ᐅ Can Bearded Dragons Eat Radishes?

image of bearded dragon, radishes and a text saying can bearded dragons eat radishes?

Is It Safe To Feed Your Bearded Dragon Radishes? Yes Or No

Radishes are cheap and easy to find, so it’s natural for many bearded dragon owners to wonder if bearded dragons can eat them. Can bearded dragons eat radishes?

The short answer is yes, bearded dragons can eat them, but before making radishes a part of your bearded dragon’s diet, there are several things to consider.

This article will discuss the nutritional facts, benefits, and possible dangers of feeding radishes to bearded dragons.

Nutritional Aspects Of Raw Radishes

There are plenty of nutritional benefits your bearded dragon will receive from eating radishes. It will receive even more when eating the leaves and the stems.

Nutritional Value As Per 100 Grams Raw Radishes

Nutrient Name	Amount
Water	95.27 g
Protein	0.68 g
Energy	16 kcal
Fiber	1.6 g
Sugar	1.7 g
Calcium	25 mg
Phosphorus	20 mg
Iron	0.34 mg
Sodium	39 mg
Vitamin B-6	0.07 mg
Vitamin C	14.8 mg
Vitamin K	1.3 ug
Ca:P	1.3:1

Radishes can offer different nutrients such as vitamin C, K, and B-6, calcium, magnesium, iron, water, and fiber. Due to their high water level, radishes are a great form of hydration.

Read on for information about the benefits and risks to expect when feeding radishes to your bearded dragon.

Benefits of Feeding Radishes To Your Bearded Dragon

Let’s start with the benefits to bearded dragons from the various nutrients in radishes.

Water

Water is a nutrient that often makes it on the naughty and nice list of dietary benefits in food items.

There is a great amount of water un radish, and if you feed them too much, it could cause overhydration and diarrhea. However, overhydration will only happen when you provide your pet dragon radish with every meal.

In moderation, the water in radish is an excellent way to hydrate your beardie, especially if your beardie doesn’t like drinking from a bowl.

Calcium and Phosphorus

Domesticated bearded dragons do not have access to the same amount of sunlight and calcium as their wild desert counterparts. As a bearded dragon owner, you will have to add calcium supplements to your bearded dragon’s diet to help prevent metabolic bone disease, which causes deterioration of bones.

You will also have to supplement your beardie’s food with vitamin D to help them absorb the calcium and follows the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio.

Phosphorus can bind to calcium and prevent its absorption in the body. To ensure your beardie gets the appropriate amount of calcium, experts recommend feeding them food with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 1:1 or 2:1 in favor of calcium.

The ratio in radish is a little more than 1:1, which makes radish an excellent source of calcium for your pet dragon.

Vitamin C

There is a lot of vitamin C in the fruit and leafy greens of the radish plant. This nutrient is a powerful antioxidant to help boost the immune system help rejuvenate skin and other body parts.

Vitamin B-6 and B9

The B vitamins help with muscle function and are essential for processes in the central nervous system. They also help prevent hypothiamosis.

Potassium

Bearded dragons need potassium for smooth muscle movement and help reduce the risk of metabolic bone disease.

Fiber

Fiber is essential for regulating your beardie’s digestive system, helps prevent the onset of constipation or diarrhea, and reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Risks of Feeding Radishes To Your Bearded Dragon

When you feed your bearded dragon too many radishes, it can cause trouble, especially their sugar content. Radish is a root vegetable, but it has enough sugar that some people call it a fruit.

Excess sugar can lead to many problems for your bearded dragon, including tooth decay and obesity. Obesity is a significant concern for bearded dragons because it can lead to fatty liver disease, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and kidney problems.

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Radishes?

Although radishes provide several essential vitamins and minerals to bearded dragons, it is not suitable for bearded dragons to eat radish every day. But, why is this, you might ask?

The calcium to phosphorus ratio is good, but this does not mean your beardie gets enough calcium. They will have to eat radishes more often, which, due to the high water level, might cause diarrhea.

To avoid any negative impact, we recommended that you only feed a few pieces of chopped radish about one or two times a month.

Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Radishes?

Baby bearded dragons can eat radishes, but only in moderation. Giving too much of this vegetable to your baby beardie can result in digestive issues due to the high water content.

Baby bearded dragons should have 80% insect and 20% vegetables in their diet. They need a lot of protein to help them grow strong and healthy. Vegetables do not have enough protein they need.

When feeding your baby bearded dragon radishes, cut them into small pieces first to make them easier to digest.

Can You Feed Radish Greens To Your Bearded Dragon?

Yes, bearded dragons can eat radish greens, but only in small quantities and on rare occasions. Radish greens have high nutritional value, but they are high in water and low in calcium content.

Feeding your beardie radish greens too often will result in digestive problems. For the well-being of your bearded dragon, you should provide radish greens only once or twice a month.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cooked Radishes?

Radishes are healthier when they are raw since they contain all the nutrients. When cooked, they lose some essential nutrients or even all of them. If you decide to offer cooked radish, ensure not to add oil or spices that can make your beardie sick.

How To Prepare Radishes For Your Bearded Dragon

Follow these steps to prepare a delicious meal for your pet dragon.

When at the grocery store buying radishes, look for fresh ones. If you can find organic ones, it is even better.

Wash the radishes thoroughly to get rid of all the dirt and chemicals.

Cut the tops and peel the fruit carefully. You can feed the fruit with the tops or just the fruit alone.

Make sure to slice the radish into small bite size pieces.

Add a handful of radishes and mix them into your bearded dragon’s salad.

A Final Thought

Now you know that bearded dragons can eat radish in moderation. Radish tops are safe, and beardies can eat them but only occasionally. Radish should never be used as a staple food.

It is good to mix the radish with other veggies and greens to provide varied nutrients to your bearded dragon.

We suggest adding hornworms, collard greens, dandelion greens, or other food to the salad bowl.

Always make sure to research new food items you wish to include in your bearded dragon’s diet. Even the healthiest food might have risks for your beardie. If unsure, you can always ask your vet’s advice.

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 tomatoes?