ᐅ Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mushrooms?

image with bearded dragons, mushrooms and a text saying "can bearded dragons eat mushrooms?

The Disappointment Of The Mushroom Fungi

If you are wondering, “Can bearded dragons eat mushrooms?” We will have to disappoint you and say – no. Never feed bearded dragons mushrooms, even in small doses.

In this article, we will look at why mushrooms are not healthy for them.

Nutritional Value of Mushrooms

Bearded dragon’s nutrition is very specific and different from other pets. Dragons are very sensitive to unbalanced calcium and phosphorus levels in their diet. If they have too much of one or the other, it can cause negative health consequences.

Here is the nutritional information of 100g mushrooms:

Nutrient	Percentage %	Amount
Energy		22 Kcal
Water	92%
Sodium		5 mg
Potassium		318 mg
Calcium		3 mg
Phosphorous		86mg
Vitamin C		2.1mg
Sugar		2 g
Dietary Fiber		1 g
Protein		3.1g
Total Fat		0.3g
Calories		15 Kcal
Carbohydrates		2 g
Vitamin D	25%
Zinc	12%	1.1mg
Thiamine (B1)	9%	0.1mg
Riboflavin (B2)	42%	0.5mg
Niacin (B3)	25%	3.8mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	30%	1.5mg

From the above table it is easy to notice the high acidic level and poor calcium to phosphorus levels in mushrooms. It can be very harmful to bearded dragons and should be avoided at all times.

Why can’t Bearded Dragons Eat Mushrooms?

Our answer to your question, “Can bearded dragons eat mushrooms?” was no. Mushrooms are not suitable for bearded dragons. Read on if you want to know why mushrooms are unsuitable for bearded dragons.

Low Calcium To Phosphorus Ratio

The main reason mushrooms are dangerous to your bearded dragon is that their proportion of calcium to phosphorous is a disaster.

Calcium is vital for the formation of healthy bones and tissue and also to maintain overall health. Maintaining an appropriate balance between calcium and phosphorus in bearded dragons is extremely important.

Too much phosphorus interferes with calcium absorption, thus, exposing your bearded pet to health problems. Calcium deficiency can lead to metabolic bone disease and the deterioration of your bearded dragon’s health.

Mushroom Toxicity

There are many types of mushrooms, but unfortunately, they all are toxic to your bearded dragon.

Mushrooms can grow anywhere there is high moisture content, including the yard, garden, basement, garage, and so on. To avoid accidental ingestion by bearded dragons, kids, or other animals, we advise getting rid of any wild mushrooms.

Oxalates

Small doses of oxalates do not harm your beardie. However, when the oxalate levels get too high, it can really upset their natural cycle.

Oxalates cause calcium to bind within the system. Your bearded dragon’s body cannot absorb the calcium when this happens. Calcium is one of the vital minerals to offer your beardie.

Calcium provides bone growth, skin health, solid structure, and proper bone density. Prolonged calcium blockage can lead to severe health issues such as metabolic bone disease.

Metabolic bone disease causes bearded dragons to develop brittle, stiff bones, in some cases leading to paralyzation.

Oxalic Acid

The oxalic acid – also found in mushrooms – prevents calcium absorption. By eating a mushroom, your bearded dragon gets calcium blockage from every angle. This is highly dangerous and can be detrimental to the health of your pet dragon.

Symptoms Of Mushroom Poisoning In Bearded Dragons

If you know that your bearded dragon accidentally ate a mushroom, it will immediately irritate its gastrointestinal tract. You might see the following symptoms.

Vomiting
Diarrhea
General Upset

Seizures
Depression
Bleeding

Tremors
Salivating
Lethargy

Symptoms can usually appear within 6 to 24 hours of eating the mushroom. If your bearded dragon’s symptoms become more severe, we recommend that you take it to the vet immediately.

How To Deal/Prevent Mushroom Poisoning

Mushrooms grow anywhere as long as there’s high moisture content. When taking your bearded dragon outside, keep it in its cage. Tips for preventing/dealing with mushroom poisoning are:

Remove any mushrooms growing around your home. Common areas to check for mushroom growth are the garden, yard, near woodpiles, outdoor water points, etc.

Ensure your bearded dragon does not stray to the garden or yard.
If you can’t identify a mushroom, treat it as toxic. Contact your vet in case of suspected mushroom ingestion.
If you can find a piece of the ingested mushroom, take it with you to the vet.

If your bearded dragon defecates or vomits after mushroom ingestion, take a sample of the vomit or poop with you to the animal clinic.

How Do You Know If Your Bearded Dragon Is Depressed?

Depression is a symptom after eating a mushroom, you as a bearded dragon owner, must know what it looks like.

If your bearded dragon is depressed, you will notice weight loss, a lack of appetite, and lethargy. These are symptoms from other illnesses as well, so you would want to evaluate all possible scenarios to determine the exact problem.

Depression can also be caused by a lack of stimulation or a too-small tank for your lizard.

Long-term depression can cause significant health problems, so we advise you to address the problem as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Although edible mushrooms can be consumed by humans; they should never be given to adult bearded dragons nor to baby bearded dragons. The high acidity levels and unbalanced calcium to phosphorus ratio in mushrooms make feeding it to bearded dragons very dangerous.

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: