In this post, you will find the full bearded dragon food chart – staple, occasional and prohibited foods for your bearded dragon. This food list will make it easy for you to see the nutrition for the foods that you can and cannot offer to your bearded dragon. You can save this page and come back to it whenever you need it.
For a bigger list of toxic and non-toxic plants for bearded dragons, see this post on a bearded dragon’s diet. You will also learn about feeding your dragon – when, how much to feed, and more. (Opens in a new tab).
And to read on supplementing and dusting bearded dragon’s food, read this post (opens in a new tab).
Things to know before feeding your bearded dragon
Please remember that all fruits and high goitrogen/oxalic foods should make up only 10% of the diet. Some moderate goitrogen/oxalate foods can be offered more often. But make sure these are only small quantities and mixed in a salad with low oxalates and higher calcium foods.
You can offer frozen vegetables/greens/fruits to your dragon, but they will be lower in vitamin B. However, in general, freezing preserves most nutrients.
Make sure to grate or chop greens into very small pieces or strips. Otherwise, it can get stuck in your bearded dragon’s throat.
Always remove the seeds, as they can be toxic. Check before offering the plant of a specific vegetable, as it can be toxic. For example, potato plant is toxic while potatoes are not.
Any flowers should be free of any chemicals, make sure to buy or collect from safe areas and wash thoroughly before offering.
It is a good idea to remove the wings (break them off) for large winged feeder insects. This is because wings can be hard to digest and sometimes come out undigested.
Bearded dragon food chart
BEARDED DRAGON STAPLE VEGETABLES TABLE
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Alfalfa plants (fresh green) | – | High calcium, can add to salads 2-6 days a week. Raw. Choose the fresh plant, and not sprouts (higher phosphorus) or dried pellets |
| Arugula (Rocket) | 3.2:1 | High calcium and ideal ratio, but low vitamin/mineral content. Mix some in a salad. |
| Basil | 3.2:1 | Excellent herb – mix fresh basil in the salads. |
| Chicory greens | 2.1:1 | High vitamin A, K, fiber and moderate C. |
| Cilantro (coriander) | 1.4:1 | Great herb, mix fresh cilantro in salads regularly. |
| Collard greens | 14.5:1 | Every day staple, high vitamin A, C, K, folate. Raw. Can mix with other lower calcium greens, such as squash. Remove stems, chop into very small pieces. |
| Dandelions (flowers and leaves) | 2.8:1 | Can eat every day in a salad, High calcium, vitamin A, C, K, fiber. Overall good vitamin/mineral content. Raw |
| Endive | 1.9:1 | Every day staple, high overall and mineral vitamin content -raw |
| Escarole | 1.9:1 | Every day staple, high overall and mineral vitamin content – raw |
| Hibiscus (flowers, leaves) | 2.7:1 | Great treat, mix in a salad, up 2-5 days a week. |
| Mulberry leaves | 2:1 | Great greens, add to salads few times a week. Make sure leaves are chemical-free. Also feed to your silkworms. |
| Mustard greens | 2.4:1 | Every day staple, high vitamin A, C, K, folate. Raw. Remove stems, chop into very small pieces |
| Nasturtium (flowers) | – | Great treat, mix in a salad, up to 2-5 days a week. |
| Peppermint | 3.3:1 | Great herb – add to salads frequently, low general vitamin/mineral content, great to entice to eat a salad |
| Prickly pear (Prickly Cactus) – leaves and pears | 2.3:1 | Every day staple, high in vitamin A and Magnesium – raw, remove the top skin layer |
| Rosemary | 4.8:1 | Great herb – add to salads frequently, low general vitamin/mineral content, great to entice to eat a salad |
| Spearmint | 3.3:1 | Great herb – add to salads frequently, low general vitamin/mineral content, great to entice to eat a salad |
| Squash (Acorn) | 1:1.1 | Moderate vitamin C, feed raw few times a week |
| Squash (Butternut) | 1.5:1 | High vitamin A. Can feed every day. Raw |
| Squash (Hubbard) | 1:1.5 | Medium vitamin A, C, manganese, feed raw few times a week |
