There are too many options to choose from when it comes to feeding your bearded dragon. But you always have to make sure that the food you feed your beardie is safe for them. After all, taking care of a pet is a huge responsibility. That makes you wonder, can bearded dragons eat onions?
Bearded dragons can eat a wide variety of greens and veggies. But not all of them are safe for bearded dragons. Even if it’s safe and healthy for humans, it’s another story for beardies. If bearded dragons accidentally eat food that is bad for them, they can end up sick or even die.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Onions?
No, bearded dragons should never eat onions at all costs. Onions are very acidic and can be harmful to the beardie’s digestive system. This veggie can cause severe complications if ingested. It’s unsafe for bearded dragons to eat onions, whether raw or even if you cook them.
Avoid offering onions for bearded dragons since it’s not healthy for reptiles. Aside from their high acidity levels, onions also have high water content. They also contain a disproportionate calcium to phosphorus ratio. Everything in onions is unsuitable for bearded dragons and can make them sick.
Why Are Onions Bad for Bearded Dragons?
1. High Level of Acidity
The acidity level in onions can cause bearded dragons a burning sensation on their tongues and mouths. It can make them irritated and lose their appetite for other foods. Bearded dragons need to eat regularly to stay healthy. It can be a severe problem when they lose their appetite.
When you feed your beardie onions, it can result in heartburn and irritation on the throat. It can interfere with the production of digestive enzymes. Onions can deactivate them and may no longer work as usual. When a bearded dragon eats onions, it will result in poor digestion and absorb vital nutrients in its body.
2. Disproportionate Ca:P Ratio
Onions are not suitable for bearded dragons due to the disproportionate calcium to phosphorus ratio. They can cause an imbalance in the reptile’s body. Onions contain more phosphorus than calcium. Bearded dragons need calcium to keep their bones healthy. It will help them avoid developing a metabolic bone disease, which can be fatal.
However, excess amounts of calcium can be toxic for reptiles as well. It can cause serious health problems for them. The healthy ratio between calcium and phosphorus should be 2:1 for bearded dragons. Low calcium intake can cause their bodies to take it from their bones. That’s how metabolic bone disease occurs.
3. Toxification of Digestive System
Onions contain toxic substances that can result in digestive problems for reptiles. If the bearded dragon eats onions, it can result in burning sensation, vomiting, and indigestion. The steam onions that can make humans cry can also affect bearded dragons. It can cause them discomfort just by smelling the onions.
If onion leaves were provided as part of their meals, it could release slippery fluids. It can make the meal unpleasant for bearded dragons and cause them to lose their appetite. Onions can cause different problems with bearded dragons. It’s best if you avoid them from ending up on your beardie’s meal.
How Bearded Dragons End Up Eating Onions?
Onions are widespread ingredients used in a different variety of cuisines. They are commonly used around the world to cook meals. You can find onions from other countries being eaten raw or cooked. It’s good for humans since aside from providing flavor to our meals, it can offer us some health benefit
However, not because onions are good for humans, you should also feed them to your bearded dragon. Some foods are suitable for humans and reptiles, but there are some exceptions. That’s why onions may end up eating onions as well. New beardie owners can make this mistake. But keep in mind that onions are bad for them.
What is the Nutritional Value of Onions?
Onions contain a variety of nutrients, and for every 100 grams, you should find the following:
| Nutritional Name | Value |
| Protein | 1.1 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 9.34 grams |
| Sugars | 4.24 grams |
| Niacin | 0.116 milligrams |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.123 milligrams |
| Folate | 19 micrograms |
| Vitamin C | 7.4 milligrams |
| Calcium | 23 milligrams |
| Magnesium | 10 milligrams |
| Potassium | 146 milligrams |
| Phosphorus | 29 milligrams |
| Iron | 0.21 milligrams |
The acidic content of onions is very high, and it has a high amount of phosphorus as well. The amount of calcium should be more than the phosphorus content. The ratio of 2:1 is ideal for a bearded dragon’s diet. That’s why onions should not be a part of your beardies diet.
1. Sugars
Onions contain 4.24 g of sugar, which is unsuitable for bearded dragons. Sugar can harm their health. Bearded dragons can’t digest sugar which can cause them health problems. It’s best to avoid giving food with sugar to your reptile if you want your pet to stay healthy.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for bearded dragons to have a robust immune system. It helps them fight illness. But consuming high levels of vitamin C is not recommended. When the acidity level of food is higher, it cannot be suitable for bearded dragons’ health. Onions contain too much vitamin C, which makes them acidic.
3. Calcium
Calcium is the most critical mineral for bearded dragons. If they don’t have enough calcium, it can increase the risk of metabolic bone disease. It can be fatal for beardies in severe cases. This illness can cause the bearded dragon’s bone to become brittle. It can also cause behavioral issues such as walking, loss of appetite, and more. The calcium in onion is not healthy for beardies.
4. Phosphorous
Onions phosphorus which is also essential for bearded dragons. The problem is that onions contain more phosphorus than calcium. Bearded dragons should have a calcium to phosphorus level of 2:1. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus is disproportionate in onions.
If the phosphorus is higher than calcium, it won’t be good for the bearded dragon’s health. Onions are one of the vegetables that contain high levels of phosphorus. It can be harmful to your beardie to eat onions, so avoid adding them to their meal.
