Yes, bearded dragons can eat tuna, but giving them this type of fish is not wise. Tuna has various health risks to the reptile, such as high-fat content that makes it unsuitable.
You should avoid feeding tuna to your bearded dragon. While tuna is a good source of nutrition, several risks come with this meal making it not ideal for the reptile. Below, we discuss why you should not give your bearded dragon tuna.
Why You Shouldn’t Feed Tuna to a Bearded Dragon
In the wild, a bearded dragon may occasionally eat tuna, but this does not mean that it is a good source of nutrition for the reptile. Here are key reasons why tuna is not a recommended source of nutrition for your bearded dragons.
Not Adapted to a Fish Diet
The first reason why you should not feed tuna or any other fish diet to your bearded dragon is that the lizard is not adapted to eat fish.
Bearded dragons rarely eat fish in the wild since their native habitats are dry regions where it is hard to find fish. As such, their digestive system is not effective at digesting fish meat.
In addition, tuna meat is a complex protein that requires more time to digest, which might result in indigestion. As a caring bearded dragon owner, you must avoid foods that may upset your beardie’s digestive system.
Rich In Fat
Tuna is a fatty diet, as with most other types of fish. They are a rich source of Omega 3 and 6. While these two are of great nutritional value in humans, they pose a considerable risk in bearded dragons.
Beardies can quickly gain weight and become obese, which can be fatal for the lizard. Coupled with the fact that your beardie doesn’t get to exercise much, excess weight gain can be detrimental to their health.
For this reason, you should avoid tuna and look for other diets with less fat content. In addition to avoiding fatty foods, allowing your bearded dragon to exercise now and then will help reduce the risk of obesity.
Risk of Mercury Poisoning
This is arguably one of the most severe problems with feeding tuna to your dragon. Tuna and other types of fish contain a high concentration of mercury and other heavy metals like lead.
Mercury is a common component in most household appliances like thermostats and thermometers. Industrialization has led to the expansion of the variety of devices using mercury. Consequently, this has led to increased water pollution, with mercury being one of the common polluters.
Marine bacteria ingest mercury, and they are, in turn, eaten by smaller fish. Larger fish like tuna then feed on the smaller fish, accumulating mercury in their bodies. Since the body of a tuna cannot break down mercury, it keeps building up.
A high dosage of mercury is toxic to bearded dragons. The same applies to other marine life, like crabs and prawns.
Parasite Problems
Another problem likely to arise if you feed tuna to your bearded dragon is parasites. Tuna and other fish carry parasites in their bodies.
While these parasites may not cause any harm to the fish, they are deadly to your bearded dragon, and it is, therefore, an excellent idea to keep your dragon from ingesting the fish.
Some common parasites found in tuna include; tapeworms, flukes, and leeches. The first two are internal and are commonly found in the intestinal walls while leeches attach themselves to the tuna’s skin.
All these parasites feed on blood, resulting in your beardie having anaemic-like symptoms.
If not treated in time, parasitic infestations lead to decreased quality of life in the beardie and the worst-case scenario, death. The best way to keep your beardie from such parasites is to avoid tuna, other fish diets and wild insects.
Risk of Impaction
Like most other fish, tuna have small, thin, sharp bones. These bones may cause impaction when swallowed. Impaction occurs due to the obstruction of the beardie’s digestive system.
If your beardie accidentally swallows these bones, they might puncture its soft intestinal walls leading to the blockage of the digestive tract.
Impaction is fatal as it leads to indigestion and malnutrition in the beardie. The internal wounds resulting from the puncture may cause internal bleeding or an infection, which are deadly.
Hindering Effective Nutrient Absorption
Finally, feeding tuna to your beardie can result in poor absorption of some essential nutrients. It is because tuna has an enzyme called thiaminase, which hinders absorption of vitamin B1, or thiamine. These nutrients are vital for various body functions, such as energy formation.
Alternative Sources of Proteins for A Bearded Dragon
Now that tuna is not suitable for bearded dragons, which is the best source of proteins for these reptiles?
A good source of protein for your beardie is dubia roaches. These roaches are readily available in most stores and are safe for beardies. It is best to gut-load dubia roaches with suitable vegetables for optimal nutritional benefits before giving them to the bearded dragon.
Other reliable sources of proteins for the lizard include crickets and worms.
If you are still unsure what to feed your bearded dragon, first consult an exotic vet. Even some seemingly healthy diets like leafy greens may contain high amounts of oxalates, which are unsuitable for your dragon.
An exotic vet is best suited to guide you on the best food choices for your bearded dragon to ensure that you do not compromise its health through poor feeding.
Conclusion
Tuna is not a good source of nutrition for your beardie. It presents many health risks making it not good for the reptile. Besides tuna, you should avoid all other types of fish and instead go for safer sources of proteins for your bearded dragon, such as dubia roaches.