Here’s an interesting thought. Since bearded dragons can sometimes eat human food, what’s the deal with baby food? Can they eat it as well, or not?
If you’ve been stuck thinking about “can bearded dragons eat baby food?” we’re here to clear your thoughts with a definite answer. Yes, your beardie can consume baby food sometimes, but there are some rules you need to watch out for.
Suppose you have a baby and a bearded pet dragon; you might have the chance to kill two birds with one stone and feed them both some baby food. If that is the case, then you should scroll down and read the article carefully.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Baby Food? A Little Baby Food Is Okay
Great news – it’s okay for your beardie to eat some baby food. However, you are not supposed to feed it every day now. There are some ground rules. The rule goes – you shouldn’t feed your beardie human baby food more than once a week.
Although your beardie will surely enjoy this sweet treat, you won’t hear your vet recommending this. Baby food is okay in cases where bearded dragons have problems with eating – they need some stronger food to increase their appetite or have some stomach issues.
No matter what, you should look at the label and composition of the baby food before you include it in your beardie’s diet.
Take, for example, one teaspoon of baby food (8 gr). This is exactly how much baby food your bearded dragon is allowed to eat.
| Calories | 4.1 |
| Total fat | 0.1 gr |
| Cholesterol | 0.8 mg |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 4.8 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 0.8 g |
| Protein | 0.1 g |
| Vitamin A | 1.9% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1% |
| Iron | 0.1% |
| Calcium | 0.1% |
A small amount of baby food can actually be beneficial for your beardie, and here’s how:
As you probably already know, baby food is delicious, but it’s not just that. It’s nutritious as well. It contains lots of vitamins like vitamin A, C, iron, and calcium. Avocado-flavored baby food happens to be the most delicious.
This type of food is not processed as you might think. This is because its main ingredients are vegetables. If you still don’t want your beardie to consume store-bought baby food, you can prepare a homemade version. This way, you can regulate the sugar amount.
Baby food is not that expensive. It’s affordable, and it comes in different sizes, so if you don’t want to spend some extra money on enormous quantities of baby food, you can always opt for those small bottles. All in all, it’s a fair price to pay for a fruit-based treat.
Another advantage is that it comes in various flavors. If your child or beardie doesn’t like apple squash, for example, you can choose between avocado, peach, nugget, etc.
Feeding your beardie baby food can save you a good amount of time. Suppose you run out of ideas on what to give your pet, and you don’t have the time to prepare something new – you can always open up a bottle of baby goods and serve your beardie one teaspoon.
We mentioned a while ago that homemade baby food is even better than the regular store-bought one. Here’s how to make baby food out of butternut squash:
- Buy Butternut Squash.
When you’re out buying ingredients and butternut is on your list, you should buy one that is firm and has no bruises on the surface. This guarantees that it’s not rotten. Also, look for butternut squash that is deep orange.
- Wash And Cut The Squash.
The first thing you should do once you bring out the squash is to wash and cut it. Make sure that the squash is thoroughly cleaned (get rid of all the dirt from the surface). Next, you should peel and cut the squash.
- Cook The Squash.
Boil the cut and peeled squash for about 15 minutes. After you’re done, drain the squash and let it cool in cold water for some time.
CAUTION: you should NEVER feed your beardie baby food while it’s still hot!
- Put The Squash In The Blender.
The key step in preparing baby food is taking the butternut squash in this case and putting it in the blender. There is not an exact number of times you should blend your squash. Do it until you see that it is smooth.
- Serve The Squash.
After your squash has reached the desired consistency, it’s time to serve it. Pour it into a plastic container, and then set aside one teaspoon for your beardie.
Before feeding them, check once again for any small pieces left in the squash. Also, with this type of baby food, you can decide by yourself how much sugar you want to add. While store-bought versions are already sugar-coated, you can make this one sugar-free and add some afterward if you wish.
Toxic Squash Syndrome
A tip for those buying squash – watch out for “toxic squash syndrome.”
It’s one thing to avoid rotten fruit and vegetables, but coming to realize your squash is bad after you’ve already bought it is the result of toxic squash syndrome.
