Green peppers are the most popular vegetable in the United States. They are commonly used in dishes such as salads, pasta sauces, and stews. Green peppers have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. As for bearded dragons, you may wonder, can bearded dragons eat green peppers?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat green peppers! However, it is not recommended that they eat the entire pepper. The best way to feed them is to give them a small amount of pepper and see if they like it. If so, then you can slowly increase their diet with more peppers.
Do Bearded Dragons Eat Green Peppers?
Bearded dragons are omnivores, which means they will eat both insects and plants. They’ll also eat other small animals like shrews, lizards, and mice when they’re hungry. Some of their favorite fruits and veggies include bananas, apples, sunflower seeds, melons, peas, zucchini squash, kale, parsley, lettuce, or watercress.
So do bearded dragons eat green peppers? Well… it depends on the type of green pepper!
Green bell peppers and green chiles are eaten only occasionally by bearded dragons because they contain too much capsaicin (the chemical that gives them their spicy flavor) to be safe. The same goes for sweet red peppers which also have a higher concentration of capsaicin than other vegetables.
Instead, you should feed your bearded dragon mostly fruit with a few vegetables like kale or parsley if you want them to get all the nutrients that their little bodies need.
That being said… there’s no reason why you can’t give your beardie some green bell pepper! Not only is it safe for them to eat but it’ll also provide them with a good dose of Vitamin C as well as fiber and antioxidants that their body needs to stay healthy!
Is It Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat Green Peppers?
Green peppers themselves don’t contain any toxin that could cause your bearded dragons any health issues.
However, the vegetable contains a high amount of phosphorus, which can be dangerous to them. Too much phosphorus in their diet could bind to calcium and other minerals. This will prevent it from being absorbed by the body, which will lead to metabolic bone disease.
For that reason, for green peppers to be safe for your beardie, they should be fed to them on occasion.
Is It Healthy For Bearded Dragons To Eat Green Peppers?
Green peppers contain a lot of nutrition that is healthy for your bearded dragons. It contains a good amount of vitamins and minerals that the beardie needs on a daily basis.
Vitamin C
Green peppers have a good amount of vitamin C. This vitamin is important for a healthy immune system. Bearded dragons that get plenty of vitamin C in their diet will less likely become sick.
Calcium
Green peppers have a decent amount of calcium in it. Calcium is one of the minerals that are vital for bearded dragons. Not only does the mineral helps keep their bone strong, but it also prevents metabolic bone disease. This is a serious and irreversible disease and if left untreated, it can be deadly.
Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Green Peppers?
Baby bearded dragons can eat green peppers, but only in moderation.
While the vegetable is healthy and contain a lot of nutrition, it’s not a food that baby beardie need.
At this age, a baby bearded dragon’s diet should consist mainly of protein-rich food such as crickets, grasshoppers, and other insects. They require this due to their fast growth.
Vegetables and fruits, which include green peppers should make up a very small percentage of their diet.
How To Feed Green Peppers To Bearded Dragons
When it comes to feeding green peppers to your bearded dragons, the process is simple and straightforward.
Before giving any green peppers to your beardie, make sure it’s fresh. The fresher the vegetable the more nutrition it has.
With the green pepper, cut it into small pieces. Then remove the seeds as it could cause get stuck in their throat.
Place the green peppers into their bowl to let them eat.
Some beardie will not eat green peppers, especially if this is their first time eating them. If that is the case, mix the green peppers with other vegetables that they are already eating.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Green Peppers?
Green peppers should be fed to bearded dragons on occasion. This is due to the poor calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Feeding them green peppers too often can prevent calcium from being absorbed by the body. This could lead to metabolic bone disease, which can be fatal for bearded dragons.
Therefore, feeding green peppers to your bearded once or twice per month is plenty enough for them to enjoy without negatively affecting their health.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons can eat green peppers. While it’s safe for them to eat, you should only give them a small amount, once or twice per month.