| Squash (Scallop) | 1:1.9 | Moderate vitamin C, folate. Can eat few times a week. Raw |
| Squash (Spaghetti) | 1.9:1 | Can eat every day, raw. Low vitamin & mineral content. Raw. |
| Squash (Yellow/Summer) | 1:1.9 | Moderate vitamin C, feed raw few times/week |
| Thyme | 3.8:1 | Great herb – add to salads frequently, low general vitamin/mineral content, great to entice to eat a salad |
| Turnip greens | 4.5:1 | Every day staple, high calcium, vitamin A, C, K, folate. Raw. Remove stems, chop into very small pieces |
VEGETABLES, GREENS & FLOWERS TO FEED FEW TIMES A WEEK
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Artichokes (heart) | 1:2 | High in fiber and good overall vitamin & mineral content. Offer raw. |
| Asparagus | 1:2 | Offer once a week or smaller amounts few times a week. Cut off the flowery top and also the bottom. Offer raw. |
| Beans, Garbanzo (Chickpeas), canned | 1:2.8 | Offer once a week mixed with other higher Ca veggies. You can offer them canned. Boiled beans will have a Ca:P ratio of 1:3.4 |
| Beans, green, canned | 1.4:1 | Contains phytic acid that can bind calcium – mix in a salad few times a week with higher Ca veggies. |
| Beans, Green, raw | 1:1 | Contains phytic acid that can bind calcium – mix in a salad few times a week with higher Ca veggies. |
| Beans, Pinto (canned) | 1:2.1 | Canned Pinto beans lower in phosphorus, boiled Pinto beans have a Ca:P ratio of 1:3.2. |
| Bell pepper (Green, Red, Yellow) | 1:2 | Red bell pepper contains more vitamin C. Remove the heart & seeds, offer raw. |
| Chayote | 1:1.1 | Moderate oxalates, offer raw and peeled with in a salad with higher Ca veggies/greens. |
| Kale | 2.4:1 | Low-medium goitrogens content (not high as previously believed, according to later studies). |
| Parsnips | 1:2 | High vitamin C, K and fiber. Moderate oxalates. Offer raw. |
| Pumpkin | 1:2 | Offer raw, make sure to remove pumpkin seeds. Too much can cause diarrhea – good for constipation. |
| Watercress | 2:1 | Moderate oxalates |
VEGETABLES, GREENS TO FEED LESS THAN ONCE A WEEK
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Beans (Lima) | 1:3.5 | Mix with other high Ca veggies. Boiled will have a Ca:P ratio of 1:4. |
| Beans, Kidney, boiled | 1:3.2 | High phosphorus, mix with higher Ca veggies. Canned kidney beans will have a Ca:P ratio of 1:3.6. |
| Beet Greens | 3:1 | High oxalates, offer very rarely (less than once a month). |
| Beetroot | 1:2.5 | High oxalates and phosphorus. Offer occasionally. |
| Bok Choy (Pak Choi/Chinese Cabbage) | 2.8:1 | Goitrogenic. Offer raw, small amounts once in 7-10 days mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Broccoli | 1:1.4 | High in goitrogens, moderate oxalates. Offer raw, small amounts once in 10 days or less, mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Brussel sprouts | 1:1.64 | Feed rarely, high in goitrogens |
| Cabbage (Green) | 2:1 | Goitrogenic. Offer raw, small amounts once in 7-10 days mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Cabbage (Red) | 1.5:1 | High fiber, vitamin C, K. Good overall vitamin content. Offer once or few times a week mixed in a salad. |
| Carrots (carrots and tops) | 1:1.7 | Oxalates. Offer one to few times a week mixed in a salad. Raw. |
| Cauliflower | 1:2 | High in goitrogens, offer raw, small amounts once in 10 days or less, mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Celery | 1.6:1 | High oxalate food, chop raw leaves/stalk. |
| Cucumber | 1:1.5 | Low in nutrition, offer little amounts for extra moisture. Peel and cut to small pieces. |
| Kohlrabi | 1:1.9 | Goitrogenic, offer raw and in small amounts once in 10 days or less, mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Lettuce (Romaine, Iceberg, Lambs, Apollo, Gem) | 1.1:1 for Romaine lettuce | Low nutrition, offer little amounts for extra moisture. Will cause diarrhea in bigger quantities. Iceberg lettuce lowest in nutrients. Most nutritious is Romaine lettuce. Offer very small amounts in a salad once a week or less. |
