Can Bearded Dragons Eat Baby Food? (See What Happens)

No, bearded dragons should not eat baby food. Technically, they CAN eat it however, it is not a recommended source of food for a bearded dragon. Some owners like to mix it in with or put it on top of other foods to entice their pets to eat something less favorable.

The high sugar content and the plethora of preservatives and additives make baby food a poor choice of food for bearded dragons.

The potential attraction to the baby food is twofold, owners believe that offering their pet an occasional meal of fruit or vegetables will be beneficial, and they feel sorry for their bearded dragon. Neither is really true.

Are There Any Valuable Nutrients in Baby Food for My Bearded Dragon?

There are certainly some beneficial nutrients in baby food.

However, since the vast majority of the time your pet is being fed a balanced diet containing all of these nutrients and more, there is no need to feed your dragon any type of human foods at all.

Fruits, vegetables and grains are fine if you want to give them as treats now and then, but they cannot replace a proper bearded dragon diet.

What Are Some Other Reasons Not To Feed My Bearded Dragon Baby Food?

Here are my top five reasons why not to feed baby food to your bearded dragon:

1) There are higher quality ingredients available for making bearded dragon diets at home that have nutritional profiles specifically designed for an insectivore’s needs. This frees you from the need to buy prepared foods.

2) There are better choices for fruits and vegetables available, too. Most grocery store produce is not ideal for bearded dragons due to pesticide residue problems. However, if it is organically grown at your local farmers market or through an organic food delivery service then that’s a different story, but still not as good as making your own food at home where you control the ingredients.

3) Time spent shopping for baby food could be used in preparing nutritious foods for your dragon instead. This will save you both time and money since making your own bearded dragon diet can be done extremely inexpensively compared to buying commercial diets or prepared diets at the pet shop.

4) The high sugar content in baby foods can upset your pet’s digestive system and cause all kinds of problems that will require veterinary attention.

5) There is no benefit to feeding baby food at all other than the possible psychological need to feel closer to your pet, and it won’t last long if you keep offering better choices instead. Having a balanced diet for bearded dragons really isn’t all that complicated once you learn how easy it can be made, so there is no reason whatsoever to go back to using any type of commercially prepared foods as a staple in their diet.

What Are The Risks of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Baby Food?

There are a number of risks associated with feeding baby food to your beardie. Some of these include:

There can be problems from upset digestive systems from high sugar and other food additives that could lead to serious illness if not immediately treated by a veterinarian. The exact cause and effect reaction time varies because we don’t know how much each dragon is getting through how many different foods, so this is where the risk factor comes in.
The potential for problems with overdosing on vitamins can be a serious issue with certain store-bought foods, so making your own food allows you to regulate the ingredients.
Using commercially prepared food to stimulate appetite may entice your dragon to eat more than it normally would, but only until the novelty wears off. This means that many owners will have issues getting their pets to reduce their food intake because they have become used to eating larger quantities of sub-par food just to get something down them. This leads to all kinds of health issues as well including obesity and hepatic lipidosis, which is a fatal liver disease caused by diet-related factors.

Can Bearded Dragons Consume These Foods?

Alternative Foods for Bearded Dragons

There are many great vegetables and fruits available to provide your dragon with the proper diet. Many of these can be found at farmer’s markets or through an organic produce delivery service, depending on where you live.

For example, collard greens have a high vitamin content so this would make it a good choice for everyday meals. Other vegetables are also full of nutrition that is lacking in commercial foods including carrots, squash, pumpkin, beet greens and much more. This way you can provide your pet with treats now and then without fear of over-feeding it junk food either.

What Are Some Benefits of Making My Own Food for My Bearded Dragon?

By making your own food for your bearded dragon rather than buying prepared diets or commercially produced foods from the pet shop, you can enjoy a number of benefits that include:

1) You can control the fat content and sugar levels by using lean meats and vegetables which allows you to provide a well-balanced diet for your pet.

2) You will save money from buying prepared foods or those from the pet shop. Prepared diets are expensive over time but also lack nutritional value compared to making your own at home, so this is a double bonus.

4) There is no risk of overdosing on vitamin supplements or sugar that can be found in store-bought foods, so you don’t have to worry about digestive problems.

5) You can provide your pet with a very nutritious meal plan to ensure it has all the vitamins and nutrients necessary for its optimum health.

6) You will know exactly what your dragon is eating so there are fewer risks associated with feeding commercial foods.

7) Your bearded dragon will love eating healthy vegetables instead of processed foods.

8) Making your own food saves you time shopping for commercially prepared diets or those at the pet shops. This way you can focus more on taking care of other issues around the house rather than running errands just to feed your beardie.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Baby Food? – The Conclusion

No, bearded dragons cannot eat baby food, but in a pinch, it will do in a time of need. There are many other alternatives to feed your pet such as fresh vegetables and fruits which offer much more nutritional value.

So the answer is no, bearded dragons cannot eat baby food, because there are plenty of alternative foods you can use to provide your pet with the proper diet without resorting to cheap processed foods that will only cause problems down the road rather than solving them.

If you live near a farmer’s market then this would be one way to get around having to buy commercially prepared or store-bought diets for your dragon. Give them what they deserve and they’ll love you for it (and hopefully learn that good behavior has its benefits).