Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corn? | Feeding Considerations 2024

The world’s cuisines rely on corn as an important ingredient. In the United States, summer wouldn’t be complete without corn. Despite being a very popular food, many people are unaware of how nutrition-rich corn really is. Among its many vitamins and minerals, corn has thiamin. It is also a better source of carbohydrates and protein than you might expect from a grain that is so cheap and easy to find. However, can bearded dragons eat corn?

Yes, bearded dragons can eat corn, but very occasionally. It is no secret that corn is nutritious, and when beardies eat it they receive a few nutrients. There’s no harm in giving beardies a little corn because it provides them with magnesium, water, potassium, vitamins A, C, and K, folate, calcium, thiamine, and a small amount of protein. This variety of minerals and vitamins plays a significant role in the health of bearded dragons.

Nutrition Facts About Corn

We can determine if corn is worthwhile to feed to bearded dragons by evaluating its nutritional profile. It is important to keep track of the calcium and phosphorus ratio, vitamin content, and water content.

You can learn so many interesting facts about corn just by studying its nutritional data. Firstly, corn has a higher phosphorus content than calcium. Phosphorus in corn is 45 times higher than calcium. Also visible on this chart is corn’s very high sugar content, which accounts for 7g/100g.

In the chart, corn supplies a small amount of protein, which beardies need to build up their muscles. Folate protects the cells and tissues of the body, while water hydrates them. As a supplement to vitamins B1 and magnesium, vitamin B1 or thiamine boosts energy levels and helps support the muscle and nervous systems. In addition, corn contains fiber which helps in proper digestion.

The dragon’s diet consists of insects, and because most of them have a hard exoskeleton, they are hard to digest. Therefore, fiber-rich foods are mandatory to keep the dragon in good health. Also, check out Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries.

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corn

Corn can be eaten by bearded dragons, but only occasionally. So you can feed them a little corn, twice a month. However, because corn has a very poor calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, it is unsuitable for bearded dragons. There is 13 times more phosphorus in corn than in calcium.

The overabundance of phosphorus can be detrimental to the health of your bearded dragon if it is not counterbalanced by adequate calcium. Whenever too much phosphorus is consumed, it can cause metabolic bone disease (MBD), since it binds with calcium and prevents it from being absorbed in the bearded dragon’s blood.

This disease affects your dragon’s skeletal system. This condition is extremely painful and can even lead to death. So it’s crucial to make sure your bearded dragon gets the right calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the foods he consumes. For this reason, you can feed corn to your bearded dragons, but only a few times a month. Also, find out How Often Can Bearded Dragons Have Cilantro.

Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Corn

It’s not recommended to feed your bearded dragon corn when it’s a baby. Despite its high protein content, corn doesn’t provide all the nutrients that baby beardies require to grow strong and healthy. Corn also lacks minerals, calcium, and phosphorus. It is better to feed baby bearded dragons protein-rich foods.

In their diet, 80% should come from meat like worms, while 20% should come from vegetables. There is nothing wrong with feeding your baby beardie some corn if you have leftovers, but be sure to do so very sparingly. Give them just one or two kernels at a time.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cooked Corn

The raw and cooked forms of corn are both edible. Raw corn is a healthy food because it is tasty and has many health benefits. It is a common question among dragon owners whether the beardies can also eat cooked corn or whether they should be fed raw corn. The only food bearded dragons eat in the wild is raw food, so we feed them raw food in captivity as well.

Make sure that your lizard only eats raw food. The downside of cooked corn is that it is low in nutrients and might contain cooking spices, which might be harmful. Because of all these reasons, bearded dragons are not allowed to eat cooked corn. It is best not to feed these to your lizard if you want to keep it safe.

Conclusion

Because it contains essential nutrients, corn is good food for bearded dragons. In addition to having a high fiber content, corn has low-fat content, so it helps bearded dragons digest their food better. As part of a healthy diet, your pet dragon needs to eat corn once or twice a month. Also, have a look at Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to feed Canned Corn to a bearded dragon?

Your bearded dragons should not eat canned corn, even in small quantities. It may be harmful to the health of your bearded dragon to consume canned corn, which contains salt and other preservatives.

Can bearded dragons eat popcorn?

Beardies may choke on popcorn when they swallow them. You should also avoid popcorn because it does not contain as much nutritional value as raw corn.

How To Feed Corn To Bearded Dragons?

The following tips will help you prepare and feed your pet:

• Ensure that the corn is thoroughly washed to get rid of any pests and debris.
• Make sure your bearded dragon doesn’t eat the cob when you feed it corn.
• Please cut the tips of any individual kernels that you give your bearded dragon to prevent it from choking on them.
• Make sure to thaw frozen corn before feeding it to them.