Can bearded dragons eat spiders?

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

The Truth About Feeding Spiders To Your Beardies

Can bearded dragons eat spiders? Yes. Wild bearded dragons eat spiders. They make up a good portion of their diet. Your pet bearded dragons can also eat spiders, but it is not advisable.

You should not feed spiders to your bearded dragon for three reasons.

  • The spiders can transmit diseases to your beardie.
  • The majority of spider species are poisonous. You cannot tell if they are venomous unless you buy them from a pet store.
  • Spiders are not as nutritious as other insects.

There are risks associated with feeding your bearded dragon spiders. There are also toxic spiders you should keep your bearded dragon away from. 

Risks of Feeding Spiders to Bearded Dragons

image of bearded dragon and spiders

Do not feed spiders to your bearded dragons. Most of them are poisonous. Even feeding them the non-toxic species could lead to health complications and death if not treated in a timely manner. 

Here are some dangers of feeding spiders to your bearded dragon.

Spiders Carry Parasites

Spiders can contract parasitic worms by eating their eggs.  They also eat insects that have eaten parasitic worm eggs. Other times, spiders are directly infected by recently hatched infective larvae. 

If you feed a spider already infected with a parasitic worm to your bearded dragon, even though non-toxic, could result in it becoming a parasitic host. 

This condition could ultimately lead to health complications such as diarrhea, weight loss, and even death.

Toxic Spiders Can Kill Your Bearded Dragon

Apart from two small groups in the arachnid family, all spider species have poison glands. Some spiders are reputed to kill a human within 15 minutes of biting them.

Although a bite is unlikely to do any harm to your bearded friend, ingesting a poisonous spider can be fatal.

Not Nutritious Enough

Spiders do not have the proper nutrients for your adult and baby bearded dragons. 

As omnivores, a bearded dragon’s diet should consist of vegetables, fruits (served occasionally), greens, and insects for balance.  Feeding them only spiders may  lead to malnutrition.

Spiders Your Bearded Dragons Should Avoid

Brown Recluse 

A Brown recluse spider has a pattern of fiddle or violin at its back and has six pairs of eyes. This spider usually dwells in lumber piles, storage boxes, rocks, and attics. They are very dangerous to your bearded dragon, so call a vet if there is any contact.

Hobo Spiders

The bite of a hobo spider is similar to a brown recluse’s. Usually, hobo spiders stay in places people live and generate horizontal webs that extend into a hole or brick walls that are used to catch prey. 

Their bites are serious and cause redness and blisters before opening and oozing ulceration.

Black Widow Spiders

This is one spider you must never let your bearded dragon touch or eat.  The poison is not only transmitted by ingesting but also by touch. These spiders usually have a combination of black and other shiny colors. 

Yellow Sac Spiders

The yellow sac spiders are usually medium-sized and measure around 6-10 mm. Their color ranges from pale yellow-green to pink. They have dark legs.

Wolf Spiders

You can recognize a wolf spider with its large eyes, absence of pupils, eight lenses, and its double rows of short body hairs. 

However, they have different sizes depending on their habitat. Do not feed your bearded dragon wolf spider. It is poisonous. 

Can You Feed Your Bearded Dragon Spiders From Outside?

It is not advisable to let your pet bearded dragon eat wild spiders or any other wild insects.

Unsupervised eating inside your house poses a major health risk to your bearded dragon. You can’t be sure which food is poisonous, infected with parasites, or contaminated with pesticides.

If your bearded dragon is interested in eating spiders, vet them first. But do not make it a practice because spiders are not nutritious enough to keep your bearded dragon happy.

If your bearded dragon eats a poisonous spider, immediately take it to the vet.

Final Thoughts

Spiders are poisonous and pose health risks to bearded dragons.

It is better to feed your bearded dragon a balanced diet that features insects and vegetables, which supply the required nutrients for a healthy and happy bearded dragon.

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:

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AUTHOR

Annemarie Dutton
I am a huge animal lover and have four dogs, a Labrador, Jack Russell, Pug, and Teacup Yorkie. I also have a cat and a Cockatiel. I have had pets since I was a toddler, and there was not a day when there wasn't an animal in my house.