| Okra | 1.2:1 | High in oxalates, offer raw. |
| Parsley | 2.4:1 | High oxalates, offer fresh and only rarely. |
| Peas, Snap (pod and peas) | 1:1.2 | Good vitamin and mineral content. Mix with other veggies. Offer fresh. |
| Potatoes (Russet or sweet) | 1:5 | High phosphorus and starch. Offer boiled only once a month or less. Potato plant is toxic! |
| Radicchio | 1:2.1 | High in oxalates, offer very occasionally. |
| Radish | 1.3:1 | High in goitrogens. Offer raw, small amounts once in 7-10 days mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Rapini | 1.5:1 | High in goitrogens. Offer raw, small amounts once in 7-10 days mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Rutabaga (Swede) | 1:1.2 | High goitrogens. Offer raw, small amounts once in 7-10 days mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Swiss chard | 1.1:1 | Very high in oxalic acid, offer rarely |
| Turnips | 1.1:1 | Moderate oxalates and high goitrogens, offer once in 7-10 days mixed with other greens/veggies. |
| Yam | 1:3.2 | Similarly to sweet potatoes, high in starch and phosphorus. Offer sparingly. |
| Yucca (Cassava) | 1:1.7 | High in oxalates, contains phytates and saponins (which in high quantities can cause damage to digestive system). Feed very rarely if at all. |
| Zucchini (courgettes) | 1:4.4 | High in phosphorus, offer only occasionally. Offer raw and peeled. |
VEGETABLES, GREENS TO FEED RARELY OR NEVER (TOXIC)
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Aubergine (eggplant) | N/A | Potentially toxic |
| Avocado | N/A | Toxic |
| Buttercup | N/A | Toxic |
| Chives | N/A | Toxic |
| Corn | 1:13 | Very high phosphorus – try to avoid altogether |
| Daffodils | N/A | Toxic |
| Edamame, Soybeans | N/A | Edamame is a soybean that contains isoflavones, can mildly mimic female estrogen hormones. Also high in oxalic acid and phosphorus. |
| Garlic | N/A | Toxic |
| Leeks | N/A | Potentially toxic, can cause anemia and organ failure in larger amounts. |
| Mung beans sprouts | 1:4 | High phosphorus – feed boiled/canned beans instead for a better nutrition. |
| Mushrooms | N/A | Many toxic varieties, high phosphorus |
| Onions | N/A | Toxic, all types of onions in the onion family (red/brown onions, spring onions etc.) |
| Rhubarb | N/A | Very toxic |
| Spinach | 2:1 | Very high in oxalates, goitrogenic, offer very rarely |
| Tomato/potato/eggplant plants and leaves | N/A | Toxic |
| Tomatoes | N/A | Acidic and high in phosphorus (Ca:P – 1:2.5). |
BEARDED DRAGON BEST STAPLE FRUITS
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Apples | 1:2 | Peel the skin and chop into small bite sized pieces. High in fiber. Moderate oxalates. |
| Mango | 1:1 | High vitamin A, offer fresh. Low oxalates. |
| Melon, Cantaloupe | 1:1.5 | Low oxalates. Offer occasionally. |
| Papaya | 5:1 | Great staple fruit, add small quantities through the week. Best staple fruit for bearded dragons. |
FRUITS TO FEED OCCASIONALLY
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Apricot | 1:1.8 | High in vitamin A, C, fiber. Good overall vitamin & mineral content. Moderate oxalates. Goitrogenic. |
| Blackberries | 1.3:1 | High in vitamin C, K, fiber. Offer fresh. High in oxalates, offer occasionally. |
| Blueberries | 1:2 | Offer fresh, high oxalate content. Only offer occasionally. |
| Cherries | 1:1.6 | High in vitamin C, fiber and potassium. Low oxalates. Goitrogenic. |
| Cranberries | 1:1.6 | Offer fresh. High in vitamin C, E, manganese and fiber. |
| Figs | 2.5:1 | Good source of calcium and fiber. Offer fresh. Can leave the peel or remove. High in oxalates, offer occasionally. |
| Guava | 1:2.2 | High in vitamin A, C, potassium, copper, manganese. |
| Melon, Honeydew | 1:1.8 | High in vitamin C, potassium. Remove the rind and offer small bite sized pieces. |
| Nectarines | 1:4.3 | High in phosphorus, offer rarely. Low oxalates. |
| Peaches | 1:3.3 | High in goitrogens, offer rarely. |
| Pear, Asian | 1:2.7 | High in oxalates, offer rarely. Moderate goitrogens. |
