Bearded dragons both adult and young need vegetables and other plant material in their diet. While some vegetables are loaded with nutrients needed in the bearded dragon growth and development. Some can be harmful, I did some digging to find out more about ginger.
Can bearded dragons eat ginger? Bearded dragons should not eat ginger. Nutritional wise ginger offers very little to bearded dragons. phosphorous to calcium ratio in ginger is dangerously high. Recommended ratios are 2:1 calcium to phosphorous but in ginger, it is 1:2 calcium to phosphorous.
Nutritional wise ginger offers very little to bearded dragons. Given that there are better options such as figs, kales, hornworms, and many more I would recommend you avoid feeding ginger to your dragon.
Ginger in the diet of Bearded Dragons
If you own a bearded dragon then you already know that calcium and vitamin D3 are very important towards the health of a bearded dragon.
While you can get Vitamin D3 from the sun and light in your dragon’s tank. Calcium is supplemented through dusting and from food that you feed your dragon.
In this regard, you should never seek to provide calcium from ginger.
Nutritional value of ginger
Below is a tabe showing the nutritional value of 100g of raw ginger root.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calcium, Ca | 16.00 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Water | 78.89 g |
| Sugar | 1.7 g |
| Copper, Cu | 0.226 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.60 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 43.00 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.229 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 34.00 mg |
| Potassium, K | 415.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.7 mcg |
| Sodium, Na | 13.00 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.34 mg |
| Protein | 1.82 g |
| Vitamin A, Betacarotine | 0 |
| Vitamin C | 5 mg |
Why you should never feed ginger to bearded dragons
Calcium to phosphorous ratio
As mentioned earlier calcium is very important towards the development of bearded dragons. Lack of it can cause metabolic bone disease which can be very fatal if not treated.
Metabolic bone diseases completly disfigures the appearance of bearded dragons.
The recommended ratio of calcium to phosphorous is 2:1 or 1:1. Too much phosphorous in the diet and will react with calcium to calcium phosphate which prevents phosphorous from being absorbed in the body of the dragon.
Now the calcium content of 100g of raw ginger is 16mg while that of phosphorous is 34mg. This translates to an approximately 1:2 Ca: P ratio.
This kind of ratio can be fatal to bearded dragons.
Secondly, most of the other beneficial nutrients to bearded dragons are not found in ginger such as Vitamin A and beta carotene.
Some bearded dragon owners have reported that bearded dragons have shown some interest in ginger. This can be attributed to the flavor, nonetheless, you should not feed ginger to bearded dragons.
Best alternatives to ginger include
- Kale
- Collards
- Parsley
- Clover
- Dandelion greens
- Turnip greens
- Mustard greens
- Endive
- Rocket
- Coriander
- Peas
- Green beans
- Courgette
- Butternut squash
- Sweet potato
- Bell pepper
- Ocra
- Brocolli (small bits weekly)
- Acorn squash
- Cabbage
- Kohlrabi
- Parsnip
- Bok choi
- Yellow squash
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Okra
- Figs
- Melon
- Apples
- Mango
- Papaya
- Dates
- Peaches
- Apricots
- Plums
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Guava
- Pears
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Apricots
Conclusion
While your bearded dragon can show some interest in ginger you should avoid feeding ginger to them. Feeding ginger will cause more harm than good. Given that there are better alternatives to ginger. I would recommend avoiding ginger at all costs.
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