Can Bearded Dragons Eat Ginger?
Bearded dragons should be fed a wide range of live insects. As you know bearded dragons are omnivores so, they can also eat vegetables, meat, greens and fruit.
Bearded dragons both young and adults need veggies and other such materials in their diet. Some vegetables are filled with the nutrients that are needed for the growth and development of bearded dragons. While some plant materials can be very harmful, here we will discuss the feeding of ginger to bearded dragons. So, can bearded dragons eat ginger? Bearded Dragons should not intake ginger.
Nutritional value
As ginger gives very little nutrients to Bearded Dragons. The Phosphorous to calcium ratio is very high in this. The recommended ratio is 2:1 (calcium: phosphorous) but in ginger, this ratio is 1:2.
Nutritional wise this vegetable provides very little to Bearded Dragons. There are many better options that are kale, hornworms, figs and many more things. I would suggest you keep away your bearded dragon from ginger.
Ginger in the diet of Bearded Dragons
If you are a Bearded Dragon owner then you should know that vitamin D3 and calcium are vital for the health of the Bearded Dragon. While your bearded dragon can get vitamin D3 from the sunlight and calcium from the food or from supplements. So, ginger is not a beneficial source of calcium. So never use ginger for the sake of calcium.
Why ginger can not be offered to bearded dragons?
Calcium to Phosphorous ratio
As mentioned before calcium is vital for the development of Bearded Dragons. Its deficiency can cause Metabolic Bone Disease which is dangerous for the Bearded dragon’s health. Metabolic Bone Diseases completely disfigures the physic of Bearded Dragons.
For bearded dragons, the calcium to phosphorous ratio should 2: 1 or 1: 1. Huge amount of phosphorous in the foodstuff will combine with calcium to form calcium phosphate that prevents the absorption of calcium in the body.
The calcium content of (100g of) raw ginger is lower (16mg) while the phosphorous content is higher (34mg). The ratio Ca: P will become approximately 1:2 in the raw ginger which is unhealthy for your bearded dragon and also become fatal for bearded dragons. Secondly, the other beneficial nutrients ( like beta carotene and Vitamin A) for Bearded Dragons are not present in ginger.
Some Bearded Dragon owners report that beardies show some interest in ginger. This may be due to its flavour, but you should not offer this item to your bearded dragon.
Can adult bearded dragons eat fresh/ raw ginger?
Fresh ginger is healthy for human beings but not a good thing for the bearded dragons to eat, so the bearded dragons can’t utilize this.
Can bearded dragons eat cooked ginger?
No, the cooked ginger is very dangerous for your bearded dragon. So, don’t try this for your lovely pet.
Can baby bearded dragons eat ginger?
No, the baby bearded dragons can’t eat ginger (cooked or uncooked) because their digestive system is sensitive and also the ginger doesn’t have enough nutrients to benefit your little pet.
Best alternatives to ginger
What to feed the bearded dragon instead of ginger?
There are a lot of live feeder insects that you can feed to your beardie that you should include in their regular diet. There are also vegetables, greens and fruits that you can offer to your bearded dragon but must consider their amount before feeding.
Following are the healthy alternatives to ginger,
- Kale
- Collards
- Dandelion greens
- Parsley
- Clover
- Turnip greens
- Mustard greens
- Coriander
- Endive
- Rocket
- Peas
- Sweet potato
- Green beans
- Butternut squash
- Sweet potato
- Bell pepper
- Broccoli (in small pieces weekly)
- Parsnip
- Cabbage
- Kohlrabi
- Bok choy
- Celery
- Yellow squash
- Asparagus
- Melon
- Okra
- Figs
- Apples
- Mango
- Peaches
- Papaya
- Dates
- Apricots
- Strawberries
- Plums
- Kiwi
- Guava
- Pears
- Raisins
- Apricots
- Grapes
Conclusion
The adult and juvenile or baby bearded dragons can not eat ginger. It is due to the deficiency of nutrients and the improper ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the ginger. This can lead to MBD which may be fatal for your little pet.
While your Bearded Dragon may show interest in raw ginger you should avoid feeding ginger to them. Feeding ginger to your bearded dragon can cause more harm than benefit. There are many other better alternatives you can offer your bearded dragon. We recommend avoiding ginger at any cost.
