Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corns?

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Corns?

Posted by Ella Carter on Apr 5th 2024

The quiet nature of bearded dragons makes them a prime choice for exotic pet owners. Approximately 5.7 million American households have them as pets. 

They are calm, easy to maintain, and don’t create havoc in the owner's home. But the questions arise: what do they feed on? What is their best diet plan? Can a Bearded Dragon eat corn? 

This can be confusing for pet lovers. To solve this problem, TopFlight Dubia introduces this detailed guide for dissecting the behavior of your beardie and giving an answer to your question: Can beardies really eat corn? 

Go through this guide and move one step more toward pet care. 

Must Know Facts for Bearded Dragons

Biological Name - Pogona vitticeps

Native Land - Australia

Nature - Omnivorous (can eat meat and greens)

Length - Adult ones can be 22 to 24 inches long

Habitat - Quite broad (from deserts to grassland to forests)

Lifespan - The average lifespan can be up to 10 years in the wild, but in proper care, it can live up to 12 to 15 years

The Evolution Of Bearded Dragon Behavior

According to a scientific article in the Journal of Thermal Biology, the behavior patterns of bearded dragons are mainly based on temperature and orientation. These factors depend on the mass and sex of the beardie.

The average mass is around 300 to 500 gms. The heavier ones are relatively aggressive, and the lighter ones are faster in their locomotion. This leads to some exciting behavioral patterns in these exotic creatures. 

Let’s know them one by one: 

  1. Their high mobility results in being an expert as terrestrial land creatures, i.e., they can run very fast and can climb trees. 
  2. The adjustment in their signature beard indicates certain emotions like fear, stress, and even libido (increases when aroused). 
  3. The females in the species tend to store sperm for later mating of eggs and sperm. This happens after they attain maturity at 2 to 3 years of age. 
  4. In winter, they undergo hibernation, known as “brumate.” This dormancy period helps them conserve energy for later activities like breeding. 
  5. They urinate uric acid in powder form called “urate” rather than releasing it in the liquid state. 

Since we know about their behavior, let's examine their nutritional needs and determine whether feeding them corn is a good decision. 

Never Let Your Beadie Go Hungry

The nutritional needs of these reptiles depend on whether they consume meat or greens. Since these exotic species are omnivores in nature, they must intake: 

Protein - 20% to 25%

Fat - 3% to 6%

Vitamins and Minerals - Must be given more than carnivorous pets

C:P Ratio - The ratio is 2:1. This means that for every 2 mg of calcium, 1 mg of phosphorus must be consumed. 

These bearded dragons consume insects very tastefully. You can feed them Dubia roaches from TopFlight Dubia and satisfy their hunger. 

When it comes to the question of whether bearded dragons can eat corn? The answer is YES

The Exotic Corn Paradox

There is no doubt about the richness of Corn’s nutritional contents. In 100 grams of corn:

  • 86 calories, which is primarily water
  • The protein content is usually 3gm to 3.25 gm
  • C:P ratio is relatively low for reptilian pets

The PARADOX - Corns can be given, but don’t include them in the regular diet for bearded dragons.

The poor Calcium to Phosphorus content of corn makes it a bad food choice for your beloved pet. But there is no harm in giving them the taste of it once or twice a month. 

The Spectrum Of Choices 

There are many other choices for your pet other than corn.

CAUTION: Don’t feed your pet canned or cooked corn. Popcorns are very harmful to your pet.

If you feed them corn, wash it and serve it with veggies and fruits. It's best to feed them organic corn. 

The alternative choices include - green vegetables, fruits such as mango, Dubia roaches. 

The Final Verdict

TopFlight Dubia has done quite extensive research and found out that the optimum frequency of feeding corn to your pet is once a month.

You can provide it a maximum of two times, as anything more could lead to health complications for the Bearded Dragon. If you are looking for a healthy diet, you can feed them Dubia roaches at reasonable prices at TopFlight Dubia.

Go through the entire collection and make your exotic friend happy. 

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

01. When should I clean my veiled chameleon’s cage?

A. Corns are a rich source of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that beardies enjoy after consuming.

02. What is the right frequency of feeding corn to bearded dragons?

A. Corns should be fed occasionally to bearded dragons. Once or twice a month is correct.

03. What makes corn not a great choice as food for reptilian pets?

A. The improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is unhealthy for bearded dragons.