in the flesh of carrots (and in the general diet of bearded dragons); calcium is essential for good bone development and reproductive health in dragons.
• They contain vitamin C which promotes the immune system by strengthening the body’s natural defenses.
• The vitamin B6 present in carrot tops can help your dragons develop richer and more colorful skins. It also improves general body function.
• They contain vitamin K which promotes the absorption of calcium in bearded dragons; this can help mitigate the effects of oxalate-high veggies.

Can baby bearded dragons eat carrots?

Baby bearded dragons should typically consume 80% insects and 20% plants in their diet. Do carrots make that 20%? Yes, they do. Carrots are a safe food choice for baby bearded dragons.

As with adult bearded dragons, you should be mindful of just how much carrots you feed these young reptiles. Small, spaced servings are good. Frequent servings can have negative consequences.

Can bearded dragons eat raw carrots?

Certainly. You do not need to cook or steam carrots before feeding them to your bearded dragons. The plant food sources available to these small reptiles in their natural environments are consumed raw without additional processing; carrots can also be consumed the same way. Cooking carrots reduces the amount of nutrients present in them.

Do bearded dragons like carrots?

While carrots do not form part of their natural diet in many places, they seem to enjoy eating it when it is fed to them. It is safe, therefore, to assume that they like it.

Most bearded dragons go mad when they see carrots and some do not, so you will have to see how your dragon reacts to them.

Are carrots poisonous for bearded dragons?

Carrots are not poisonous to bearded dragons. In excess, however, they can have negative consequences. The vitamin A present in carrots begins to show toxicity at high doses, resulting in health problems. These reptiles already get vitamin A in other vegetables and vitamin supplements. Fed foods high in vitamin A too frequently, the build-up may cause even small amounts to be toxic. Symptoms may include fatigue, weight loss, or dehydration.

Feeding dragons baby carrots is another concern. This has confused a lot of people for a while. Baby carrots sometimes contain preservatives to keep them fresh for longer than usual. Chemical preservatives can pose serious health challenges for your bearded dragon.

While some nutritionists say that baby carrots are safe for your bearded dragons to consume, it’s still best to stick to grown carrots when getting this food item for your dragons. If you’re getting baby carrots, ensure they don’t contain any chemicals that can hurt your reptilian friends.

How to prepare carrots for your bearded dragon

Nearly all vegetables and fruits have been sprayed with pesticides or other potentially toxic chemicals between planting and sale. Organically cultivated plants free of this burden often cannot escape bacterial contamination during handling. Therefore, it is essential that you carefully wash your dragon’s carrots as you would when preparing them for yourself.

If you give carrots to your bearded dragons whole or in large slices, you risk choking them. Always reduce the carrots and green tops into tiny bits so your pets can eat them without difficulty. There are many ways to prepare this for them. The most obvious is to chop your carrots into minute cubes or strips that are easy to swallow.

Another method is to shred the carrots using a grater. This is arguably one of the best ways to fix your dragons a carrot meal.

How do I feed my bearded dragon carrots?

Whether you’re grating your carrots or cutting them into small strips, it is best practice to serve your carrots alone or in combination with other salads. In addition to increasing culinary diversity, the second option prevents your bearded dragons from overfeeding on carrots at the expense of achieving a balanced diet.

Consider accessibility when deciding which bowl to serve the carrots in. Not all bowls are easy for bearded dragons to eat out of. Flat surfaces are good; bowls with low edges are too.