The answer is simply yes, they can eat radish leaves on a regular basis, and in a well balanced diet it can help your bearded dragon to be very healthy. Aside from that, your pet can also consume radish fruit occasionally or in small portions. The leaves of radish are very nutritious, which are high in vitamin B6, phosphorous, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, fiber, and calcium. However, there are several things you need to keep in mind before feeding it to your beardie.
Below we listed you all positive and negative aspects to your bearded dragon to help you know more about the vegetable radish. Also included are feeding recommendations, helpful tips on preparing radish as a food to your pet properly, alternatives for radish once you run out of supply and other helpful information that you need to know about it.
Table of Contents
Are Radishes Good for Bearded Dragons?
Radishes are not only inexpensive but at the same for humans and beardies very delicious. However, for them are the radish greens healthier than the fruit itself. You can get it anywhere and that’s why many bearded dragon owners want to know if it’s healthy for their beardie. On top of that they tend to eat various kinds of food so for their safety it’s important to know whether they can eat it and in what proportion.
The nutrition of ½ a cup of sliced radishes (fruit)¹ is the following:
- Calories: 9
- Protein: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fat: 0.05g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Water: 95%
Positive Aspects
Below are the vitamins and minerals that radish greens have:
- Vitamin C. This vitamin helps to maintain a healthy digestive system and glowing skin to your bearded dragon.
- Vitamin B6. Vitamin B is linked to a well-functioning muscle and healthy nervous system. Those deficiencies can possibly cause flaccid limbs and paralysis.
- Magnesium. Radish greens are rich in magnesium, which is very important to the skeletal development of your bearded dragon, as well as their hormonal balance and nerve function.
- Iron. Iron is a mineral that is vital for the prevention of anemia and healthy blood. Those bearded dragons that are overdosed with iron could possibly cause health issues that can last for a long time, so it is very important to monitor your pet’s iron intake.
- Vitamin A. Vitamin A is used for the reproduction of the body, skin, and vision’s health as well as bone development.
- Potassium. This is a mineral that helps in kidneys’ optimal function in reptiles. Its deficiency could cause kidney diseases.
- Fiber. Fiber is very important to the digestive system of your pet, which includes the right absorption of water.
Negative Aspect
Radish is a veggie that is known to have a high nutritional value, just like what a fruit has, but it is also high in water and contains very low calcium. In the event that you feed your pet more frequently with radish, they may experience diarrhea or metabolic bone disease because of a lack of calcium intake.
Feeding Recommendations
Radish is a good food for your bearded dragon, but your pet should only eat a small amount and less frequently. However, you can feed the leaves on a regular basis but you should still always check if it fits to your beardies diet.
How to feed bearded dragons with Radishes?
- Make sure that your bearded dragon is very hungry, and encourage him to try radish leaves as a snack instead of a whole salad.
- You can alter the steps on how you feed your bearded dragon, such as scatter the leaves of the radish on the floor instead of putting it to his bowl in order for him to scavenge.
Alternatives
Radish is a very nutritious veggie and usually added to a salad and makes fantastic dishes but in the event that you lack radish in your kitchen, below are some alternatives that you can have:
- White turnips
- Cabbage
- Baby Arugula
- Carrots
Reference¹: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169276/nutrients