how often can bearded dragons eat green beans

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Green Beans?

Green beans are a healthy vegetable that both humans and bearded dragons can enjoy. But how often should you feed your bearded dragon these nutritious beans? Can they eat them daily or should green beans only be an occasional treat?

I’m going to break down everything you need to know about feeding frequency for green beans and bearded dragons. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how often your dragon can healthily enjoy this veggie.

The Nutritional Benefits of Green Beans

First, let’s look at why green beans are a smart choice for your bearded dragon’s diet

Green beans are packed full of important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients:

• Vitamin A, C, and K – These support your dragon’s immune system, blood health, and vision.

• Folic acid – Helps produce and maintain healthy cells and tissues.

• Fiber – Aids digestion.

• Calcium – Critical for strong bones, muscles, and tissues. A deficiency can cause metabolic bone disease (MBD).

• Iron – Vital for proper blood flow and preventing anemia.

• Magnesium – Used for proper brain and muscle function.

• Potassium – Helps regulate hydration, blood pressure, and nervous system function.

Green beans also contain small amounts of protein for energy and sugar to help boost energy levels.

Additionally, the calcium to phosphorus ratio in raw green beans is a balanced 1:1. While a higher calcium ratio is ideal, 1:1 ensures excess phosphorus won’t accumulate in your dragon’s body, which can also lead to MBD when out of balance.

So in terms of nutritional value, green beans are an excellent choice as part of a varied diet for your bearded dragon. But how often can they eat them?

Green Beans Should Not Be a Daily Staple

This is where we get to the frequency question. While green beans have great nutrients for your dragon, they should not be a staple in their daily diet.

The reason? Green beans contain a moderate level of oxalates. Oxalates are compounds that bind to calcium, preventing your dragon’s body from properly absorbing this essential mineral.

Over time, too much oxalates can lead to hypocalcemia, a calcium deficiency, and metabolic bone disease. This is a serious health condition for bearded dragons.

That’s why green beans and other moderate-to-high oxalate foods like spinach, beet greens, and chard should only be fed occasionally as part of a varied diet.

Aim to serve green beans just 1-2 times per week at most. This prevents excess oxalate consumption while still allowing your dragon to benefit from the nutrition in green beans.

Serving Green Beans with Calcium-Rich Foods

Whenever you feed green beans, make sure to serve them alongside calcium-rich produce. This counteracts the oxalates and allows for proper calcium absorption.

Some excellent options include:

• Dark leafy greens like collard, mustard, and turnip greens

• Squashes like butternut, acorn, and pumpkin

• Figs

• Papaya

• Legumes like peas and beans

• Broccoli

• Okra

• Carrots

Pairing green beans with a few selections from this list will provide plenty of calcium. It will also add more variety to give your dragon a balanced diet.

I recommend making a mix of 2-3 calcium-rich vegetables and fruits, plus the green beans 1-2 times per week. This checks all the boxes for nutrition and oxalate moderation.

The Best Ways to Prepare Green Beans

Now let’s talk about the best ways to prepare green beans for your bearded dragon’s enjoyment and health:

• Raw – Fresh, raw green beans are ideal. The nutrients are intact, and there are no added ingredients. Wash thoroughly before serving.

• Frozen – Look for no-salt-added frozen green beans. Thaw before feeding and ensure they are not too cold.

• Cooked – You can steam or boil green beans, but do not add any oil, salt, spices, etc. Cooked veggies aren’t found in the wild diet, so minimize this preparation.

• Avoid canned – Canned green beans often have preservatives and added sodium, neither of which are good for your dragon.

Make sure to cut any large, long beans into bite-sized pieces. Quarter them lengthwise first, then chop into 1-inch pieces to prevent a choking hazard.

Following These Tips Will Keep Your Dragon Happy and Healthy

Now you’ve got a thorough overview of how often bearded dragons can eat green beans. Here are some key tips to remember:

• Feed green beans just 1-2 times per week due to their oxalate content.

• Always pair green beans with high-calcium fruits and veggies at each feeding.

• Stick to raw, frozen, or cooked beans with no additions. Avoid canned.

• Chop beans into small pieces to prevent choking.

• Offer a diverse diet of fruits, vegetables, insects, and greens to give your dragon balanced nutrition.

Following these guidelines will allow your bearded dragon to safely enjoy the nutritional benefits of green beans as part of their varied diet. Monitor their health and watch for signs of MBD, adjusting their diet if needed.