Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corn?
Normally the bearded dragon keepers wonder “can bearded dragons eat corn? Yes, you can feed your bearded dragon the corn. It gives a good quantity of nutrition that benefits your bearded dragon. While corn is nutritious, also corn has poor phosphorus to calcium ratio.
To prevent the bearded dragons from any health problems, feed corn in small portions, once or twice a month. There are many types of corn, each has different nutritional values. For this article, I will be discussing sweet corn, not field corn or flint corn.
Related: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mangoes?
Is it safe for bearded dragons?
Generally, corn is safe for your bearded dragons to feed since it does not contain toxins. What makes the corns unsafe for your bearded dragon is the calcium and phosphorus amounts. This is very important as it affects the health of bearded dragons greatly. When there is a huge amount of phosphorus in the diet of your pet, like that in corn, it can cause Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
Metabolic Bone Disease affects the bearded dragon’s bones. It is painful for dragons and can paralyze them. If it is left untreated, the bearded dragons can die from this disease. To keep your bearded dragon away from such diseases, only feed them corn on occasions.
Nutritious benefits of corn for bearded dragons
Corns contain a lot of nutrition that will benefit your dragons. This also makes corn a good treat for bearded dragons.
The corns contain:
- Carbs
- Protein
- Magnesium
- Fat
- Vitamin C
- Thiamine
- Fiber
- Folate (vitamin B9
- Potassium
Following are some benefits of feeding corn to your pet bearded dragons:
Strengthen the immune system
Corn has a great amount of Vitamin C. This vitamin is very beneficial for the immune system. Feasting bearded dragon food that has a high amount of vitamin C can help strengthen the immune system.
A powerful immune system means your pet will be less likely to get sick. Anyhow, if your bearded dragon becomes ill, giving them a good amount of food that is rich in Vitamin C such as corn, will assist them to recover soon.
Good for hydration
Corn constitutes 77% of water. It means giving corn to your bearded dragon will keep your pet hydrated, especially in the summer.
Provides energy
Corn is a great source of vitamin B1. This gives energy to your bearded dragons.
Can baby bearded dragons eat corn?
Baby bearded dragons can take this, but it is not recommended. Corn does not have all the nutrition necessary for the baby bearded dragon needed for their healthy growth. Also, corns have very poor calcium and phosphorus ratio. Give the baby bearded dragon foodstuffs that contain a good amount of protein.
Live food items should be 80% of their diet, and the other 20% should be from vegetables. If you want to give your baby bearded dragon some corn, it is fine to feed, but in very little amounts. Only 1 or 2 kernels are enough for your pet to eat.
Can bearded dragons eat canned corn?
Bearded dragons can not eat canned corn, even in very small amounts. Canned corns often contain salt and some preservatives that will cause harm to the bearded dragon’s health. Therefore, it is best to discard the canned corn, even if someone has just a little portion of leftovers, rather than feeding them to your pet.
How to feed corn to bearded dragons?
You can feed corn to your beardie, but you will need to make them first. Following are some steps for the preparation and feeding of corn to your pet.
- Wash the corns thoroughly to discard any debris and pests.
- If you are feeding corn right off the cob to your pet, you should keep a close eye on your pet.
- If you are giving them individual kernels, remove the tips.
- Frozen corn can be given to your pet, but you should make sure it is thawed first.
Feeding corn to your bearded dragon is not one of the preferred food items to give your bearded dragons. If any bearded dragon does so, just make sure to feed them in very small amounts.
How often can bearded dragons eat corn?
Bearded dragons can eat corn only on occasions. This means you can give them a very small amount of corn every two weeks. Corn has approximately 13 times more phosphorus amounts than calcium. This ratio is very high and can put your pet’s health in danger. Therefore, you can give corn to your beardie, but just as a treat, one time or two times a month.
Other vegetables that bearded dragons can eat instead of corns
Carrots
Bearded dragons can eat carrots, which contain a good amount of beta-carotene and vitamin A. It should not be included in your dragon’s regular diet as high amounts of vitamin A may cause toxicity.
Bell peppers
Bell peppers are safe for bearded dragons to feed. However, this is not a staple in the dragon’s diet as they do not have much calcium, and also not proper calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Conclusion
You can give corn to your bearded dragon because it gives them the essential nutrients. The good quantity of fiber in corn helps bearded dragons to digest their foodstuff better, and this also contains low-fat content compared to many other foods.
I suggest feeding your bearded dragon corn once or twice per month as part of a healthy diet. If you are willing to serve corn to your dragon, raw is the best option. Canned corn contains preservatives or things that are harmful to you.
