Unfortunately, while caterpillars seem like an attractive snack to many lizards, especially younger ones who are more likely to nibble at things that may be harmful even if they know better. The problem with caterpillars is that several species contain poisonous substances which can harm your lizard’s system. Check out the insects for bearded dragons.
They also simply don’t provide enough nutritional value to make up for what’s potentially dangerous about them. It’s okay if the insects you feed your lizard occasionally include one or two plant-eating bugs within their normal diet of small crickets and other insects. There are plenty of live bugs available in our live pet insect category, so you can always stop by there before making a trip to your local pet store. However, under most circumstances, it’s recommended that you avoid offering any type of caterpillar for your lizard to eat.
List of Insects for Bearded Dragons
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Flies
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Dubia Frogs
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grasshoppers
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Green Caterpillars
A captive Bearded Dragon should not eat green caterpillars. A green caterpillar is a larva of a butterfly or moth and can range from slightly fuzzy to mostly smooth. It’s easy to see why many types of animals find them an appetizing meal. Many different insects, including grasshoppers, crickets or mice will eat a wide variety of insect larvae.
However, for Bearded Dragons, an insectivorous diet should be based on mostly small-sized prey items such as crickets and mealworms, because larger worms and larger prey may cause problems in the stomachs of bearded dragons. In the case that your bearded dragon has eaten a green caterpillar, monitor him/her for a few days to make sure he is ok. Most often the beardie will be ok, but occasionally he could get sick. If he stops eating or pooping, reach out to an exotic veterinarian.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Monarch Caterpillars
Absolutely not. Bearded dragons can not eat Monarch caterpillars because of their toxicity. Your bearded dragon could possibly die when eating them or get sick when trying to digest them due to its lack of enzymes that help break down these toxic substances
The Monarch butterfly/moth (Danaus plexippus) is a distinctive North American insect, and it provides the only poisonous butterflies in the world. Caterpillars eat milkweed plants and pass poisons to their body along with the toxins they obtain from their food source. These poisonings can lead to severe illness in reptiles and should be avoided at all costs.