| Pears | 1:1.2 | High in oxalates, offer rarely. Moderate goitrogens. |
| Plums | 1:2.6 | High in goitrogens, moderate oxalates. Offer rarely. |
| Pomegranate | 1:3.5 | High in phosphorus, seeds could cause impaction. Feed sparingly. |
| Raspberries | 1:1.2 | High in oxalates and goitrogens, offer rarely. |
| Strawberries | 1:1.4 | Moderate oxalates, high goitrogens. Offer rarely. |
| Watermelon | 1:1.6 | High in water and can cause runny stools in bigger amounts. Low nutrition, offer rarely. Remove the rind and cut into small pieces. |
FRUITS TO OFFER RARELY OR NEVER (TOXIC)
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Apple/cherry/peach/apricot seeds | N/A | Toxic |
| Bananas | 1:3.3 | High phosphorus and high sugar content, avoid or offer less than once a month. |
| Citrus – Grapefruits, lemons, limes, clementine, oranges, tangerines/mandarins, kumquats, navel | N/A | Citrus fruits can cause serious digestive issues, avoid altogether. |
| Dried fruits (dried apricots, raisins, prunes etc.) | N/A | Very high in sugar and low moisture – offer fresh fruit instead. |
| Grapes (green or red) or raisins | 1:1.5 (1:2 in raisins) | Are thought to cause liver and kidney damage. Can offer very limited quantities and preferably peeled (grapes) |
| Kiwi | 1:1 | High oxalate fruit, offer rarely or never. Peel and offer fresh. |
| Pineapple | 1:1 | Acidic, offer rarely. |
| Star fruit (Carambola) | 1:4 | Very high in oxalates, avoid feeding. |
BEARDED DRAGON STAPLE INSECTS (LIVE FOOD)
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES |
| Black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix worms/CalciWorms/Reptiworms) | 1.5:1 | Great staple, no need to gut-load or dust. Soft exoskeleton. Moderate fat (14%). |
| Crickets (Acheta, Black or Banded) | 1:9 | Easy to get and cheap. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Low in fat (3-6%). |
| Discoid roach (Blaberus discoidalis/ False death roach) | 1:3 | Easy to breed and grow fast. Similar to Dubia.Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Can’t fly. |
| Dubia roaches(Blaptica dubia) | 1:3 | Can’t climb, don’t make noise. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Moderate fat (7%). Large and filling. Not aggressive. |
| False Death Head Roaches (Blaberus Cranifer) | – | Large in size and grow fast. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Grasshoppers/locusts | 1:7 | Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Can be expensive. |
| Ivory head roaches ((Eublaberus sp. ‘Ivory’) | – | Beautiful and large feeder roaches. Nymph stage Ivory heads get very large (they shrink after becoming adults). They are larger than Dubia roaches and bulky. However, they are expensive. |
| Lobster roaches (Nauphoeta cinerea) | – | Great feeders, but can climb and fly, so you will need to have a large bowl to keep them contained. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Madagascar hissing cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa) | 1:3.8 | Moderate fat (6%). Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. High chitin and can climb. Otherwise good feeders. |
| Orange head roaches (Eublaberus Posticus) | – | Soft exoskeleton, cannot climb or fly, beautiful appearance. Can be hard to find, and not legal everywhere. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Have a defense smell. |
| Silkworms (Bombyx Mori) | 1:2.4 | Soft exoskeleton, will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Low fat (1%). |
| Tomato Hornworms (Goliath worms, Tobacco worms) | 1:3 | Have a soft exoskeleton, need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Low fat (3%). |
| Turkestan roaches (Turkistan, Blatta Lateralis) | 1:4.5 | Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Moderate fat (10%). Breed and grow quickly and fairly cheap. Can’t climb or fly. |
While there are many worms in the staple feeder table, the main staples are Phoenix worms and Silkworms. Add all other feeder insects regularly that have been gut-loaded for a diversity.
