If you are an owner of a bearded dragon then you need to feed them the right kind of food. There are a number of fruits and vegetables available but when it comes to feeding your bearded dragon, you cannot feed any of them. You need to go through the nutritional data and content when it comes to feeding your pet the right and sufficient nutrients.
But according to the research it is seen that you should not feed your bearded dragon lettuce. This is because the lettuce does not have much nutritional value and has a high amount of water content in it. This might lead to diarrhoea and some other issues as well.
The lettuce is recommended to be avoided but there are some special details regarding it that should be seen and analysed by the users before they decide to feed it to their pet.
So, in order to know about this, the users should go through the details mentioned below.
Contents
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Lettuce?
It is better than the things like iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce is avoided and the bearded dragons are not fed these.
This is because; firstly the lettuce does not have good nutritional value. This means that the bearded dragon is not getting much benefit from the food you are feeding. But one of the most important reasons for not feeding this is that it has a high moisture content in it. To know about it in a better way it is important to know where the bearded dragons used to live. The bearded dragons have evolved from the Australian desert. This shows that they have evolved to stay in the high temperatures. So, they are used to stay without water ad in the conditions of scarcity as well.
So due to this, the livers of the bearded dragons have evolved in such a way that they can easily absorb the moisture that is in the food.
So, when the bearded dragon owners feed them food like the lettuce that has good moisture content. They will absorb the amount of water that is in it. But this might lead t problems in the later stages which are not suitable for your pet. One of the most difficult situations would be diarrhoea and it is difficult to handle. But, if the owners get to know that lettuce is not right and return back to normal food then they will find changes.
This is temporary and might not have very long-lasting effects on the bearded dragon. But even after changes in diet and few days of control, there are no changes then the owners should contact a vet.
Lettuce for the bearded dragons:
Lettuce is known to be high in water content and low calories. But still, it provides mineral and vitamins to the pet. Despite the fact that lettuce is very famous for humans, it might not perfectly suit the bearded dragons.
As per the research, it is seen that lettuce is not a good food choice for bearded dragons. One of the top experts of bearded dragons has mentioned that the lettuce is poor in nutrients.
Let us see the reasons why lettuce is regarded as poor in nutrition and not suitable for bearded dragons.
Nutritionally poor
If we see the nutritional data of lettuce then we find that it does not offer much nutrition. The lettuce does contain a high amount of water and this is 94.8 grams in 100 g. This leaves very little space for any other nutrition.
This can be a serious issue because the lettuce meets the eye and they will want to have it more. So, filling your bearded dragon with food that is very low in nutrition or have no nutrition at all is not suitable. This is mostly seen in the case of bearded dragons that grow fast and require the optimum level of nutrition.
Calcium content in lettuce
One of the other main reasons for which lettuce is not recommended is that it is low in calcium. Calcium is a very important nutrient for the bearded dragon and if they do not get the optimum amount of calcium in their diet they might even suffer from metabolic bone disease.
It might even lead to a serious health issue in other cases. Moreover, if the diet lacks calcium then it is the major reason behind the Metabolic Bone disease. This is because calcium is very important for bearded dragons and it is advised that you fill your pet’s bowl with foods that are high in calcium.
But feeding them lettuce will restrict the amount of calcium intake and that is not suitable for your pet. Also, it is better that you include a calcium supplement in the diet so that the pet gets enough amount of calcium that is required for daily activities. Also, the top vets recommend that the supplements are necessary and should be used so that the pet gets enough and the necessary amount of calcium in the diet. The brand that is recommended for calcium supplements is the Rep cal and is one of the best for calcium supplements.
Sugar in lettuce
One of the good things regarding lettuce is that it has low sugar content. This does not indicate that you can start adding lettuce to the pet’s meal every day but it is quite good for the low sugar purpose. This is because sugar can lead to a lot of problems if it is consumed in high proportions or volumes.
A high amount of sugar can lead to health issues like:
- Obesity
- Tooth issues
- Digestion problems
So for this reason, the fruits are not suitable because they have high sugar content in them and offer only offer little nutrition like lettuce.
Conclusion:
Thus, we find that lettuce is low on calcium and nutrition and is not a good option. Instead, the owners can feed on greens and veggies that are low in sugar and high in nutrition.
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