Can Bearded Dragons Eat Frogs? | Safe Or Risky Diet? 2024

Bearded dragons are omnivores that feed on various kinds of insects, vegetables, and fruits. It is easy for pet owners to get confused about which insect or pest these reptilians can eat. Can bearded dragons eat frogs? Is it healthy for them? A varied diet is always fun to follow for the owner as well as the pet because it is nice to feed them new things and see what they like. Some foods can be harmful to bearded dragons, and that is why you can try new things but before that get to know the main nutrients in them to avoid any kind of unpleasant results.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Frogs

In the wild, bearded dragons may eat all kinds of things that have unfavorable nutrients, however, the dragons living in the wilderness are more immune to many things and their activity levels are higher due to which that particular nutrient passes out of their body very soon. You may have gotten the idea of feeding your pet dragon frogs because you heard that reptilians eat amphibians in the wild. However, frogs are not a good food item for bearded dragons. Moreover, you can also read Can Bearded Dragons Eat Fish.

Frogs secrete a poisonous substance from their skin to ward off any enemies or possible attacks from bigger animals. If your bearded dragon consumes toads and frogs, they might become ill and may even die! It will take a frequency of more than once a week for bearded dragons to fall ill but it is best to stay away from any kind of live food that may pose a danger. Another reason that you shouldn’t feed your pet dragon frogs is that there can be pesticides and pathogens sprayed on them, which add to the natural toxins in frogs.

Other Risks Of Eating Frogs

Bearded dragons may not enjoy eating frogs for another reason, which is impaction. Frogs are quite large and if your dragon ingests it, there is a chance that it will not be able to chew and swallow the whole thing because of its size. If the pieces of food are swallowed while they are still large, they only break down to a semi-solid state and get stuck in the intestine. When semi-solid food gets stuck in the intestine it does not pass out of the body, and even hinders the excretion of other waste. This is called impaction.

Bearded Dragon Impaction is a chronic issue in bearded dragons and it may cause the hind legs of dragons to become paralyzed. As the intestines get blocked, the lower body of the dragon begins to hurt, and they lose mobility. Their appetite decreases since there is no exhaustion of waste, and gradually they become weak and may die.

Another risk of eating frogs is that bearded dragons ingest insects and live feed in one go, and prefer to have the whole thing in their mouth before it can begin resisting or make it harder for them to kill. With frogs, choking is a possibility due to the shape and size of the amphibian.

Feeding Frogs Once In A While

If you want your pet dragon to enjoy the taste of various things, you can avoid the additional risk of parasites. This can be done by feeding them store-bought frogs. This way, you can introduce them to the taste while ensuring that the frog skins, bones, and the small portions made will be suitable for swallowing. Moreover, the choking and impaction element is reduced because toads and frogs are cut up and the stiff skins and bones are removed. When pet owners head down to the pet shop, they can buy different kinds of foods for their dragon pets.

You can try and feed your dragon some different foods as well such as worms, pests with wings, or even crawlers with a stiff coat. The trick is to know that they are not cut into very large pieces and that their intestines do not get choked with a lot of semi-solid mass.

Wild Frogs And Insects For Bearded Dragons

When you decide to try out any insect or amphibian for your pet dragon, there have to be a few things that you ensure beforehand. First of them is the presence of any poison or pesticide spray that may be still on the skins of these insects or frogs. Moreover, if the insect produces any venom like the frogs produce a toxin to keep predators away, it is not suitable for bearded dragons to consume.

All pet owners can rely on store-bought insects and amphibians, and even mice because of their hygiene, and freedom from pesticides and other harmful toxins on them. The pet stores near you will have many kinds of packaged insects, frogs, and mice, and these will be cleaned, cut up, and frozen to ensure that you do not have to cut up any insect or frog to feed the dragon. In addition, you can also check out Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are only frogs allowed or can I give a toad to my bearded dragon also?

Frogs from the wild are not ‘allowed’ in fact they can have various poisons on them due to which they are unsuitable. However, if you feed frogs to your pets, choose frozen ones that are clean and without any poisonous secretions. Toads and frogs have the same risk for beaded dragons.

Is it acceptable to keep a frog and a dragon together in a tank?

It is best that you keep your bearded dragon pet in an individual tank. This is because the dragon might try to eat the frog, or it may also result in a fight! It is best to keep bearded dragons away from foods that are unacceptable to them because they do not know if something will suit them or not.

Conclusion

Bearded dragons can eat frogs but there are a few perils that may cause negative effects. Frogs secrete a poisonous liquid that can harm dragons. However, if you get store-bought frozen frogs, skins, or bones it will be easier for you to feed them and they will also get a new taste in their daily routines.