Cucumber is a central half to many salads. There will be few meals which are extra refreshing on a sizzling summer time’s day. Because it’s one thing many people have in our fridge every week, it shouldn’t be shocking that some keepers surprise in the event that they can provide it to their beardie. Can bearded dragons eat cucumber?
Bearded dragons can eat cucumber.
The low sugar content material of cucumber could make it a really wholesome addition to your pet’s food plan.
Nonetheless, remember that the excessive moisture content material means it isn’t essentially the most nutritious ingredient.
Because of this, cucumber ought to actually solely make up a small a part of your bearded dragon’s food plan. As an alternative, nearly all of meals needs to be extra nutrient-packed, like leafy greens as a fantastic instance.
Are Cucumbers Protected for Bearded Dragons?
Cucumbers are protected for bearded dragons. Nonetheless they need to solely be fed in small quantities due to their moisture content material.
The excessive moisture content material in cucumbers means they aren’t essentially the most nutritious meals round, and meals with loads of water like cucumber may trigger diarrhoea in massive volumes.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumber Skins?
Bearded dragons can eat cucumber pores and skin.
Cucumber skins are a fantastic addition to your bearded dragon’s food plan, not least as a result of most vitamin tends to be immediately underneath the pores and skin. By feeding cucumber with the pores and skin on you will be positive your beardie is getting as a lot vitamin as potential.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cucumber On a regular basis?
Bearded dragons will be fed cucumber day by day, although solely in small quantities.
There are a number of causes for this. Firstly the excessive moisture content material means it’s comparatively low in different vitamins. When you’re feeding your bearded dragon cucumber frequently then you’ll want to bulk up on different extra nutritious elements.
Secondly the calcium to phosphorus ratio, which we’ll handle in additional element later, isn’t optimum for bearded dragons. Whereas cucumber can nonetheless be fed, this weak spot underlines the significance of mixing cucumber with different meals stuffs to rebalance this ratio.
Vitamins Present in Cucumber
Whereas the excessive water content material of cucumber means it isn’t essentially the most nutritious meals accessible, the dry matter does comprise a shocking variety of helpful vitamins. It is for that reason that cucumber nonetheless makes a welcome addition to your bearded dragon’s food plan.
Cucumber comprises a reasonable quantity of protein for a plant-derived meals. Roughly 11% of the energy cucumber comprises are protein. Whereas this isn’t huge, it’s quite a bit higher than many different meals. This could make cucumber notably helpful for rising juvenile bearded dragons, which profit from a excessive protein food plan whereas of their development section.
Fairly a couple of totally different nutritional vitamins are present in considerable ranges in bearded dragons. Notable amongst these are vitamin A, pantothenic acid, vitamin C and vitamin Ok.
Minerals present in cucumber that profit your bearded dragon embrace magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and potassium.
Mixed, it needs to be clear that cucumber can type a helpful a part of your bearded dragon’s weekly meals consumption.
Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio in Cucumber
Bearded dragons should obtain appropriate calcium when saved in captivity. As you’re little question conscious, calcium is essential for a wholesome skeleton.
Nonetheless it’s not simply the entire consumption of calcium that’s necessary but in addition the calcium to phosphorus ratio. A super ratio for beardies is twice the calcium – typically described as a “2:1 ratio”.
The calcium to phosphorus ratio in cucumber is round 1:1.3.
This ratio is lower than supreme because it truly means there may be extra phosphorus than calcium in cucumber.
That is one cause why cucumber ought to solely make up a small general a part of your bearded dragon’s food plan. It might even be value contemplating including some supplementary calcium powder to your bearded dragon’s meals when giving cucumber to appropriate this insufficiency.
Oxalic Acid in Cucumber
Simply because the calcium to phosphorus ratio needs to be a consideration when feeding cucumber to bearded dragons, so too ought to oxalic acid ranges.
Oxalates can bind to calcium within the digestive tract, making much less accessible to your bearded dragon for bone well being.
Fortuitously the oxalic acid degree of cucumber is taken into account “very low” with 1 cup having roughly 1mg of oxalates. This implies loads of dietary calcium needs to be accessible to your lizard.
Learn how to Feed Cucumber To Your Bearded Dragon
Feeding cucumber to your bearded dragon is simplicity itself.
You may feed cucumber to bearded dragons both entire or minimize it into smaller items. Typically talking, finely chopping the cucumber is the very best thought. This manner it may be blended in with different salad objects and greens to create a various meal.
As described earlier, you don’t essentially have to peel cucumber earlier than feeding.
Lastly bear in mind the 2 main weaknesses of cucumber for bearded dragons – the excessive water content material and the low calcium ranges. Purpose to appropriate these by feeding solely small quantities, and feeding different meals alongside that may appropriate these deficiencies.
Good examples of bearded dragon meals with excessive calcium ranges are cabbage, kale, endive, chard and watercress. Leafy greens ought to due to this fact ideally accompany any cucumber.
Moreover or alternatively add a reptile-safe complement powder to the highest of the meal to make sure sufficient calcium is consumed. Observe the producer’s directions on the subject of volumes and frequencies of supplementation to make sure security.
Lastly, don’t neglect to feed cucumber in an appropriate, shallow meals dish. The excessive moisture content material of cucumber means it might probably leach into the substrate, resulting in extra cleansing being required.
