Bearded dragons are omnivorous in their eating habits. Thus, they can have insects as well as fruits, vegetables, greens, etc. They can feed on insects such as crickets, cockroaches, silkworms, wax worms, locusts, etc. The simple answer to this question, can bearded dragon eat earthworms is, yes. This is due to their omnivorous nature. Earthworms are sort of a safe option for bearded dragons.
The nutritional composition of earthworms is beneficial for beardies. However, an earthworm can carry parasites on its outer body which may be harmful to the beardie. Otherwise, it is a great option to meet the nutritional requirements of your pet. Thus, you should not feed your pet the earthworm caught in the wild.
Contents
Are earthworms a good option for bearded dragons?
It should only be fed with the earthworms purchased from the store due to the reason that the earthworms caught in the wild may contain parasites on their body as mentioned above. Consequently, it may harm your beloved pet. Also, earthworms are easily and widely available, so it will be great if your beardie can consume them.
1. The alternative source of protein
Earthworms have a nutritional composition that is necessary for both juveniles as well as adult dragons for their body growth and maintenance. Also, bearded dragons need to follow the diet of wild dragons, which includes live foods as a source of proteins and other nutrients such as earthworms. Thus, earthworms are a complementary source of protein for bearded dragons.
2. Contains a considerable amount of nutrients and vitamins
Apart from proteins, the nutritional composition of earthworms is beneficial for beardies. The nutritional composition of earthworm contains amino acids, iron, copper, manganese, etc. which is helpful for the growth as well as the development of their body.
They also help in their body tissue repairs. They are also rich in calcium. Calcium is needed for skeletal development and helps to prevent bone diseases just like metabolic bone diseases (MDB). Thus, Earthworms are a crucial source of nutrients, vitamins, and calcium.
3. Source of healthy fats
Earthworms are a source of healthy fats which act as an energy store for beardies. These healthy fats are absorbed inside the body of bearded dragons which helps to regulate the body temperature and hormone production. Beardies only require a very small amount of fats. Excess amounts of fats can cause obesity in them which may lead to some serious health issues. Thus, earthworms should only be included in an occasional treat.
4. Source of moisture
The water requirement of bearded dragons is high. Due to the shape of their mouth, they are not able to drink water from the bowl comfortably. So, they need to fulfill the water requirement from the food they feed on. Earthworms contain a high amount of water, so they can be a good supplement for water. The body of the earthworm consists of about 95% of water which is enough to meet the moisture requirement bearded dragon. Thus, earthworms are indeed a good option for bearded dragons.
Drawbacks of feeding bearded dragons with earthworms
1. Size of earthworm
Bearded dragons are prone to choking. The size of the earthworm is too big to be swollen by the beardie. This may result in choking and impaction. This can be harmful to the baby and juvenile beardies. Thus, they should not be fed with a chuck bigger than the distance between their eyes. The best indicator of this is the distance between their eyes. A beardie should never feed with a chunk bigger than the distance between its eyes.
2. Calcium phosphorus ratio
The calcium to phosphorus ratio presents in earthworms is 2:1. Calcium plays an important role in the skeletal development of beardies. But Phosphorus is a hazard to beardies. Phosphorus can react with calcium and forms calcium phosphate as an end product. This product prevents the absorption of calcium in the body of beardies. This can cause deterioration of bones and lead to metabolic bone disease (MBD). Thus, it is advisable not to feed your pet earthworm on daily basis. You can feed your pet earthworm once a week or occasionally.
3. A considerable amount of fats
Earthworms contain a considerable content of fat. The high amount of fat can cause obesity in them. Obesity can lead to many serious health issues. The bearded dragons kept as pets do not exercise as much as wild dragons to reduce obesity. So, when you feed them with food having a high content of fat, they will not be able to burn the calories. Consequently, it will lead to health issues due to obesity.
4. Cannot consume on a daily basis
Earthworms cannot be fed to beardies on daily basis. This is due to the fact that they contain a high content of fats which is really not good for their health. This can lead to obesity. Also feeding one type of food, again and again, can lead to a loss of appetite. Also, earthworms have a very high content of water which is sometimes not beneficial to them. This could lead to a digestive issue in your pet.
5. Chemical Contamination
Although, earthworms are not harmful to your pet they use to crawl through the grounds and plants which may be treated with pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers. This makes them poisonous to your pet. If you fed your beardie with chemically contaminated worms, they may cause serious health issues.
What to know before feeding earthworms to your bearded dragon
1. Always purchase earthworms from a reputed seller
Never feed your pet with earthworms caught in the wild. They may have parasites just like protozoa, and nematodes on their body. If eaten, they can be harmful to the health of your beloved pet. Thus, it is advised to buy earthworms from a seller.
2. Do not overfeed your pet
Always take care of the quantity of the food you are giving to your pet. A bearded dragon must not be overfed especially with earthworms. They contain high content of fats. A young dragon should be given 20 earthworms and an adult dragon should be given around 30 earthworms.
3. Remove the uneaten worms
Give your pet 10-15 minutes to consume the earthworms. After 10-15 minutes, remove the uneaten worms. This is done to avoid overeating.
4. Return the uneaten worms
You can return the uneaten worms to the culture or feed them to the other pets as well.
Concluding
As, I mentioned above that earthworms are a great source of proteins, minerals, vitamins as well as moisture. They play an important role to keep your pet hydrated. It is also a source of calcium for the development of bones and teeth for the dragon. But on the other hand, they cannot be fed on a daily basis. They are huge in size for your tiny pet. Beardies are prone to choking and impaction if ingested a large chunk.
If you fed your pet with worms caught in the wild, they might they parasites on their body. Thus, it is advisable to purchase worms from a reputed seller. Earthworms contain a high amount of fat in them. The intake of a high amount of fat can cause obesity.
As the pet dragons are not active just like the wild dragons. They are not active enough to burn excess calories to reduce obesity. Thus, you are advised to feed your pet with worms once a week or occasionally and always buy the worms from a reputed seller.
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