Brussels sprouts make a delicious side dish and can be served in many ways—roasted, sautéed, or steamed. If Brussels sprouts are on your list of favorite veggies, you might want to share them with your bearded dragon. Can bearded dragons eat Brussels sprouts? The answer is yes, they can…but should they? Find out if bearded dragons should eat Brussels sprouts and how often they can do so.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Brussels Sprouts?
Technically Brussels sprouts are safe for bearded dragons, but only every so often and in a small amount. Many dragons enjoy them, so if your dragon is a fan of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or mustard greens, they might be worth giving your dragon on occasion to top off his salad or offer as a treat.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Have Brussels Sprouts?
Brussels sprouts have quite a few nutritional benefits, especially for people, but they have some red flags for bearded dragons. They are only good every couple of weeks or even once a month depending on what else your dragon is eating regularly.
Some dragon keepers don’t like to offer vegetables at all that have nutritional setbacks, which is fine too. We’ll examine Brussels sprouts for bearded dragons and you can decide whether it’s worth it for your pet.
Benefits of Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts bring some serious nutrition to the table:
- Antioxidants, which help the immune system and lower inflammation
- Vitamin K, which helps blood and bone health
- Vitamin C, which boosts immune system health
- Fiber, which supports healthy digestion and promotes heart health
If that were all they boasted, they would be great for bearded dragons. But there are a couple things to be aware of before giving your dragon a plate of Brussels sprouts.
Why Can’t Bearded Dragons Have Brussels Sprouts Daily?
There are a couple of nutritional factors that make Brussels sprouts unsuitable for your bearded dragon to eat frequently:
- Too much phosphorus vs. calcium. Phosphorus prevents calcium from being absorbed. When a food contains more phosphorus than calcium, it renders the calcium useless. Bearded dragons need calcium, so it’s important not to feed them too many foods that contain more phosphorus than calcium. Calcium deficiency causes metabolic bone disease, which is very serious.
- Oxalic acid. Brussels sprouts contain oxalic acid, which works similarly to phosphorus in that it prevents calcium from being absorbed. Bearded dragons shouldn’t eat too many foods that have moderate or high amounts of oxalic acid.
Can Bearded Dragons Have Cooked and Frozen Brussels Sprouts?
Frozen Brussels sprouts and other veggies are fine if they are thawed to room temperature and have no added ingredients.
You can give your bearded dragon cooked vegetables if they have nothing added to them—not even oil or salt and pepper.
How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts for Your Bearded Dragon
It’s pretty simple to prepare Brussels sprouts for your bearded dragon. Wash them thoroughly, and chop them into smaller pieces to keep your dragon safe from choking. Toss them into a salad or feed them as treats to your dragon.
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