No, bearded dragons cannot eat shrimp. There are a few reasons for this. First, bearded dragons cannot digest the exoskeleton of a shrimp which is why they make a clicking sound when they try to eat one.
The other reason that you should avoid feeding them any wild animal proteins is because of the risk that certain species could be carrying diseases or parasites. Shrimp can be commonly infected with anisakis worms, which can be deadly to bearded dragons if they ingest them while eating the shrimp.
Nutritional Components of Shrimp
This type of invertebrate is low in calcium and other nutrients that bearded dragons need to stay healthy. They are not packed with the proper protein like crickets, mealworms or super worms.
Feeding Shrimp to Your Bearded Dragon (And Why You Shouldn’t)
It’s one thing to say “can bearded dragons eat shrimp?” but it’s quite another matter to provide the proper context needed in order to answer this question properly. That said, by taking a look at why you shouldn’t feed them shrimp we’ll get a more accurate picture of whether they can eat them or not.
While shrimp is a tasty treat for some human beings it’s just not that ideal for bearded dragons and other reptiles alike. That said, there are several reasons why you should avoid feeding them this type of food:
1 – They Might Not Eat Them
If you’ve ever tried to feed your pet live shrimp then you already know the answer to “can bearded dragons eat shrimp?” The simple answer here is no because typically when they see these types of foods in front of them they will either shy away from them or try to kill/eat them which results in the exoskeleton being caught in the digestive tract which will often cause discomfort. Even if they do manage to eat them their digestive tract isn’t made to digest the exoskeleton so they’ll typically release the shrimp after a short period of time which is done by making body movements that result in it being released.
2 – They Are Unhealthy For Them
Instead of thinking about whether or not bearded dragons can eat shrimp, you should be considering what they do contain and why this makes them a poor nutritional option. We’ve already talked about their lack of calcium but another thing that makes them unhealthy is the fact that they are high in cholesterol with most species containing over 200mg per 100 grams. In addition, most types of shrimp also have moderate to high levels of saturated fats as well as sodium levels which means that you need to limit how often you feed them this type of food.
Can Bearded Dragons Consume These Foods?
Advantages of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Shrimp
There are no known advantages of feeding your bearded dragon shrimp.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Shrimp? – The Conclusion!
In the end, it’s safe to say that you should not feed bearded dragons shrimp. This is because they are high in cholesterol and saturated fats while also containing a high amount of sodium which means that their digestive tract will have a hard time breaking them down resulting in belly aches and other types of discomfort. The exoskeleton part is just one side effect of why you shouldn’t feed your pet this type of food aside from the fact that they usually aren’t going to eat them for the reasons mentioned above.
Instead, there are plenty of other foods out there such as vegetables and fruits so try finding other options instead! Please be sure to share this article with family and friends so everyone can find out whether or not bearded dragons can eat shrimp!