5. Water
Water is vital to keep bearded dragons hydrated. But onions contain an excessive amount of water, and it’s too high for them. When feeding your beardie, avoid offering watery foods. It can cause diarrhea and other digestive issues for them. Having too much water is also bad for beardies.
Don’t feed onions to bearded dragons to avoid compromising their health. When the reptile suffers from diarrhea, it can become dehydrated. It will be hard to make them hydrated again. This can cause them to feel weak and suffer from some health complications.
Are Cooked Onions Safe for Bearded Dragons?
No, onions are unsafe for bearded dragons raw or cooked. Some beardie owners believe that cooked onions will be fine for their reptiles. But in reality, feeding cooked onions will still be bad for beardies. The nutrients in onions will not be removed if you cook them, so avoid offering them to bearded dragons.
Even if you fry, boil, barbeque, or caramelize onions, it will still be bad for your beardie. Onions are still food to avoid feeding your dragon. Never serve it to them no matter what form you cook it. It’s still an onion which means that it’s unsafe for your reptile.
Mixed veggies can be found in supermarkets. Pet foods are often available there as well. If you usually buy prepackaged vegetables, check the ingredients carefully. If onions are on the list of ingredients, avoid it at all costs if you’re planning to feed mixed veggies for your bearded dragon.
What to Do If My Beardie Accidentally Eaten Onions?
Even if you’re already aware that onions should be avoided for your beardie, sometimes accidents happen. That’s why you need to be very careful before offering food to your bearded dragon. Your pet can still accidentally eat onions if you let other family members who are unaware that onions are bad for them.
Be careful when feeding mixed veggies to your bearded dragon as well. It may be too late to realize that it contains onions. But that one incident doesn’t necessarily mean that it can harm your pet right away. If it happens once, your bearded dragon should be fine. But if the beardie ate onions multiple times, the danger will occur.
If you’re worried that your bearded dragon might ingest onions, observe your pet closely. Keep an eye on your beardies’ behavior if there are any changes. It will show when they are having digestive issues. If you notice unusual behavior and look bad, take the beardie to the vet. The beardie might need immediate medical attention.
Aside from being careful about what you feed your bearded dragon, you may need to take additional steps to avoid accidents. Reptiles should not eat onions, and you can take preventive measures to prevent that. The best thing to do is to be the only person in charge of feeding your pet. If it can’t be avoided, ban onions at home to prevent incidents.
What Foods Should Be Avoided by Bearded Dragons Aside from Onions?
Bearded dragons are omnivores, and they can eat almost anything. Insects and veggies are their primary food source. Keep in mind that not all veggies are safe for them. Make sure to be careful when feeding your bearded dragon. Some foods are toxic for beardies, like the list below.
1. Rhubarb
Rhubarb should be avoided since it’s terrible for bearded dragons. It’s high in oxalic acid that’s poisonous for your reptile. It’s fatal for your bearded dragons, so avoid offering these veggies to them.
2. Avocado
Avocado seems tasty for humans, but it’s unsuitable for bearded dragons. The chemical content of avocados is bad for beardies. Although it’s beneficial for humans, bearded dragons should stay away from this fruit.
3. Lettuce
Lettuce is another type of green that is not good for bearded dragons. It contains excessive amounts of water and is not beneficial for them. It can cause diarrhea due to the high water content.
4. Spinach
Spinach is healthy for humans, but it’s unsafe for bearded dragons to consume. It has a calcium-binding chemical composition. That can lead to metabolic bone disease for beardies. It blocks the calcium absorption which they need to stay healthy.
Here is an article by VCA Hospitals about Feeding Bearded Dragon.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Green Onions?
No! because green onions are acidic. It contains calcium, phosphorus, protein, sugar, fat, fiber, and water, but it’s not suitable for bearded dragons. Green onions look fresh and healthy, and they’re commonly used for cooking. They are very popular in making dishes tasty and flavorful.
A good balance of calcium to phosphorus ratio is essential for bearded dragons’ health. Ideally, they should be eating a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio or at least 1:1. The food should contain more calcium than phosphorus. But green onions don’t have a good balance of calcium to phosphorus ratio. They are acidic, which is not suitable for beardies.
Nutritional Value of Green Onions Per 100 g
- Energy – 166 kJ (40 kcal)
- Carbohydrates – 9.34 g
- Sugars – 4.24 g
- Dietary fiber – 1.7 g
- Fat – 0.1 g
- Protein – 1.1 g
Vitamins
- Thiamine (B1) (4%) – 0.046 mg
- Riboflavin (B2) (2%) – 0.027 mg
- Niacin (B3) (1%) – 0.116 mg
- Pantothenic acid (B5) (2%) – 0.123 mg
- Vitamin B6 (9%) – 0.12 mg
- Folate (B9) (5%) – 19 μg
- Vitamin C (9%) – 7.4 mg
Minerals
- Calcium (2%) – 23 mg
- Iron (2%) – 0.21 mg
- Magnesium (3%) – 10 mg
- Manganese (6%) – 0.129 mg
- Phosphorus (4%) – 29 mg
- Potassium (3%) – 146 mg
- Zinc (2%) – 0.17 mg
Other Constituents
- Water – 89.11 g
- Fluoride – 1.1 g
As you can see above, green onions are unsuitable for the bearded dragon’s diet. When they accidentally eat green onions, it can be harmful to their health. It’s best to avoid offering them green onions or red onions to avoid having health issues. Being a careful beardie owner will keep your pet healthy and live a longer life.
