Cockroaches are notoriously known as pests, but they can also be a delicacy. If you have a bearded dragon, you might want to know the answer to the question “Can bearded dragons eat cockroaches?”
Yes, bearded dragons can eat cockroaches. It’s loaded with protein and other nutrition that the beardie needs. When feeding cockroaches to them, be sure that it’s not wild-caught since they could have pesticides or other chemicals. It’s best to buy store-bought roaches or raise them on your own.
Is It Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat Cockroaches?
Yes, it’s safe to feed cockroaches to bearded dragons. However, there are some things that can make cockroaches unsafe for them.
Below are some of the things that could potentially be unsafe:
Chemicals On Cockroaches
You should avoid feeding your pet cockroaches that have been in contact with pesticides or other chemicals since these could harm your pet.
Cockroaches Are Dirty
Cockroaches have been linked to allergies and asthma in humans, so it’s not surprising that bearded dragons may develop skin irritations from eating them. In addition to their filthiness factor, cockroaches also carry disease-causing pathogens like salmonella and E. coli bacteria on their bodies. These pathogens can cause severe illness or death in bearded dragons if ingested by them or their handlers during feeding time
Bearded Dragons Can’t Digest Cockroaches
Bearded dragons don’t have the enzymes required for digesting insects with exoskeletons (such as cockroaches). If you feed your bearded dragon cockroaches without first taking off their hard outer shell, the lizard may regurgitate them back up or pass them through its digestive tract without fully digesting them.
Benefits of Cockroach For Bearded Dragons
Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning that they eat both meat and plants. They enjoy eating roaches as part of their diet because roaches contain many nutrients that bearded dragons need.
Here are some benefits of roach for bearded dragons:
Cockroaches contain high amounts of protein, which bearded dragons need in order to grow properly and maintain good health.
Cockroach legs also contain calcium, which helps bearded dragons develop strong bones and teeth.
Bearded dragons also benefit from eating cockroaches because they contain chitin (a type of fiber), which helps keep the gastrointestinal tract healthy by promoting digestion.
How To Feed Cockroach To Bearded Dragons
Cockroaches are an excellent source of protein for bearded dragons. But the cockroach needs to be alive when you feed it to your reptile.
Step 1: Find a good place to keep your cockroach in a container with some food and water. This can be outside in a warm spot, or inside in a warm room where it doesn’t get too cold at night.
Step 2: Wait until the cockroach is active and eating well before feeding it to your bearded dragon. If you put it in with your bearded dragon when it’s not hungry or active, he or she won’t eat it and might get sick from eating dead cockroaches that have been lying around uneaten for too long.
Step 3: When your reptile is ready to eat, grab the cockroach with tweezers and place him on a plastic lid or piece of paper towel next to your bearded dragon’s enclosure. Your reptile should start eating right away!
How Often To Feed Cockroaches To Bearded Dragons?
Generally, you should feed your bearded dragon cockroaches several times per week (up to once per day). You can also keep live crickets as an occasional treat for your pet. When selecting crickets, make sure they are no bigger than the space between your bearded dragon’s eyes.
What Size Cockroach Do I Feed My Bearded Dragon?
The ideal size of a cockroach for a juvenile or adult bearded dragon is about 1 inch long (not including antennae). You should avoid feeding baby cockroaches because they may not be large enough for your pet to consume completely before it dies inside its mouth or digestive tract.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while your bearded dragon might not totally love cockroaches as a source of food, they can eat them. It can be of great benefit to them too especially if their diet is low in protein. Another benefit of eating cockroaches is that the insect’s crunchy exoskeleton will help with the mobility of your bearded dragon’s teeth and jaws.
