Can Bearded Dragons Eat Carrots?

Bearded dragons can eat carrots. They contain lots of vitamin A and Beta-Carotene which are essential for a bearded dragon’s diet.

They’re also cheap and easy to get hold of, so they’re the perfect addition to your bearded dragon’s regular diet. 

It’s also a great way to get around having to feed your bearded dragon vitamin A supplements.

An Excellent Source of Vitamin A

The food that bearded dragons naturally eat, crickets, locusts or mealworms, don’t always contain much vitamin A.

This can be a problem for domesticated bearded dragons as it is needed for their diet and other live food sources aren’t often available.

Some people make up their vitamin A levels by providing supplements.

However, if you plan to feed your bearded dragon carrots, then there’s no need. 

If you plan to feed your bearded dragon carrots, make sure you don’t also provide vitamin A supplements, as this can cause the level of vitamin to be too high and may cause health issues. 

You should always use standard carrots though, try to avoid baby carrots.

This is because some baby carrots are packaged with preservatives which can be harmful to your bearded dragon.

Although this isn’t the case for all of them, there’s no way to know which ones are preserved and which aren’t. Always go for fresh whole carrots. 

Can They Eat the Carrot Tops?

Carrot tops are especially good for bearded dragons. Even better than the main part of the carrot.

They contain lots of vitamins and minerals and are easy for them to digest. You can actually use the carrot tops as part of their everyday meals.

They aren’t as rich as the carrot itself, so they’re perfect as part of a daily salad. As carrot tops tend to be quite long, it’s best to cut them into smaller pieces.

Otherwise, your dragon might look they’re eating a strip of spaghetti. 

How Often Can I Feed my Bearded Dragon Carrots?

In the wild, bearded dragons live in the desert, so wouldn’t normally eat carrots at all. This means that you shouldn’t give them the main body of the carrot daily, as it may overload their digestive system.

However, unlike fruits, you can feed them carrot fairly often and the green tops can be used daily. It’s recommended to give them the main part of the carrot alongside their other food around twice a week.

This way, they get all the vitamins and minerals that they need, without making them too overpowering. 

A normal portion for one sitting would be to grate up around 3 cm worth of carrot alongside the green tops.

If you’re feeding them carrots regularly like this, avoid also giving them a vitamin A supplement. Too much vitamin A can have health implications.

Are Carrots Good for Bearded Dragons?

The answer is yes! Carrots are an excellent addition to your bearded dragon’s diet.

They contain many vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy lifestyle. Plus, they’re low in sugar, so you can feed your bearded dragon carrot fairly often without worrying about their teeth or digestion. 

Beta-Carotene

Beta-Carotene is an antioxidant that helps to boost the immune system and will help your bearded dragon to avoid minor illnesses. 

Fiber

Fiber is great for your bearded dragon’s digestive system. Lizards of all types generally have a very delicate digestive system, which is why they’re such fussy eaters.

Feeding them the wrong thing, or even, too much of the right thing can cause digestive problems which could be fatal if not handled quickly.

Adding carrots to their diet provides essential fiber to help strengthen their digestive system. 

Vitamins

Carrots contain vitamins A, B6, C and K. Something with that many vitamins in one place must be good for you. Vitamin A is a good allrounder.

It keeps your bearded dragon happy and their skin and bones strong and helps to prevent eye problems, which is where the ‘seeing in the dark’ myth comes from.

Vitamin B6 keeps the skin healthy and may help their color to shine through.

If you have a nicely patterned bearded dragon, carrots will help bring those patterns to life.

Vitamin C helps to repair any damaged tissue and helps with healthy growth, especially for younger dragons, and vitamin K helps them to absorb much-needed calcium. 

Potassium

Potassium is essential for a bearded dragon to help with muscle function. In the wild, healthy muscles would be the most important part of a bearded dragon’s survival.

They need strong muscles to catch insects. They may have to sit in the same position for long periods and strike at opportune moments.

They also need strong legs to run away from predators and to dig burrows. 

Calcium

Calcium is critical for healthy bones and teeth. Bearded dragons lack this in their normal diets, so it’s recommended to add calcium powder when feeding live food.

However, carrots are a great way to top this up too. Most foods contain both calcium and phosphorus, and bearded dragons need both.

However, some fruits and vegetables contain way more phosphorus, meaning the calcium is cancelled out.

Carrots have a much safer ratio of calcium to phosphorus than lots of other vegetables and most fruits. 

How to Prepare Carrots for your Bearded Dragon

Obviously, your bearded dragon’s mouth isn’t equipped for just biting raw carrot like ours is. You need to make things a little easier for them. 

The first thing you need to consider is the type of carrot that you’re buying. The best carrots will be fresh, organic, whole carrots still with the tops on.

You can still use normal store-bought, bagged carrots if needed, but it’s best to stay away from baby carrots as the preservatives used on these can cause problems.

When you get them home, you need to make sure you wash them thoroughly.

You don’t want to feed your dragon any pesticides or soil that might be lingering there. Remember that you must always use raw carrot, don’t give them leftovers from your Sunday roast. 

A good way to make it easy for your bearded dragon is to use a cheese grater.

The long, thin strands will be easy for your bearded dragon to swallow and to bite through. You could also cut them into long strips yourself with a knife, but that’s just more effort. 

You can place the grated carrot alongside chopped up pieces of the green tops for a nice, healthy meal.

Summary

So, we’ve established that carrots are a great addition to your bearded dragon’s diet. They have excellent health benefits and don’t contain too much sugar to cause any harm.

They’re also cheap and easy to get hold of and simple to prepare. Your bearded dragon will appreciate the variety when you add them to complete their salad. 

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  • About Matthew Cantell

    I was just 15 years of age when I first met a bearded dragon. It was at my friend's house and I instantly grew an immediate attraction to, what has now become, my favourite animal on the planet! Making fantastic pets for both children and adults alike, they each have their own personality and are certainly full of character. There are, though, some important things that we should all know when it comes to caring for these amazing animals!
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