Make sure not to feed mealworms, superworms or butterworms to baby bearded dragons! Only feed these worms to bearded dragons over 14 inches, or over around 10-12 months old.
You can buy most feeder insects online, for example. This includes hornworms that come in a cup with their food like this. You can also buy crickets of various sizes, silkworms like this, roaches and more. Also, you can get a cricket food to gut-load your feeder bugs.
OCCASIONAL FEEDER INSECTS
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES |
| Buffalo worms (Alphitobius diaperinus) | – | High in fat (24%), only give as a treat. Don’t feed the beetles (also called litter beetles). Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Butterworms | 1:18 | Very high fat (29%), offer only as a treat. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. High phosphorus. |
| Earthworms | 1.5:1 | Good for a snack, don’t buy worms raised for bait. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Fruit flies | 1:7.8 | Very small size, will need a lot to make a meal. Medium fat (12%). Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Might not spark hunting interest. |
| Mealworms | 1:7 | High fat (13%), offer only as a treat. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. All stage mealworms can be offered. |
| Six-spotted roaches (Eublaberus Distanti) | 1:6 | High in fat (27%), offer only as treat. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. High fat (27%). Have spines on legs. |
| Snail (African land) | – | Only as a treat, make sure to buy feeder snails. Will have to remove the shell or buy baby snails. Offer few times a month. |
| Superworm (Morio worms/King worms) (Zophobas morio) | 1:18 | High fat (18%), offer only as a treat to adult (over 10 months old bearded dragons. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Surinam cockroaches (Pycnoscelus surinamensis) | – | Colonies are mostly females, breed by making copies of themselves. Burrow quickly, making harder to maintain and feed, otherwise good feeders. Can be difficult to contain in one space. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Waxworms | 1:8 | Very high fat (25%), offer only as a treat. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. |
| Woodlice | – | They eat a lot to grow, and can be small. Will need 24hr gut-loading and dusting. Tropical woodlice one of the good woodlice feeder insects. |
While there is no information on the nutrition of all roaches, they should be close to 5-7% in fat and around 1:3-1:5 In Ca:P ratio. Please gut-load all the feeder bugs apart from Phoenix worms.
P.S Life stages or a cockroach – Egg – Nymph – Adult.
BEARDED DRAGON TOXIC INSECTS
| FOOD NAME | CA:P RATIO | EXTRA NOTES (COOKED/RAW, VITAMINS) |
| Ants | N/A | Some are toxic, some will sting, which can cause allergic reactions. |
| Any wild bugs or venomous insects | N/A | Can be toxic/carrying parasites and pesticides/insecticides |
| Box elder bugs | N/A | Extremely toxic |
| Centipedes | N/A | Dangerous bites |
| Fireflies (Lightning bugs) | N/A | Extremely toxic |
| Ladybugs (ladybird) | N/A | Toxic |
| Lubber grasshoppers | N/A | Extremely toxic |
| Monarch, Queen butterflies and caterpillars | N/A | Toxic |
| Wasps, scorpions and spiders | N/A | Venomous bugs can sting and cause severe allergic reactions or death. If non-venomous, bites can be painful. Otherwise, ingestion should not kill a bearded dragon. |
If you would like to see a full list of plants that are toxic to bearded dragons, read this diet post. In that post, you will also learn everything about bearded dragon’s diet and various tips and tricks.