You can serve some human foods to your bearded dragon, and many can provide essential vitamins and nutrients. If you have a pumpkin in your kitchen, you may wonder if sharing a piece with your beardie is safe. In small amounts, pumpkin is non-toxic for dragons and safe for them to eat. However, there are not many nutritional benefits to giving pumpkin to your beardie. There are other concerns, too.
In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of giving pumpkin to your bearded dragon and the hazards to watch out for. Let’s get started!
Potential Benefits of Feeding Pumpkin to Your Bearded Dragon
Cooked and raw pumpkin are great snacks to give to your beardie on occasion, but raw pumpkins have the most nutritional value1.
- Water: 91.6 grams (g)
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Calcium: 21 milligrams (mg)
- Phosphorus: 44 mg
- Beta-carotene (converts to Vitamin A): 3100 µg (micrograms)
- Water: 93.7 grams (g)
- Carbohydrates: 4.9 g
- Fat: 0.07 g
- Protein: 0.72 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Calcium: 15 milligrams (mg)
- Phosphorus: 30 mg
- Beta-carotene (converts to vitamin A): 2100 µg (micrograms)
Aside from its water content, pumpkin doesn’t have much nutritional value. Though it has some fiber, the amount is quite low, especially considering the data above is for a relatively large serving. It’s unrealistic to expect your bearded dragon to get its fiber from eating pumpkin.
The best nutritional benefit of pumpkins is their high amounts of vitamin A. Though some vitamin A is lost when pumpkins are cooked, it is still considerably higher than that of many other vegetables.
Risks of Feeding Pumpkin to Your Bearded Dragon
While there are nutritional benefits to giving pumpkin to your beardie, there are also risks.
Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio
The main concern is the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in pumpkins. Generally, bearded dragons require a 2:1 calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, and pumpkins have the opposite. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in pumpkin is around 1:2. Such a ratio is undesirable for the long-term health of a bearded dragon. Phosphorus balance in the body requires that it be in the correct proportion with calcium.
It binds to calcium, so when a bearded dragon is fed high amounts of phosphorus, their body responds by pulling calcium out from the bones to restore the proper levels of minerals and reduce the excess phosphorus in the bloodstream. Over time, the loss of calcium from bone mass can make the bones brittle and weak, leading to metabolic bone disease.
In addition, an inappropriate ratio of calcium to phosphorus is undesirable for the long-term health of a bearded dragon because it may predispose them to kidney or parathyroid issues. Therefore, pumpkin should be offered very sparingly to your bearded dragon.
Pumpkin Seeds Have Oxalates
When fed with seeds, pumpkins pose an oxalate risk. Pumpkin seeds are exceptionally high in oxalates, also sometimes referred to as oxalic acid. Oxalates bind with calcium within the body and prevent its use. They may also predispose a bearded dragon to kidney stones, which require medical attention. One cup of cooked pumpkin seeds contains about 17 mg of oxalates.
Oxalates are undesirable in a bearded dragon’s diet, and while most plants naturally contain some oxalates, the amount in pumpkin seeds is considerably high. This, coupled with the low calcium content of pumpkin flesh, shows that bearded dragons should not eat pumpkin seeds.
Conclusion
In small amounts, pumpkin is a non-toxic and generally safe snack for your bearded dragon. However, due to its calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, it should definitely not be made a part of their regular diet.
While pumpkin has nutritional benefits and is generally safe to feed to your beardie, other more nutritious, safer foods contain the same nutritional benefits and more. This makes pumpkin a less-than-ideal food to add to their diet.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
