ᐅ Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corn?

Popping Facts Of Feeding Corn To Your Bearded Dragon

Can bearded dragons eat corn? The short answer is yes, bearded dragons can eat corn, but not as a staple food.

Corn is not a common food recommended by veterinarians, as it can be hard for them to digest.

It’s not harmful in limited amounts, so you can opt to feed your bearded dragon corn once a month or less often.

In this post, we will be discussing sweetcorn and its benefits, risks, preparation, and more.

Is Corn Safe For Bearded Dragons?

Although corn is safe for bearded dragons, it is not ideal because it has very poor calcium to phosphorus ratio. There is about 13 times more phosphorus than calcium in corn. So, even dusting it with calcium and vitamin D3 won’t make up for the deficit.

If you want to know more about the nutritional value, benefits, risks, and more, please read on.

Nutritional Value Of Corn In A Bearded Dragon’s Diet

The nutritional value of corn will help us determine if it is worthy of feeding these grains to bearded dragons.

One cup (164 grams) of sweet corn contains:

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	177 calories
Carbohydrates	41g
Protein	5.4g
Fat	2.1g
Fiber	4.6g
Vitamin C	17% of the daily value
Vitamin A	9ug
Vitamin K	0.3ug
Thiamine (vitamin B1)	24% of DV
Folate (Vitamin B9)	19% of the DV
Magnesium	11% of the DV
Potassium	10% of the DV
Water	76g
Energy	86 kcal
Sugar	6.3g
Calcium	2mg
Phosphorus	89mg
Ca:P ratio	1:44.5

By just looking at the above table, there are so many exciting things you can see about corn.

Benefits OF Feeding Corn To Bearded Dragons

Below are some of the health benefits of feeding corn to bearded dragons.

Hydration Boost

Corn contains around 76% water. It means that corn will help keep your bearded dragon hydrated, especially during the summer.

Boost Energy

Corn is a good source of thiamine or vitamin B1. These provide energy for bearded dragons.

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

The high amount of vitamin C in corn is beneficial to strengthen the immune system. A strong immune system means your beardie will less likely get sick. If they get sick, feeding them food rich in vitamin C will help them recover faster.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A promotes better eyesight and eye health, healthy skin, and a strong immune system. It also helps to break down unwanted materials in the body.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential for tissue and blood cell maintenance.

Potassium

Feeding your bearded dragon potassium will help regulate blood pressure and the nervous system. It will also help your dragons’ muscles work and aid water retention.

Fiber

It is essential that your bearded dragon have enough fiber in its diet to maintain a healthy digestive system

Magnesium

Magnesium strengthen healthy muscles and the brain.

Risks Of Feeding Corn To Bearded Dragons

Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio

There is too much phosphorus in corn. Calcium binds with phosphorus and prevents absorption into the body. The ideal Calcium to Phosphorus ratio is 1:2. Corn contains a ratio of 1:45. In short, this is disproportionation.

Eventually, your bearded dragon may suffer from metabolic bone disease due to calcium deficiency. Metabolic bone disease is dangerous and can kill your bearded dragon. Read on to find out more about metabolic bone disease.

What Is Metabolic Bone Disease? Causes And Symptoms

Dragon’s bodies need calcium so much that when they don’t have enough calcium in their bodies, it can cause calcium deficiency. Calcium deficiency can lead to the bearded dragon’s body pulling calcium from their bones. It can lead to metabolic bone disease.

Metabolic bone disease is one of the main reasons leading to bearded dragon’s death. Symptoms of calcium deficiency include:

Lack of appetite

Lethargy and Weakness
Constipation
Bone fractures

Receding bottom jaw
Swollen limbs and jaw
Bowed limbs, and arched spine

Tremors and seizures
Paralyses

Alert your vet immediately if you notice these symptoms

Can You Feed Bearded Dragons Canned Corn?

Do not feed canned corn to your bearded dragons, even in small amounts. Canned corn contains salt and other preservatives that can be harmful to your bearded dragon.

It is best to discard canned corn even if you only have a small amount left.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cooked Corn?

As a bearded dragon owner, you might wonder if your bearded dragon can eat cooked corn. In captivity, we recommend that you serve your bearded dragons raw food. Allowing your bearded dragon to eat raw corn is the best bet because this is how they eat it in the wild.

Cooked corn can be harmful as it is low in nutritional value and contain cooking spices. Make sure to avoid cooked corn if you are concerned about your bearded dragon’s health.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Popcorn?

Bearded cannot eat popcorn ever. Popcorn kernels might pose a choking hazard when bearded dragons swallow them. Popcorn does not contain the same nutritional value as raw corn, and therefore you should avoid them.

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corn

If you appreciate the nutritional value of corn and decide to give it to your bearded dragon, you should only do it once a month or less frequently.

Can Baby And Young Bearded Dragons Eat Corn?

Baby bearded dragons can eat corn, but we recommend you avoid feeding it to your bearded dragon. Corn does not have all the nutrition baby dragons need to grow strong and healthy. It also has poor calcium to phosphorus levels.

Baby dragons should be fed food that is rich in protein. Live insects should make up 80% of a baby beardie’s diet, while the other 20% should consist of vegetables. Corn has very little protein that prevents proper growth and development.

If you decide to feed corn to your baby beardie, it is ok to do so but should be limited to 1 or 2 kernels.

Preparing Corn For Your Bearded Dragon

When you prepare corn for your adult bearded dragons, here are a few steps to follow.

Buy fresh and raw corn. Always try to find organic corn free from pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
Wash the corn before serving it to get rid of any chemicals.

You can pluck the kernels from the corn and feed them or leave them on the cob.
It is best to present the kernels to prevent choking problems.
Feed the corn in moderation to your bearded dragon.

When you give your beardie corn on the cob, you need to keep a close eye on them. Cut the ends of kernels to avoid a choking hazard.

Conclusion

Remember that some foods that are edible to us can be harmful to your bearded pet. That is why you must ask and read about the safety of foods you think are suitable for bearded dragons. Even food that seems the healthiest can have risk factors. We recommend feeding your beardie collard greens, green beans, cauliflower, etc.

Continue to read our main article “What do Bearded Dragons Eat?” for all the ins and outs on general diet questions, and get a further detailed breakdown of other popular foods in the articles below:

Can Bearded Dragons eat Fish?