Last week, I was shopping for groceries and asked myself, “can bearded dragons eat bell peppers?”
My mind drifted to Peter, my bearded dragon, as I picked some for my kitchen.
After reaching home, I researched for an answer before feeding my pet lizard.
If you are a beardie parent, you have come to the right place because this is what I found out.
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Table of Contents
Are Bell Peppers Good for Bearded Dragons?
Bell peppers come from the nightshade family that is native to South America. According to the US Department of Agriculture, sweet peppers contain essential nutrients, like; (1)
| Nutrition Supplement | Health Benefits |
| Vitamin K | Promotes bone health and prevents blood clots. |
| Vitamin E | Promotes cell repair and prevents inflammation. |
| Potassium | Enhances heart health. |
| Antioxidants | Promote strong body immunity, aiding digestion and preventing inflammation. |
| Vitamin B6 | Stimulates red blood cell creation. |
| Folate | Enhances muscle health. |
| Vitamin C & A | Enhances reproduction, growth, eye health, and immunity. |
Alongside this nutritional profile, bell peppers have 92% of water. Therefore, it’s advised not to overfeed your bearded pet with these vegetables to avoid overhydration.
Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Bell Peppers?
What you give your baby beardie at this point is vital for their growth. For this reason, you want foods that enhance their development instead of stunting it.
Bell peppers are low in calcium, a crucial nutrient enhancing bone strength. So as you feed your adorable lizard these vegetables, do so sparingly and have more calcium-rich food in their food dish.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bell Pepper Skin?
Yes, your bearded dragon can eat bell pepper skin. However, note that conventionally grown sweet pepper has pesticide residues, affecting your beardie’s health.
So as a safety measure, go for organically grown sweet peppers, and if you have a supply from your garden, the better. Also, give them a thorough wash with clean running water like you do when cooking.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Red Bell Peppers?
Yes, your beardie can consume red peppers. These red veggies are nutrient-rich and are usually preferred.
They also have a high water content level helping keep your pet hydrated. However, avoid overfeeding your pet lizard to prevent a tummy upset.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Green Bell Peppers?
Yes, your lizard can eat green peppers. These veggies pack a vast number of essential nutrients beneficial for your pet.
They contain lots of water content and less sugar giving your lizard the perfect hydration. So you can never go wrong with including some green peppers on their diet.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Orange Bell Peppers?
Yes, you can give your beardie an orange pepper. These orange veggies are a colorful treat to add to your lizard’s salad.
One orange sweet pepper serving packs 51 calories; therefore an excellent option to help your pet shed some weight. The water content and vitamins are also needed to keep your beardie healthy.
Take a look at this beardie eating sweet peppers.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bell Pepper Seeds?
Yes, your bearded friend can eat bell pepper seeds. Bell pepper seeds are a great way of adding a spicy flavor to your pet’s diet.
Moreover, note that bell peppers register a zero-rating under the Scoville heat scale. (2) So you do not have to worry that your pet will have the heat-burning sensation brought by Capsaicin.
TRY READING: Can Bearded Dragons Have Arugula?
Do Bearded Dragons Like Eating Bell Peppers?
Similar to humans, your lizard has its preferences when it comes to feeding. While some beardies will love the taste of bell peppers, others won’t.
And since these crunchy veggies do not contain capsaicin, unlike chili peppers, you do not have to worry.
If you note your lizard is not eating the bell pepper treat, you can entice them by mixing it into their diet alongside other foods.
Enjoy this beardie munching on chopped bell peppers.
Bearded Dragons and Bell Peppers: Benefits and Potential Side Effects
There are some excellent benefits of feeding peppers to your pet. But you should keep in mind some of the potential side effects. Let’s take a closer look.
Benefits
Your beardie can benefit in various ways from eating peppers. These crunchy vegetables pack multiple vitamins and antioxidants.
These nutritional elements are essential to having a healthy pet. The water in sweet peppers also goes a long way to keep your beardie hydrated.
Side Effects
Bell peppers are low in calcium levels and high in phosphorous. The lack of dietary calcium causes Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), typically affecting younger beardies under two years. (3)
Snake Discovery’s YouTube video perfectly explains this calcium deficiency condition, the cause, prevention, and treatment.
Another side effect these veggies have on your beardie is overhydration which can cause a diarrhea episode.
Excessing consumption of sweet peppers causes hypervitaminosis A. (4) This condition manifests itself through weight loss, swellings, and lethargy, so consult a vet immediately.
Bell Peppers for Your Beardie: Things to Consider
As you look forward to giving your lizard friend a taste of these crunchy vegetables, it’s essential to be vigilant. Ideally, shop for the perfect bell pepper, by picking one that boasts a deeper color and no skin spots.
