Can Bearded Dragons Eat Kale? | Nutritional Insights 2024

Kale is the ultimate health food! What makes you wonder that can bearded dragons eat kale? They absolutely can! Kale is one of the most beneficial foods for living beings. Just as it is healthy for us, it is healthy for your beardie too. Vegetables and greens have always been nutritious for living beings, and among the large variety of them, kale is one of the top-tier superfoods. However, bearded dragons are very sensitive reptiles and can only take in measured amounts of greens in their diet. Therefore, it is only suitable to feed kale once in a while for a healthy pet.

Plus, there are so many other options when it comes to feeding vegetables to a pet, that a smart caretaker must always choose to keep a variety of meals. Hence, the pet owner must have complete knowledge of the nutrients, benefits, and disadvantages of the vegetable he/she is feeding. Don’t worry! Here you will find all the necessary information you need to know about feeding kale to your beloved reptile lizard. Moreover, you may also want to learn about Can Bearded Dragons Eat Parsnips.

Nutrients In Kale For Bearded Dragons

To begin with, one should know the nutrients and their respective values of kale before feeding it to their loved pet. A responsible caretaker will always analyze the values himself to confirm any information on the web. Fortunately, the values below have been taken and confirmed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and are for 100 g of kale.

Kale is on the green list for bearded dragons for a number of reasons. Its benefits are great if it is fed in correct proportions and incorporated with other vegetables, greens, insects, and fruits as a part of a balanced life.

High Calcium

First of all, kale is a great source of calcium for these docile reptiles. It has a high value of calcium and so copes with the needs of a growing bearded dragon. Calcium is very essential for these species as their diet mostly lacks this nutrient while their body yearns for more. Your pet needs this precious nutrient for strengthening and developing its bones and teeth. This is why baby dragons need calcium-rich foods the most. On the other hand, adult beardies need calcium for the maintenance of their bones, teeth, and body functions.

Good Amount of Vitamin K

Vitamin K is another great benefit of eating kale. A good amount of this vitamin in kale helps the beardie’s body to run a flawless circulatory system, as vitamin K prevents obstructions in the blood flow by acting against blood clots.

Rich in Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most important micronutrients for a living body. It maintains the physiological functions of the body such as iron absorption and collagen formation. Moreover, vitamin C strengthens the immune system and helps to heal wounds faster. It also plays a role in maintaining the teeth, bones, and cartilage of the body.

Decent Amount of Vitamin A

Although, vitamin A is known for toxicity in the body due to its excess intake. It can be very beneficial if it’s taken in moderate amounts. Vitamin A does wonders for your pet’s eyesight, it makes the vision stronger and also prevents night blindness.

Low in Sugar

Best of all, kale is very low in sugar. It can easily be fed to your pet without any fear of obesity, heart problems, kidney diseases, and liver problems. Also, its low sugar characteristic helps to prevent dental decay, cavity, and other teeth issues.

Potassium

Kale also contains important minerals like potassium. This essential mineral helps in the function of muscles and prevents any kidney diseases. Potassium also plays a role in water retention.

Oxalates

Oxalates or oxalic acids are chemicals that bind to the calcium molecules in the body and prevent their absorption in the blood. Although kale does have these oxalates in its composition they are in very low amounts. One cup of kale has only 2 mg of oxalates, so it can not harm your pet if you are feeding kale in limited amounts.

Goitrogens

Goitrogens are another set of compounds that are harmful to a dragon. They affect the thyroid gland and cause a hormonal imbalance in the body. However, kale has a very small amount of these dangerous chemicals and so will not harm your pet.

Vitamin A Toxicity

An excess amount of vitamin A can cause toxicity in a lizard’s body. It can harm the bones by making them weak and brittle. Fortunately, kale has the Beta Carotene form of vitamin A and so even its high values are of not much a threat to your pet.

As mentioned before, you must feed appropriate and limited amounts of kale to your bearded dragon, or else the downsides of eating kale will outweigh its benefits.

How Often Can They Eat Kale

All in all, kale is a very beneficial vegetable and clearly, its benefits outweigh the downsides. You can feed this nutritious vegetable with other salads 2-3 times a week. Remember to wash the leaves thoroughly and pick the leaves out of the stalk. Also, cut the kale leaves into small pieces before feeding them to your pet, in order to prevent choking hazards. Moreover, please have a look at Can Bearded Dragons Eat Lettuce.

Conclusion

Kale is an amazing vegetable for all species of bearded dragons. It has a high amount of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and other minerals which help in the growth, development, and strengthening of the beardie. The downsides of this healthy vegetable are negligible and so it can be fed 3-2 times a week. However, it must not be fed daily! You can feed this vegetable as per the recommended rate and that too with other meals in a salad. Also, read Can Bearded Dragons Eat Alfalfa Hay?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bearded dragons eat kale every day?

No, beardies cannot eat kale every day! They must be fed only 2-3 times a week. You can feed them with other veggies and greens as part of a salad to gain the most benefits of the healthy green.

How to feed kale to bearded dragons?

Firstly, wash the kale thoroughly to get rid of any dirt, chemicals, pesticides, etc. Then chop off the stalk from the leaves and cut the rest of the leaves into small pieces. Finally, mix the kale leaves with other vegetables like collard greens, bell peppers, carrots, etc to make a good salad.

Can bearded dragons eat boiled kale?

Boiling or heating kale is of no nutritional value for the beardie. It only decreases the nutrients in the vegetable and makes it less healthy. It is best to give only raw kale to your pet.