Yes, bearded dragons can eat squash. Beardies can eat all types of squash as a matter of fact. Squash is a vegetable and it contains valuable nutrients. Bearded dragons need certain vitamins and minerals to be healthy and squash has some of these, so you can give your beardie the vegetable freely. Check out which vegetables bearded dragons can eat.
Valuable Nutrients in Squash
Squash is a vegetable that contains several vitamins and minerals. It has cupfuls of Vitamin A, lots of Vitamin C, and potassium. So your bearded dragons will benefit greatly from eating this healthy vegetable.
Squash is also easy to digest and absorb, so it is a good vegetable for young dragons. By the way, there are lots of different kinds of squash out there, but we can name three main types: acorn squash, buttercup, and zucchini.
Acorn Squash
This type has ridges and comes in an orangish color. This type of squash is great for your beardie. You can roast it or steam it, which is what you will usually see in stores.
Butternut Squash
This type of squash has a more beige color than an acorn and doesn’t have ridges. You can do the same thing with this as you would with the acorn.
Zucchini Squash
This is the type that most people are familiar with. It’s green in color and it comes straight from the ground to stores all summer long. You can steam it, roast it, or put it in salads. Just remember not to cook it for too long, because its vitamins will cook off if it’s overcooked.
Benefits of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Squash
As we’ve stated, there are lots of vitamins and minerals in squash that your beardie needs. These include important vitamins like Vitamin A and C. There are also good sources of fiber and potassium.
Your bearded dragon can benefit from these nutrients because it keeps his body healthy and happy. It will help him grow strong and it boosts his immune system so he won’t catch any colds or the flu.
Squash is also helpful for digestion. It helps him digest his food quickly and it gives him more energy so he spends less time sleeping. Bearded dragons with lots of energy tend to be smart, alert, and healthy, so you want your dragon to have lots of good digestion.
When buying squash for your bearded dragon, only buy the raw vegetable with no seasonings or sauces on it. You can cook it yourself. Just remember not to cook it for too long because some of its vitamins will burn off.
And most importantly, don’t forget to wash all vegetables before giving them to your bearded dragon. This is important because packages used in stores are covered in dust, germs, and all kinds of grossness that your beardie doesn’t want to eat.
How to Feed Squash to Your Beardie?
While a lot of people like to cook their beardie’s squash. You can also give it to them raw, remember, this is how they would eat it in the wild. You can cut it up into small pieces and give it to them straight from the fridge.
As always, never feed your bearded dragon anything that’s been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals. Only buy organic squash that hasn’t been treated with any chemicals at all.
Vegetable for Bearded Dragons
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mustard Greens
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Onions
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Peppers
How Much Squash Should I Feed My Bearded Dragon?
As with all vegetables, you should feed a little bit at a time and wait a while before giving more. You don’t want your bearded dragon to get sick of eating the same food over and over again, so give him new vegetables each time you feed him. If he has a stomachache after eating too much of one vegetable, wait a week and try again.
*A good rule of thumb when cutting the squash is to cut them into cubes that are no bigger than the space between your beardie’s eyes.
When to Feed Your Beardie Squash?
There is no specific time to feed your beardie squash. You can give it to them whenever you would like. You can put it in their salad or, if they enjoy the taste of the vegetable, you can give it to them freely.
Risks of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Squash
The risks of squash actually come in the preparation. You don’t want to cut the pieces of squash too big for your beardie. He/she might choke or have trouble digesting it. Leading to beardie bloat.
Making Sure Your Bearded Dragon Is Healthy
You should regularly give your bearded dragon a checkup to make sure he’s healthy. Check his eyes, nose, mouth, belly button, fingers/toes, nail beds for any kind of infections or diseases such as tumors or mites such as reptile mange.
Alternative Foods for Bearded Dragons
While squash is a phenomenal food for your beardie, you might want to switch it up every now and then. Here is a list of alternative foods for your dragon:
- Cucumber
- Bell pepper
- Sweet potato. Try to avoid giving your dragon yams or white potatoes, because they are high in starch and can cause serious health problems.
- Kale
- Honeydew
- Grapes. Grapes can be given to your beardie sparingly. You don’t want him/her to get the runs, so give them grapes in moderation.
- Apple
- Mangos
- Banana. Banana is fine for bearded dragons, but only if it’s not overly ripe.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Squash? – The Conclusion
Yes, bearded dragons can eat squash. Just make sure to give them clean vegetables that haven’t been sprayed with any chemicals or pesticides that might harm their health. You should also monitor how much you feed them and watch for stomach aches or diarrhea – signs of overfeeding. At least until you know that squash cooperates with your bearded dragon’s stomach.