How to Prepare Bell Pepper for Your Bearded Dragons?
After getting that juicy-looking veggie home, it’s time to feed your reptile friend. Wash the vegetable in running water, then cut it open and deseed it.
The best way to feed your pet is to have thin bell pepper strips. Your lizard will have an easy time munching on the little pepper pieces.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bell Peppers?
Experts and vets recommend feeding your pet lizard a healthy diet regularly. (5) Generally, they classify veggies under four categories:
- Never feed,
- Feed consistently,
- Feed rarely,
- & Feed regularly.
Among these categories, sweet peppers fall under the feed regularly or secondary foods. So if possible, feed your reptile an organic bell-pepper diet once a week.
What Happens if They Eat Too Much?
Bell peppers offer a tasty treat for your pet. However, with excessive consumption, your pet is at risk of overhydration and hypervitaminosis A.
The lack of vitamin D3 limits calcium absorption in your pet. And since these veggies are high in phosphorous, excessive consumption causes your lizard to suffer from MBD.
The color of your pet’s poop is a good indicator of its health and if they have eaten too much of something.
Green poop can happen from veggies, such as green bell peppers. The same goes for red peppers causing red poop. However, red can also indicate other more serious issues which require a visit to the vet.
What to Do If They Don’t Like Eating Bell Peppers?
The Pogona Vitticeps is an omnivorous species. Therefore, you can rest assured your pet can also eat insect or animal-based foods.
If your reptile refuses to have some green pepper, you can feed them swiss chard. Alongside this veggie, you can have them eat earthworms, calcium-dusted crickets, wax worms, and spiders, among other vet-recommended insects.
However, ensure these insects come from pet stores, reptile breeders, or bait stores for safety and quality assurance.
You should avoid feeding your pet fireflies as they are toxic. Moreover, you can feed your adult bearded friend pinkie or young mice.
FAQs
What Other Veggies can Bearded Dragon eat?
Here is a list of the veggies you can feed your lizard, red or green cabbage, green beans, collard greens, beet greens, sweet potato, turnip greens, kale, broccoli, and swiss chard, among others.
Check out this guide to learn more about what veggies do bearded dragons eat.
Can you dust your bearded dragon food with calcium dust?
Yes, calcium is an essential nutrient in the best foods for bearded dragons. And since peppers have poor calcium to phosphorous ratio dusting your dragon food with calcium powder is vital.
How do I make my bearded dragon poo?
Even with a regular healthy diet, your beloved lizard can take one week to defecate. You can encourage your pet to defecate by soaking it in warm water, massaging its tummy downwards, and consult a vet if this doesn’t work.
Can My Beardie Eat Cantaloupe?
Yes, bearded dragons are omnivorous, and a fruit-based diet is allowed. You can feed your pet some cantaloupe, for they pack immense vitamins, fiber, and beta carotene.
However, according to John Chitty, an Exotic vet, do so with moderation to avoid teeth problems. (6)
Conclusion
Sweet peppers offer your young and adult beardies an excellent tasty treat. For they lack capsaicin, you can rest assured your reptile will enjoy a taste of these crunchy vegetables.
So this post is for the bearded dragon owners. Can bearded dragons eat bell pepper? Yes, your bearded dragon can eat bell peppers.
However, feed your reptiles these veggies sparingly to avoid negative consequences.
Does your bearded dragon like bell peppers? Let us know below!
References
- 1. “FoodData Central.” Fdc.nal.usda.gov, fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170108/nutrients.
- 2. “The Scoville Scale.” Chili Pepper Madness, 18 June 2019, www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/the-scoville-scale/.
- 3. “Bearded Dragons – Diseases.” Vca_corporate, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/bearded-dragons-diseases#:~:text=Metabolic%20bone%20disease%20(MBD)%2C.
- 4. “Hypervitaminosis a in Reptiles.” Today’s Veterinary Practice, 2 Nov. 2018, todaysveterinarypractice.com/exotic-medicine/hypervitaminosis-a-in-reptiles/. Accessed 22 May 2022.
- 5. “Bearded Dragons – Feeding.” Vca_corporate, 2017, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/bearded-dragons-feeding.
- 6. “What Do Bearded Dragons Eat? The Best Food for Bearded Dragons.” Exoticdirect, 2019, www.exoticdirect.co.uk/news/bearded-dragon-food-advice
My name is Ben Roberts, and I absolutely love animals. So, naturally, I love writing about them too! As far as my animals, I have a Pit-bull, a Beagle-lab mix, a Chihuahua, and one old cat. Each one of them provides me with a new adventure every day. And the best part is they’re all best friends. Well, except the cat when he gets a little annoyed.
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