Broccoli for Bearded Dragons
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Can Bearded Dragons Eat Broccoli

Broccoli is commonly considered a health food for people, but what about bearded dragons? Just how healthy is broccoli for beardies?

The short answer is bearded dragons can safely eat broccoli. However, it should be served only occasionally due to a high phosphorus level. Read below for more details.

Broccoli Nutrition for Reptiles

Below is the reptile nutrition label for broccoli. The core data came from the USDA, but we have focused on the main areas of interest for reptiles.

Reptile Nutrition

Broccoli (raw)Per 100g Serving
Core
Calories34Cal
Water Content89.3g
Carbohydrates6.64g
Total Carbohydrate6.64g
Fiber, total dietary2.6g
Sugars1.7g
Fructose0.68g
Glucose0.49g
Lactose0.21g
Maltose0.21g
Sucrose0.1g
Fat0.37g
Total Fat0.37g
Total saturated0.114g
14:00.002g
16:00.084g
18:00.018g
20:00.006g
22:00.004g
Total monounsaturated0.031g
17:10.002g
18:10.029g
Total polyunsaturated0.112g
18:20.049g
18:30.063g
Proteins2.82g
Protein2.82g
Alanine0.104g
Arginine0.191g
Aspartic acid0.325g
Betaine0.1mg
Cystine0.028g
Glutamic acid0.542g
Glycine0.089g
Histidine0.059g
Isoleucine0.079g
Leucine0.129g
Lysine0.135g
Methionine0.038g
Phenylalanine0.117g
Proline0.11g
Serine0.121g
Threonine0.088g
Tryptophan0.033g
Tyrosine0.05g
Valine0.125g
Minerals
Calcium, Ca47mg
Copper0.049mg
Iron0.73mg
Magnesium21mg
Manganese0.21mg
Phosphorus, P66mg
Potassium, K316mg
Selenium2.5μg
Sodium33mg
Zinc0.41mg
Vitamins
Vitamin A, IU623IU
Vitamin A, RAE31μg
Alpha-carotene25μg
Beta Cryptoxanthin1μg
Beta-carotene361μg
Lutein + Zeaxanthin1403μg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.071mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.117mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)0.639mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)0.573mg
Vitamin B60.175mg
Vitamin B9 (Folate)63μg
Folate (from food)63μg
Folate (dietary equivalent)63μg
Vitamin C89.2mg
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0.78mg
Beta Tocopherol0.01mg
Gamma Tocopherol0.17mg
Alpha Tocotrienol0.04mg
Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone)101.6μg
Choline18.7mg
Other
Oxalates2mg
pH6.5
Nutrition Scores
Ca:P Ratio0.7:1
Ca:P RatingPoor
Safe to Feed2-3 times/week
HealthinessFair

Notes/Instructions: Remove stems and stalks. Cut into tiny pieces.
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Broccoli Health Concerns

Not surprisingly, broccoli has little health concerns. In fact, there's just one area of concern.

Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio

Each meal fed to your bearded dragon should have 1.5-2x more calcium than phosphorus. This is because phosphorus blocks calcium from being absorbed so a higher amount of calcium is needed. Broccoli has slightly more phosphorus than calcium. This means you will need to provide additional calcium with each serving of broccoli to provide your beardie with the calcium needed for a balanced diet. Serving broccoli with foods high in calcium (like Kale) is all that is necessary.

How to Feed Broccoli to Bearded Dragons

Broccoli is easy to feed to both adult and baby bearded dragons. It does contain slightly more phosphorus than calcium, so you should limit feeding broccoli to no more than 2-3 times per week. Be sure to serve broccoli alongside other foods which are high in calcium to provide your beardie with the correct balance of minerals.

Broccoli Preparation

Broccoli is an easy vegetable to prepare. We've outlined the main steps below:

Wash Before Serving

Fruits and vegetables can contain pesticides and other chemicals used in preservation, so it's a good idea to wash the broccoli before serving it to your beardie. If the broccoli is frozen, washing it is not necessary unless it was not washed before freezing.

Remove the Stem

Don't feed the stem or stalks to your beardie, so remove them from the broccoli before serving. All that should remain is the broccoli head or florets.

Cut into Small Pieces

Bearded dragons can choke on pieces of food that are too large to swallow whole. A good rule to follow is to cut each piece of broccoli so it is no larger than the distance between your beardies eyes. It's probably easiest to chop the broccoli into small bite size pieces.

Serve Raw

Bearded dragon's prefer their broccoli raw, so there's no need to cook it. If your broccoli is frozen, make sure it is completely thawed and at room temperature before serving.

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