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Can Bearded Dragons Eat Wheatgrass?

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Wheatgrass article featured image
Bearded Dragons have a good range of vegetation and food they can eat, keeping them healthy and happy.
 
But, there are some things owners might assume needs to be added to the menu.
 
In this article, we’re going to answer the question, “Can Bearded Dragons eat wheatgrass?”
 
Bearded Dragons can eat wheatgrass. It is a healthy choice to include in their diet alongside other leafy green foods. Wheatgrass packs a variety of nutrients and has a calcium-to-phosphorous ratio that is safe for the beardie.
 It’s far better to ask and get an answer to food-related questions like this instead of guessing.
 
As you would find out in the article, “Can a Bearded Dragon Eat Chicken?” feeding the wrong foods to your pet lizard can cause many health problems.
 
They might have zero real benefits in the short or long term, even if fed in tiny and infrequent amounts.
 
It’s worth looking into the things you can or can’t feed your lizard. Some may say even more every bit, as with any other pet.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Wheatgrass and your Bearded Dragon

beardie on a dark background Wheatgrass is a type of grass that is grown from wheat plants. This grass is a common, cheap, and available food source that can be included with other food types. Examples below:
 
1. Include wheatgrass with other greens like dill, basil, oregano, rosemary, or parsley while mixing some tasty insects for good protein.
 
2. If you gave your beardie a steady diet of little more than wheatgrass, it would need more protein and other nutrients from the foods available. It is not a “one food to feed them all” kind of situation or feeding solution.
 
3. If you feed your Bearded Dragon nothing but grasshoppers, it will get all the protein it needs. It would be dramatically lacking in other areas and become sick.
 
Bearded Dragons eat grass naturally whenever they feel like it in the wild. But when beardies eat it, small amounts are taken in, not nearly enough to be considered a meal.
Is Wheatgrass a Necessary Part of a Bearded Dragon’s Diet?
wheatgrass on a blue and white background

Dietary requirements differ from species to species, and individual to individual, leaving the answer to this question a bit foggy.

Although wheatgrass is packed with all kinds of nutritious elements, there’s nothing new that they don’t already receive from other foods. As is always the case, moderation is necessary.

Wheatgrass can benefit your beardie in several ways, supporting a healthy immune system and harboring anti-inflammatory nutrients.

You can grow wheatgrass indoors or at home or be picked up in most pet stores or purchased online.

If you decide to include wheatgrass in your dragon’s daily diet, start with a little bit to monitor how it likes or handles it. If all is well, slowly increase the daily amount added to its regular food.

New foods might be harsh on a beardie when given too much, so contacting your vet might be a good idea for specifics about how much to start with and for how long before upping the amount.

How to Serve Your Pet Beardies Wheat Grass Plant

wheatgrass in a green box with a sprayer
Before we talk about how to prepare wheatgrass for your beardie, one thing must be said. It’s grass- it will taste like grass and is just as exciting to eat as grass. Some lizards will decide to eat it; others won’t care for it.
 
It would be wise to pick up a small amount first to ensure that the dragon would even be willing to give it a shot.
 
There’s no trick to it. You’d first wash it to ensure no extras on the grass. The second would be to chop it down to a size the beardie could eat comfortably.
 
Next is where you put your chef’s hat on and pick out various other veggies, like bell peppers and green beans.
 
Always include the reptilian-pleasing collage of leafy greens plus heartier veggies to add some weight to their diet.
 
The 80/20 Rule when Feeding your Reptiles
The 80/20 rule in terms of feeding your reptile is to make sure you feed them 80 percent insects (or other living protein sources depending on the type of reptile) and 20 percent everything else (greens, heartier veggies, fruits, etc.).
 
Sticking to this ratio is the best. You can ensure that your Bearded Dragon gets a nutritious, well-balanced diet.

The Risks Associated when Beardies Eat Wheatgrass

wheatgrass at the front of a beardie

Wheatgrass is usually considered harmless for Bearded Dragons. But there are a few hazards that may come.

Choking is one risk. Wheatgrass’s stalk can be fairly long and become a hazard if your pet tries to swallow it at length. Chop it up before giving it to your bearded dragon.

Secondly, the edges of wheatgrass blades can be sharp enough to make tiny slices in your dragon’s mouth.

If the grass blades are rigid enough to have sharp edges, try to cut them off or mess them up enough to be a non-factor.

The third risk is the presence of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins exist when fungi taint the grass, which can be harmful if eaten by your lizard.

Wheatgrass grown responsibly by reputable sources (or responsible owners at home) won’t typically have this issue, but always keep an eye open for it, just in case.

Final Thoughts

a bundle of wheatgrass and a glass of wheatgrass smoothie Wheatgrass has become a popular ingredient in the health and superfoods supplement industry.

The nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and so forth are often ground into powders. Afterward, you can add it to shakes or capsules and pulverize it into juice.
It can be incorporated into their regular diet. But like most natural foods you can get for your reptile, it should be in moderation.
 
The health benefits can be shared with dogs, cats, and, as we’ve discussed, pet lizards.
 
This green will surely complement the medley of other green leafy substances. It is free from toxic materials and is safe for Bearded Dragons to consume.

RELATED QUESTIONS:

Can you Grow Wheatgrass to Feed Your Beardie?

woman carrying a tray of wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is very easy to grow. If you’re growing it to feed it to your beardie, there are a few precautions you should consider. There are two, and they are fairly obvious- other pets and pesticides.

Other Animals

Cats and dogs are something to keep your eyes on, whether you’re growing the grass indoors or out. Both will like to eat the grass.

People often use wheatgrass to deter cats and dogs from eating the leaves off their indoor plants.

This variety of grass is non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Should they decide that wheatgrass is safe for them to eat, but that doesn’t help out your lizard?

Pick a place where other animals will only defeat the purpose of growing it for your lizard.

If you’ve selected a nice outdoor spot, think about your dog (or neighborhood dogs).

Nobody wants their dragon’s food to soil upon or use as a toilet. I’ve made my point. Make sure that there isn’t a way for dogs to spend any time on the wheatgrass.

Pesticides and Chemicals

If you’re going through the trouble of raising food from seed to feed your beardie, pesticides or other chemicals should be minimalized, if not completely removed, as an option.

There are ways to fertilize the grass and keep intrusive insects from becoming a problem without introducing things that may incorporate themselves into the food.

This quick-growing type of grass is edible as “wheatgrass” not long after being planted before it undergoes further growth and metamorphosis into a full-on wheat plant.

From planting to harvest, it’s only about 10 days to 2 weeks till the plant is ready to be harvested. So, in that short time, I’m sure the insects won’t become too much of a problem.

REFERENCES:

1. Bearded dragons – feeding: VCA Animal Hospital. Vca. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/bearded-dragons-feeding

2. Gardiner, J. (2021, March 23). Bearded dragon care. Animal Health Topics / School of Veterinary Medicine. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://healthtopics.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/exotics/bearded-dragon-care

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