Arugula is one of the popular salad ingredients and a tasty green for humans. It contains a special spicy flavor which is liked by various people. Many people think arugula is a variety of lettuce but it is not so. It is also called a Rocket in England and Rucola in Italy.
Now when we are offering greens to the bearded dragon we do not know which ones we can offer and which are not good for their health. This green can be eaten raw and it is not poisonous for humans. In fact, it contains quite a few nutrients and other goodness.
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What nutrients are found in arugula?
Arugula contains various nutrients which are really good for bone health. It has calcium and vitamin K which are great for strong bone metabolism. When these nutrients are not given in the proper amount then it can make the consumer weak in bone structure and it can face severe pain in the limbs.
It also contains glucosinolates which is a sulfur-containing ingredient. It helps the consumer to stay away from cancer and also keeps the blood pressure at a lower level.
Is arugula good for bearded dragons?
Arugula is tasty and is much liked by the bearded dragons when they are young. This is a juicy and fresh green that contains a good amount of calcium. When they eat arugula it gives them the boost of calcium which is great for their bone-strengthening purpose.
Is arugula good for the daily diet of bearded dragons?
Arugula can be given to the bearded dragons as a staple diet. It consists of various nutrients which help the young bearded dragons grow and become healthy. But that is only about the young stage. The matured bearded dragons should not eat that much arugula or it should not be present in their daily diet.
Can I feed arugula every day to my bearded dragon?
When you are keeping a matured bearded dragon you should not provide it with arugula every day. This will fill its small tummy but on the nutritional quotient, it will not be sufficient for the creature. Other than calcium and vitamin K this one does not contain much nutritional value. If the beardie keeps eating on these greens, which they would do as this is a tasty treat for them, then it can suffer from other problems due to malnutrition.
How you should offer arugula to your bearded dragon?
You should always wash and cut the arugula into small pieces before offering it to the bearded dragon. Unless the greens are well chopped these may result in choking of the pet bearded dragon. Make sure that the arugulas you are offering to your pet are free from pesticides, so there is no toxic impact on the pet for the consumption of arugula.
How arugulas can harm the bearded dragon?
Arugula contains goitrogens which is a harmful element for bearded dragons. If you offer the bearded dragons arugula in their daily diet then it could see the toxic results on the pet. Thyroid glands are mostly affected by this ingredient and the liver as well as the kidney of the bearded dragon will be affected as a result of this malfunction.
Another point is, arugulas contain oxalate and phosphorus which prevent calcium absorption in the body of the bearded dragon. When taken in a good amount then arugula can make it difficult for the bearded dragon to get the full utilization of calcium that this green contains.
Calcium reacts with the oxalate and then calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate is created which again reacts with phosphorus. Eventually, it does not help the system of the bearded dragon.
Another side effect of arugula consumption is a high intake of natural sugar. The natural sugar of this green will cause dental problems for the bearded dragon. To solve this, you can offer a mixed platter of arugula and squash or some other greens. The sugar content will not be affecting the teeth and gum of the pet when there will be different kinds of vegetables mixed all together in the diet.
Why baby arugulas are better than matured arugulas for the bearded dragon?
As the pungent and tart-like taste of the arugulas is liked by the bearded dragon, the matured leaves do not contain that much taste. Thus when offering arugulas to the bearded dragon, try to find the young leaves and feed them to your pet as a treat.
How arugulas can help your bearded dragon?
If your bearded dragon is suffering from metabolic bone disorder then you can offer it arugula for some days after taking suggestions from the vet. As arugula has a high quotient of calcium it will be much beneficial for the bone formation of the affected bearded dragon and it may cure the illness.
The water content of any green is helpful for the health of the bearded dragon. As per the vets, the bearded dragon should have a good amount of water as it keeps them healthy in every aspect. The arugula contains a good amount of water and that keeps the system of the bearded dragon hydrated.
Fiber is yet another important aspect of the arugula which helps the bearded dragons. Bearded dragons eat various kinds of protein as well as other kinds of food. The fiber present in the arugula helps to break the protein form available in the body of mealworms, cricket, and such insects which are daily food for the bearded dragon. Also, the gut health of your pet will be taken care of by the fiber present in the intake of arugula.
Arugula contains some amount of protein too. As we all know, protein is a very important factor in the diet of bearded dragons. When you are offering it some amount of arugula, it also adds up to the protein intake of the creature. Young bearded dragons will be benefitted quite well if you provide them with arugula once or twice every week.
Vitamins are also present in arugula as we have mentioned in this guide. Other than vitamin K, there is also some amount of vitamin A present in this green, which is highly beneficial for the eye and skin of the bearded dragon.
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