How do you know that your beardie is experiencing this? Well, it will start showing signs after consuming a small amount of baby food that contains squash.
The symptoms of toxic squash syndrome include:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
The best outcome would be for you to notice nausea or bloating right away and get rid of the squash. There’s no reason for you to keep this any longer in your kitchen.
If you notice that the symptoms are getting worse, you should contact the vet. Sometimes, things like this can escalate quickly to food poisoning, and this is undoubtedly a matter only a professional should deal with.
List Of Allowed Squashes
Since we’ve determined that baby food made from squashes is a possible solution for your beardie, you should have a complete list of choices in front of you.
There are two groups here: summer and winter squashes.
Here’s a list of summer squashes you can feed your beardie.
| Cousa squash | Zucchetta | Zucchini |
| Pattypan squash | Yellow crookneck squash | Yellow summer squash |
These squashes are not supposed to be stored for a long time. They are harvested while they are still immature.
On the other hand, the list of winter squashes is a bit longer. Also, they are suitable for storage in your pantry.
| Arikara squash | Kabocha | Acorn squash | Carnival squash |
| Banana squash | Hubbard squash | Apple squash | Pumpkin squash |
| Butternut squash | Turban squash | Autumn cup squash | Dumpling squash |
Baby food made from squash is not allowed more than 2 times a week!
Quality Baby Food Brands
Since it’s officially approved, here are some quality baby food brands you should look for when feeding your bearded dragon:
- Beech-Nut Naturals: The main advantage of this product is that you can find it in almost any store, and it’s not expensive at all. Beech-Nut Naturals offers its products in jars, and this is a huge plus for storage purposes.
- Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food: This baby food is a jackpot for your beardie because it’s totally organic, unsalted, and unsweetened. You know that it’s healthy because it doesn’t contain any additives.
- Little Spoon: This relatively new product on the market can be sent to your door. Besides instant delivery, it’s 100% natural and made from freshly harvested fruit.
- Ella’s Kitchen: This mixture contains just fruits and vegetables – no sugar or additives. It’s available in lots of different flavors – pumpkin, blueberry, sweet potatoes, apples, etc.
- Mama-Bear Organic: If you want a certified good baby good, then you should definitely buy this one. Mama-Bear organic contains non-GMO ingredients, and it’s USDA-certified.
Keeping It Healthy
Stages in baby food involve both squash and table food. Now that we have gone through a softer version of food, it’s time to get back to a regular vitamin source – fruits.
You’re in luck because the list of fruits your beardie can consume is long. Your pet beardie is presented with quite a choice. You can freely include the following fruits:
- Apples
- Apricots
- Berries (blueberries and blackberries)
- Grapes
- Nectarines
- Papayas
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Pineapples
- Watermelons
Let’s just briefly mention a couple of them and why your bearded dragon should eat them every once in a while.
You should throw in a couple of apples in your beardie’s diet. Although their habitats may be different, this fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and iron. Above all, apples are full of water, and this is a great way to keep your pet hydrated – especially during summer.
The only thing you should pay attention to is how to serve them. Bearded dragons can’t eat apple skin and seeds, so make sure that you peeled and sliced your apple correctly.
Next, you can also include some apricots. This is yet another type of fruit that will help your beardie stay hydrated. Also, it would be best if you didn’t feed your beardie dried apricots – go for freshly picked ones instead.
Both apricots and apples are not your beardie’s everyday meal. Giving them as a snack or treat 2-3 times a week will do just fine – anything more than that is a risk.
Pears are also a good choice for your pet. Besides being rich in vitamin K, feeding your beardie a pear occasionally will surely boost its immune system. But be careful – it shouldn’t exceed 20% of the total diet.
Just like with apples, seeds from pears are toxic to your pet. When it comes to this vegetable, a canned version is not a good idea – it’s too processed for your pet. Your beardie will have some serious trouble digesting this product.
That was just a couple of fruits your beardie can munch on as treats.
For A More Detailed Food List, Read: What Can Bearded Dragons Eat? 101 Food List
