Can Bearded Dragons Eat Peas? | Vegetable Feeding Tips 2024

Bearded dragons are very convenient and fun to pet. These exotic lizards are omnivores and so they can be fed a relatively larger variety of food than other common pets that have a narrower list of meals for them. Along with insects, beardies can also eat fruits and greens. But which greens can they eat safely? Can Bearded Dragons Eat Peas? Peas are very common in households and very easy to fetch for us. You will find them growing in gardens, and loaded in supermarkets. And so every dragon owner wonders at least once that can bearded dragons eat peas too.

Well yes! They can.

Peas are nutritious, healthy, and energetic. They provide vitamins, minerals, and many other healthy nutrients to the bearded dragon’s diet. However, you must know that every food fed to a beardie must be in a specific proportion, and as for peas, they should not be fed too often. Find all about feeding peas to your dragon in this article.

Nutritional Facts About Peas

Let us start with the nutrients and their respective values. The table below is for 100 g of fresh peas.

How Often Should I Feed Peas

Peas should only be fed on an occasional basis and not regularly. The staple meal of beardies is insects while greens constitute a small portion of their diet overall. Besides this, there are a few health risks of feeding peas regularly. However, you can feed peas safely to your loved pet every other week but in small amounts. Below, we have discussed why peas should not be fed regularly.

Benefits Of Feeding Peas

There are many benefits of feeding peas to your bearded dragon if you are feeding them in adequate amounts.

Low Fat

As the chart above shows that peas have 0% fat. Yes, that’s right, peas are very healthy for adult or mature beardies who need low-cholesterol foods. Fatty foods induce many health problems for these exotic reptiles. Fats make a beardie lazy and lethargic. They can also cause blockage of vessels and the body and disturb circulation with a higher than normal blood pressure for bearded dragons. Peas can help you feed a low-fat diet and keep them active and healthy, and avoid other health diseases.

High Phosphorus

Peas are rich in phosphorus. They make the bones and teeth stronger and help the young beardies grow and develop faster without any deficiency. Phosphorus also plays a role in maintaining the connective tissues of the body.

Iron

Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells in the body. Moreover, they also help in transporting oxygen in the body. Fortunately, peas are filled with iron too, and so this mineral comes with benefits for your beardie.

Vitamins

Green vegetables are known for bringing vitamins to the body. Likewise, peas also bring in Vitamin B, Vitamin A, and also Vitamin C for a bearded dragon. These vitamins help to improve vision, fortify the immune system, boost development, and maintain the internal organs and tissues of the body. Have a look at Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach which is also a green vegetable.

Health Risks Of Peas

There are some health risks of feeding peas to bearded dragons. If you feed your beardie too often, it will for sure affect your beardie’s health negatively. Why? Find out below.

Poor Calcium To Phosphorus Ratio

The ideal ratio of calcium and phosphorus is 2:1, which means the amount of calcium should be greater than the amount of phosphorus. However, if the amount of phosphorus outweighs the calcium, like in peas, it will absorb the calcium present and cause calcium deficiency.

A calcium deficiency can lead to fatal disorders for bearded dragons. It can hinder the growth, development, and strengthening of bones. It may also cause easy molding and fractures of the limbs and the tail. A severe calcium deficiency can also result in metabolic bone disease in which the bones are highly damaged, weak, and porous. This condition can also worsen and result in paralysis.

Oxalic Acid

Oxalates are compounds in peas that bind to calcium and again hinder the absorption of calcium. Therefore, one should always feed a balanced diet to his beardie so that the oxalic acid levels stay in control.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mushy Peas

We all know that it is best to feed only fresh greens to our docile pet dragons. Whereas, mushy peas are processed peas that are actually marrowfat peas soaked in water and soda. These processed peas are processed with salt and sugar and therefore become mushy in appearance. Hence, it is clear that mushy peas are not ideal peas for bearded dragons. Pet bearded dragons should always be fed fresh peas that are not processed or with added sugar and salt.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Snap Peas Or Snow Peas

Yes, beardies can eat snap peas, snow peas, and also pea pods. They are rich in vitamins, phosphorus, and iron too. They have the same health benefits as peas but may be slightly sweeter. However, dragon owners must wash and rinse the pea pods carefully, and then chop the pods into smaller pieces to prevent any choking hazards.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Frozen Peas

It is not recommended to feed frozen peas to bearded dragons. Frozen peas lose most of the nutrients and remain of no or very little nutritional value for beardies. Freezing peas also eliminate Vitamin B1 or thiamine from peas. This vitamin plays a vital role in making the beardie stronger and protects it from many other diseases. However, if you must feed your pet dragon frozen peas in emergency situations, then you can add them with other fresh greens to make it more beneficial for the dragon. Also, read Can Bearded Dragons Eat Parsley.

Conclusion

Can bearded dragons eat peas? Well yes, they surely can. You can feed peas every other week to your docile lizard without any harm. It will improve their vision, immune system, blood production, and internal body maintenance. However, excess feeding of peas can result in calcium deficiency, metabolic bone disorder, and weak bones and teeth. This is due to their oxalate content and poor calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. Wash the peas thoroughly, and avoid feeding canned, frozen, or any other type of processed peas to your pet bearded dragon, as it only decreases the original nutritional value of fresh peas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bearded dragons eat cooked peas?

It is best to only feed fresh peas to your dragon. Cooking is only an extra effort and does not bring any additional health benefits. If anything, cooking the peas decreases their nutritional value.

Can bearded dragons eat canned peas?

Canned peas are not the ideal peas for feeding bearded dragons. This is due to the added preservatives, chemicals, sugar, and salt to the canned peas. It is best to avoid feeding them those and only opt for fresh green peas, which are more nutritious and beneficial for your beardie.

Can bearded dragons eat sweet peas?

No, it is not recommended to feed sweet peas to bearded dragons kept in closed enclosures. Sweet peas have higher calories and sugar and so can affect the bearded dragon’s health negatively. It can make them obese, or raise blood pressure. It is best to only feed fresh peas to your bearded dragon, as pets kept in enclosures stay the healthiest if they are fed natural meals and not artificial ones.

Can bearded dragons eat snow peas?

Yes, bearded dragons can be fed snow peas. However, it is best to feed them as a treat only and not regularly. They are sweet, and just like regular peas, they contain oxalates and high phosphorus content. You can feed your beardie sweet peas, once or twice a month.