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Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin Seeds?

Written by: Annemarie Dutton
Last updated on:
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Bearded Dragons And Pumpkin Seeds – The Yea or Nay

Halloween is when pumpkins are carved into Jack ‘O Lanterns, and pumpkin pie is on the menu. 

While carving the pumpkin, you might have wondered: can bearded dragons eat pumpkin seeds?

Bearded dragons should not eat pumpkin seeds. Ingestion of a single seed is not a cause for concern. But they should not eat pumpkin seeds as they are difficult to digest.

This article will explore feeding bearded dragons pumpkin seeds.

Are There Benefits To Feeding Pumpkin Seeds To Beardies?

The answer is again no. The reason is that even though the seed contains many good vitamins and minerals, beardies cannot tolerate any condensed amount of minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus, two of which cover a pumpkin seed. 

Why Are Pumpkin Seeds Harmful To Bearded Dragons?

A beardie can eat a pumpkin once in a while, but be sure to remove all of the seeds and peel them before giving them the raw pumpkin flesh because pumpkin seeds are particularly tough for beardies to chew.

They may cause choking or the seeds may become trapped in your bearded dragon’s digestive tract. 

The meat of a pumpkin can be eaten occasionally. However, you should never feed the seeds and peel them to your bearded dragon.

Pumpkin seeds contain too much vitamin A for your bearded dragon. 

Overfeeding bearded dragons causes a severe problem in their digestive system.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin Leaves?

Avoid Pumpkin leaves and pumpkin purée in your beardie’s diet. If you do offer them pumpkin, use raw, organic, and properly cleaned chunks. 

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin Flowers?

Yes.  Both the pumpkin flowers and gut are edible. Because of their high protein, pumpkin seeds should be removed and not be fed to your bearded dragon.

Can You Feed Pumpkin To Bearded Dragons?

Yes, you can occasionally give your beardie raw or cooked pumpkin, but raw pumpkin is the most nutritious of the two. Pumpkin is packed with vitamin A which helps your beardie’s vision.  

It also contains Vitamin C, which helps boost its immune system. Pumpkin’s higher water content helps a beardie’s hydration.

Pumpkin helps with your pet dragon’s digestive health.  It also contains high fiber, which helps digest food properly and makes bowel movements regular.

There are nutritional benefits and risks to feeding pumpkins to adult bearded dragons.  

The main concern is the calcium to phosphorus ratio.  Bearded dragons need a 2:1 calcium/phosphorus ratio, and pumpkins have the opposite ratio. A cup of cooked pumpkin is unsuitable for beardies because it has 73mg of phosphorus and only 36mg of calcium.  

A lack of calcium in your little bearded friend’s diet can lead to fatal metabolic bone disease..  

Feeding your bearded dragon pumpkin daily can stop growth, increase calcium in its blood, and displace other food necessary for it to survive. 

You might also like: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Rosemary?

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkin Puree?

image of bearded dragon

We do not recommend feeding your bearded dragon pumpkin puree. It is a natural laxative and should only be given to bearded dragons for medicinal purposes. 

Raw pumpkin, however, is safe with small servings, appropriate once or twice each month.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Canned Pumpkin?

You can feed your bearded dragon canned pumpkin to help with impaction.

Impaction is a condition where bearded dragons can’t fully pass bowel movements.

We recommend diluting the canned pumpkin with water.

Final Thought

Pumpkin is food with questionable nutritional value for adult and baby bearded dragons.  A bearded dragon can eat the raw fruit occasionally but should always be fed its staple foods of insects and vegetation in proper proportions. 

Never give pumpkin seeds to your bearded dragon.

Continually research new vegetables you want to include in your bearded dragon’s diet because even the healthiest food for humans can be fatal to your bearded dragon. If you are unsure, please contact your vet for advice.

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