Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumbers? {Is It Safe For Them To Eat}

Have you recently cooked a meal and have had left over cucumbers and thought to yourself, Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumbers?

Is it OK to feed them? do they like cucumbers? Will they cause them to become ill?

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumbers?

You can feed cucumbers to bearded dragons, cucumbers are a great source of minerals and vitamins which will benefit your bearded dragon, but be aware that cucumbers should only be given as a treat once a week.

Cucumbers are a popular vegetable that we eat as it goes with many different dishes. They also taste very nice. Bearded dragons can eat a wide variety of vegetables but not all of them are good for them.

In this article I will cover everything you need to know about feeding your bearded dragon cucumbers. Below is a video I found on youtube of a bearded dragon eating cucumber.

[youtube v=”ZS07dGxfoTc” start=”02:10″]

Benefits Of Feeding Your Bearded Dragons Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a perfect vegetable to feed your bearded dragons because they contain so many nutrients that they would not normally have in their diets.

The nutrients include

• Fiber : Which will help to prevent constipation
• Vitamin A : Will help with the immune system, growth and vision
• Vitamin C : Will help with the immune system, growth and vision
• Vitamin K : Reduces risks of blood clots
• Potassium : Helps muscle development, reduces risks of kidney issues and lowers water retention

What Nutrients Are In Cucumbers?

Bearded dragons will typically eat around 80% meat (Crickets, mealworms, worms) and 20% fruit or vegetables.  Vegetables is an important part of their diet because it will contain certain nutrients that are not found in meat.

Listed below are the nutrients that are found in 100g of cucumber

1. Water: 95%
2. Calories: 10
3. Protein: 0.6g
4. Calcium: 16mg
5. Phosphorus: 24mg
6. Sugar: 1.6g
7. Fiber: 0.5g
8. Fat: 0.04g
9. Vitamin A: 5µg
10. Vitamin C: 2.8mg

As you can see this vegetable will supply them with a lot of water and more importantly Vitamin A and C.

The above information was supplied from here

How Often Can I Feed Bearded Dragons Cucumbers?

It is important that your bearded dragon maintains a balanced diet of around 80% meat and 20% fruit and vegetables.  It is also best to give them different fruit and veg when possible.

You should feed your bearded dragons cucumbers in small amounts at the most once every week.  If the bearded dragon eats to much cucumber it will upset their tummy and they could possibly become ill.

You would only want to feed them enough that they can finish in one sitting, Cucumber will go off very quickly so it is important it is consumed as soon as possible.

How To Prepare Cucumbers For Your Bearded Dragons

It is important not to just cut the cucumber in to slices and give them to your dragon.  To prepare cucumbers for your bearded dragon follow these steps

1. Wash : Wash the cucumber under a tap thoroughly, this will prevent any dirt or pesticides being present
2. Peel : Bearded dragons can not eat the peel because it could get stuck in their throat and they could choke on it. Make sure to remove all of the peel.
3. Cut In Half : Remove all the seeds from inside
4. Cut In To Small Pieces : Around 1cm in size if possible
5. Give To Your Bearded Dragon : Watch them enjoy them

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Unpeeled Cucumbers?

There are a few reasons why you can not feed them unpeeled cucumbers

You should not feed your bearded dragons unpeeled cucumbers because they are quite tough and can cause your dragon to choke on it. The peel could also contain pesticide which can make your dragon become very sick.

It is common for farmers to spray their produce with chemicals when they are growing which helps keep bugs away from the cucumbers.  Even when you wash the vegetables the chemicals could still be on the produce, this is why it is very important to remove the peel.

Are Cucumber Seeds Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat?

Above I advised to remove the cucumber seeds, but is it safe for bearded dragons to eat the seeds?

It is perfectly safe to feed your bearded dragon cucumber seeds because they are small and soft and can be easily eaten. The seeds also contain some vitamins and minerals which will benefit your bearded dragon.

Having said that you need to be careful not to give any seeds that are big as they might have problems eating it.  Also look out for seeds that are hard and have sharp edges as these could harm your dragon.

Can You Feed Cucumber Leaves To Bearded Dragons?

It is ok to feed your bearded dragon cucumber leaves as long as you grew them yourself.  If the plant was grown on a farm there is a good chance the leaves were sprayed with chemicals which your dragon will become sick if they eat it.

Even if you wash the leaves you will not be able to remove 100% of the chemicals.

Also make sure that the leaf is a healthy looking green colour, If the leaf is yellow like in the picture above then avoid feeding this to your dragon.

These leaves also have very poor nutritional value so I would recommend for you not to use them.