Spinach is very popular and is praised for the health benefits it provides. We see that nutritionists and doctors too recommend eating spinach but the owners of the beaded dragon need to be aware if it is safe or not. In this article, you will know all you need to Know about spinach and the benefits for the bearded dragon.
So, you must be in doubt if bearded dragons can eat spinach or not. Well, they can ear spinach, but it should be given to them only on occasions. This is due to the reason that the spinach involves large content of oxalates which are unhealthy for the bearded dragons. These are unhealthy because it binds calcium and does not let it get absorbed.
There are a lot of healthy options so it becomes difficult if you have to choose between the food options that you can feed your bearded dragon. It is difficult to know which food is the best and the most beneficial for health and which one you should avoid giving your pet.
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Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach?
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Spinach? Spinach is considered to be safe and therefore you can feed your beardie with spinach. You can even contact the nutritionists and the veterinary experts.
Now when it comes to feeding spinach you should feed only a small amount of it to maintain the balanced diet of your pet. The spinach should be fed sparingly. Let us have a closer look at the reasons why the bearded dragons cannot have spinach all the time. You can even see the health concerns associated with eating it a lot.
Why can’t bearded dragons eat spinach a lot and very often?
Despite so many benefits of spinach, we see that it does have a fatal impact on the bearded dragon if fed for a long time. This is because of the presence of oxalates.
We know that oxalates are not safe for the bearded dragons and that they are deadly. They bind the calcium in the bearded dragon’s body and due to this, the mineral needed in the body does not get absorbed.
This can lead to a metabolic bone disease which is also called MBD. It is a condition in which the bearded dragon becomes paralyzed and the limbs are warped.
If you are feeding your pet with foods that do not contain oxalates and you are feeding your pet with calcium supplements then it is absolutely safe to give spinach.
But if you are thinking of feeding a lot of spinach to your pet then you need to be aware that it can even kill the bearded dragon. Similarly for the greens which are rich in oxalates like the carrot tops and beet greens.
If you find the following symptoms then you need to immediately call your vet:
- Shaking limbs
- Weakness
- Swollen legs
- Fatigue
- Paralysis
These issues are easily preventable if you give your pet the proper diet and calcium supplements.
Another reason we find out that spinach is not a good veggie tor your pet is that it has vitamin A and beta carotene. Although it is not a big risk for your pet you need to be aware of it. Bearded dragons can eat foods that have Vitamin A, and they do need it in their diet. But the issues might occur if you give your pet vitamin A supplements. Also giving food rich in vitamin A and along with that giving supplements could be quite risky.
This can even lead to toxicity in the dragon.
Some symptoms would include:
- Swelling
- Loss in weight
- Dehydration
- And the loss of energy
Some benefits of feeding spinach to the bearded dragon
Spinach has a lot of bad impact on the bearded dragon but it does have a good impact too. The noticeable benefit of the spinach would be that it has 2.86 grams of protein that is very good.
Other nutrients are also very important from greens as the beardie can het up to 99% of protein from the insects.
Spinach is also very rich in calcium and has a low content of phosphorus. Having good calcium to phosphorus ratio is also necessary for the bearded dragon. The ideal ratio is 1.1 or 2.1 to be precise.
- Spinach also has low sugar content which is very good for bearded dragons as they might suffer from tooth decay due to having a lot of sugary content.
- There are some other minerals too like salt, potassium, iron, and vitamin C which are present in spinach in healthier amounts. Spinach might be a good choice if you are selecting foods to feed your bearded dragon on a regular basis.
How to feed spinach to bearded dragons?
You can easily feed your bearded dragon:
- Purchase the organic spinach from the market.
- Wash it nicely before you feed it to your pet. This will ensure removing all pesticides and dirt from the spinach.
- Now chop the leaves and place them into the bowl. You do not need to cook the spinach to feed, you can simply feed the chopped greens. This is because raw spinach has more nutrients.
- Now you can add some veggies too, like greens and some pieces of fruit to make it interesting and appealing. Now watch your pet grabbing the food.
You can even serve the spinach alone or you can add some carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes to it. If your dragon is a choosy one then you can turn it into a salad and adding some good fruits like grapes, strawberries, and even bananas.
Conclusion:
This was all about how you can give spinach and how much you need to feed your pet. Read thoroughly and in case you still have some doubts do consult your vet.
