Bearded dragons fall in the group of omnivorous animals, which means they can both consume food from plant and animal sources. As far as Yellow squash is concerned, YES, Bearded dragons can definitely eat Yellow squash. In fact, for the nutrients they require to live a long and fulfilling life, bearded dragons require a diverse diet full of insects and plants. And Yellow squash is an excellent option to add to a bearded dragon’s diet as it is packed with vital nutrients. In addition, yellow squash is not only nutritious, safe and healthy for your beardies, but the distinctive yellow hue of yellow squash is also very appetizing for most bearded dragons. However, make sure to prepare the yellow squash correctly because bearded dragons are susceptible to choking.
So in this post, we will briefly discuss the nutritional value of yellow squash; how to prepare Yellow squash for a bearded dragon? And other aspects of feeding yellow squash to bearded dragons.
What Is Yellow Squash?
Yellow squash is a famous vegetable that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family of plants. It is originally from Mexico and Central America but is found in many regions of the world. Other members of this family are zucchini and pumpkins.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Squash?
YES, as mentioned above, bearded dragons can eat yellow squash. In fact, they love to eat it because of its appealing color, taste and texture.
Is Yellow Squash Healthy For Bearded Dragons?
YES, Yellow squash is one of the most nutritious and healthy foods for bearded dragons. The yellow squash helps beardies to meet their vitamins, protein, energy and carbohydrates requirements as it is rich in many essential nutrients.
Nutritional Value Of Yellow Squash
According to USDA Food Data Center, a hundred grams of Yellow squash generally contains 1 gram of protein, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 10 mg calcium, 17 mg vitamin C, 200 IU vitamin A and 16 Kcal of energy. It also contains other essential nutrients like magnesium, potassium etc.
Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Squash?
YES, Yellow squash is as healthy for baby bearded dragons as adult beardies. However, feed from vegetable sources should not exceed more than 20% of their total intake, and the rest of the 80 should come from crickets or other insects. This is so because the protein requirements of baby beardies are very high as they are growing rapidly.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Yellow Squash?
Although bearded dragons love to eat yellow squash, however, it has carbohydrates in higher concentrations than other vegetables. So to avoid obesity, yellow squash should be fed in moderation only. Feeding yellow squash once or twice weekly is considered good by most experts.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat The Skin & Seeds Of Yellow Squash?
Although beardies can eat yellow squash skin, as mentioned above, the skin has residues of different chemicals and pesticides so thoroughly wash and chop finely before offering it to your pet.
Seeds, however, are toxic for bearded dragons, so while preparing yellow squash for your beardies, never leave even a single seed along the pulp of yellow squash.
How To Prepare Yellow Squash For A Bearded Dragon?
Proper preparation of yellow squash is crucial to make it safe for your beardies, and enjoy eating it. The following point should be kept in mind while preparing the yellow squash for your pet.
- Thoroughly wash yellow squash to remove dirt, herbicides or pesticides from its surface.
- Peel it because the skin has the highest concentration of pesticides or other chemicals.
- Chop it into small pieces that a bearded dragon can swallow easily. Special focus should be on bite-size because bearded dragons can easily choke due to their small size. Grater or chopper can also be used for this purpose.
- You can also spread finely chopped yellow squash on the salad to make it more nutritious and healthy.
Things To Remember
It is crucial to be aware that bearded dragons have adapted to eating raw and fresh foods out in the wild. So In captivity, they must follow the same diet. So it is recommended that you should offer yellow squash in raw farm to your beardie. Cooked food can cause some digestive issues and do more harm than good. Cooking also damages some nutrients, so cooked food is less nutritious than raw.
Another thing to ponder is that the yellow squash you bought from grocery stores may have a considerable concentration of pesticides and other chemicals (which will not be removed entirely despite washing and peeling). So always prefer to grow yellow squash at home or find an outlet that provides organic vegetables.
Conclusion
Yellow squash is perfectly safe, nutritious and healthy for bearded dragons, and you can feed them in routine (with or without skin). However, never forget to wash thoroughly, chop fine and remove seeds. Feeding once or twice weekly is enough because beardies have limited physical activity, so they can get obese quickly if overfed.
