Can Bearded Dragons Eat Potatoes? | Feeding Considerations 2024

Bearded dragons will never come sniffing for food, nor will their facial expressions ever reveal if they like a particular food or not. Pet owners have to be more active when it comes to these reptilians, as they have to know what their pets like and what is an acceptable food for them. Can bearded dragons eat potatoes? We all wonder about this because we love potatoes, and it’s an easy snack to prepare for bearded pets. Let’s see if they like it or if potatoes are even acceptable to them.

Bearded Dragons Are Picky Eaters

Bearded dragons are pretty selective about their food choices if you think that your pet is going to gobble up anything and everything you feed them, well, these dragons are a surprise for you then! These reptilians are pretty picky about their food, and a long list of things is not suitable for them. Many pet owners discuss how their bearded dragons are picky eaters, but the truth is all creatures know which food is good for them and which one can be harmful! Some smells, colors, and tastes can put them off, but mostly, it is about suitability and not liking.

Nutrition And Care

Reptilians are cold-blooded animals, and their nutrition requirements are nothing like mammals. They have a slow metabolism, and they cannot process fatty foods. Moreover, sugars and too much water are not suitable for these desert creatures built to survive on less water.

If you decide to give them a sweet treat as a reward, it won’t go well, and you will undoubtedly feel punished when your pet begins to feel slow and ill. Moreover, bearded dragons require calcium, so you will have to give them foods that have a high calcium content. Since phosphorus interferes with the absorption of calcium, here’s another specification that you need to follow: more calcium but not a lot of phosphorus.

What Makes Potatoes Suitable For Bearded Dragons

Potatoes are starchy root vegetables, and the water content is quite reasonable. These flavorful vegetables have a high calcium content too, but can bearded dragons eat potatoes? Yes, they can. The reason for potatoes to be on the acceptable foods list is that this vegetable has low nutritional value, which makes it an ‘empty’ food. Potatoes will not help your bearded pet grow strong and healthy. Also, read Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cabbage, you will love reading it.

The high starch and carbohydrate content of potatoes will make this food a problem for bearded dragons if you include it in their daily intake. These nutrients might be healthy for mammals, but reptilians do not need these small sacks of starch to make them drowsy and slow.

The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of potatoes is also not balanced for your dragon pets! As we mentioned earlier, calcium has to be more than phosphorus, and potatoes have a good amount of calcium, but they are rich in phosphorus! Other root vegetables like turnips and carrots are acceptable for dragons, but that is because they do not have as much phosphorus or starch.

High Sugar Content Is A Big No

Potatoes have starch made from sugars, which can be harmful to reptilians that have a slow metabolism and cannot digest foods with a lot of sugar or starch. The short-term effect of high sugar content includes diarrhea, dehydration, and laziness. In the long run, bearded dragons develop tooth decay and obesity.

Potato Is An Occasional Treat

When you are out of ideas and feel that your dragon might have gotten bored with the same kind of food every day, you can cut up one small boiled potato in tiny pieces for the dragon, but it is not one of the preferred vegetables. Phosphorus will not show an immediate impact, but if you feed the dragon this nutrient regularly, it can build up in the body to fatal amounts! This element causes metabolic Bone Disease, which can be painful and lethal in the long run. It is best to feed your pet other essential elements that benefit them in numerous ways.

The occasional treat must be as seldom as once a month or even once in two months. There is no difference between the various types of potatoes for your pet, so any potato you feed has to be a rare treat. However, sweet potatoes are a ‘lesser evil’ for these dragons. You will not have to cook and grate them. Dragons can have raw sweet potatoes, as they have less starch and more Vitamin A, a silver lining in the potato fiasco.

Conclusion

Bearded dragons can occasionally have potatoes, but this vegetable does not fulfill their daily nutritional needs. In fact, eating too much of it can cause obesity and MBD, which is undesirable. Pet owners must know what suits their dragons, and potatoes are not one of the favorable veggies. However, an occasional treat will be fine. Furthermore, also find out Can Bearded Dragons Eat Raw Pumpkin.

Frequently Asked Questions

If potatoes are harmful to bearded dragons, how are turnips allowed?

Many pet owners ask about turnips since they are an equally popular root vegetable. The answer is that each of these vegetables has a different nutritional value, and turnips are more nutritious for dragons. Your pet will gain a lot of vitamins, iron, and other essential nutrients by eating turnips. Even so, it is suggested that you feed your dragon the leaves and purple part of the turnip as the rest of the vegetables will have more starch!

What would happen if I fed potatoes to my pet dragon?

If you feed your dragon potatoes by mistake, it is okay. However, if you have been providing them with this vegetable, look for any sluggish behavior. Eliminate this vegetable from their diet immediately and feed them fibrous vegetables and foods with low sugar and phosphorus content.

Will my bearded dragon eat potato if I feed it, or do they leave it?

Bearded dragons will eat soft, boiled vegetables. However, it is not an adequate food due to its nutritional value.