Yes, bearded dragons can eat mice since they’re small enough for them. But should they eat mice even in captivity? There is a lot of different information around if mice are healthy for bearded dragons. Mice are usually food for snakes and some lizards. Bearded dragons can eat them, too, provided these are pinky mice.
Bearded dragons are omnivores, and they will eat anything that looks edible. They can eat insects for protein and plant matter for other nutrition.
You can feed your beardie a variety of plants and insects. In the wild, they may get across small animals. If they can overpower it, that will become their meal.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pinky Mice?
Mice are high in protein, calcium, and fat. Baby mice are known as pinky mice. It’s because their skin doesn’t have any visible fur on them. Pinkies are high in protein which bearded dragons need.
Their protein level remains high when they become juveniles. At this stage, they are also known as fuzzy mice, which can have higher fat levels.
High in Fat
This level of protein will drop when they age. Their fat level still rises as they grow older. That’s why bearded dragons should avoid eating mice once they are no longer pinkies. It can cause obesity with beardies, especially if they already have a healthy diet.
Feeder insects and green vegetables have enough fat for their diet already.
However, if you want to try feeding pinkies to your bearded dragon, make sure to do it properly. Ensure that the beardie is not getting too much fat from other food sources.
Monitor their protein and calcium intake as well. Doing that will provide more variety in your bearded dragon’s diet. Offer your pet something that it will enjoy eating as well.
Impaction
Another issue when introducing mice to your beardie’s diet is impaction. Bearded dragons are prone to impaction when their digestive tract is blocked. It will prevent your lizard from moving freely.
One of their back legs may also look paralyzed. If left untreated, impaction can be fatal for your bearded dragon.
Pinky mice can age around one and three days old. During this time, they haven’t formed skeletons yet. That makes them an ideal treat for beardies since it has a lower risk of impaction.
If you’re considering feeding mice to your bearded dragon, pinkies are better for them. Ensure that the pinkies are not older than three days when you give them to your pet.
Problem with Adult Mice
Adult mice already have their fur coating. If the bearded dragon eats them, it can cause gastrointestinal problems. It will be difficult for beardies to swallow and digest adult mice. That’s why it should not be fed to bearded dragons.
At this stage, they will have lower protein but have higher fat content. It can also cause impaction for bearded dragons and do more harm than good.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Frozen Pinky Mice?
No, bearded dragons should not eat frozen pinky mice. Instead, let the pinkies thaw first before feeding them to your beardie. The right temperature should be between 86 F and 95 F. If the food is too cold or warm, it can negatively affect the bearded dragon’s digestion.
It’s not recommended to warm the frozen pinky mice in the microwave. If it was left for too long, it could cause a huge mess. Microwaving frozen pinkies can reduce their nutritional value.
It can also cause bacterial growth to start. The best thing is to warm it in a bowl with warm water. Leave it between 15 to 20 minutes to thaw.
Doing this can give the pinkies the right temperature for beardies to consume. Make sure that it’s not still cold to the touch.
The texture should be soft as well to avoid the risk of impaction. When feeding the pinkies to your beardie, you have to get its attention.
Using a pair of thongs and letting the mouse dangle can catch the beardies attention. The pinkies are already small enough for bearded dragons to eat.
There’s no need to cut them and feed them straight to your beardie. They can quickly consume the whole pinkie since it’s small enough.
How Many Pinky Mice Can a Bearded Dragon Eat?
It’s common for bearded dragon owners to buy packets of frozen pinkies. You have to choose the right age and size for your bearded dragon. Keep the pinky mice frozen until the next feeding.
Offer one packet every few weeks. Once a month is also ideal and safe for your bearded dragon. Make sure to monitor your beardie’s fat and nutrition levels.
Can You Feed a Bearded Dragon to Live Pinky Mice?
Yes, you can feed your beardie live pinky mice depending on their age. There are health benefits that beardies can get from eating pinkies. It can provide a variety from the usual food you feed your bearded dragon. It’s better than feeding the same insects and veggies for your beardie.
Pinkies are also suitable for pregnant beardies since they need to eat more fat. It’s a good source of additional fat for them.
If you have a malnourished bearded dragon since it refuses to eat, offering it a pinky can give it some fat. It can also provide new flavor to their meals, and their appetite may be revived to eat well again.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Live Mice?
Bearded dragons are omnivores and can eat almost anything. They can quickly eat small mice and digest them without problems. In the wild, they feed on anything that they can get. Small animals such as mice should be a treat for them. Mice are high in protein, but it’s also high in fat.
It’s not ideal for giving mice to a healthy bearded dragon. But there are some situations why feeding mice to your lizard may be recommended.
Bearded dragons can eat insects, small animals, and plant matter. Technically, they can eat mice, especially in the wild. But a captive beardie should not eat mice.
Wild bearded dragons can eat mice since they can get a lot of exercise than pets. They need to eat more because they move around more.
Wild beardies don’t get a balanced and healthy diet, unlike your pet beardie. They can only eat the foods that they can come across by chance. It means they are eating less compared to your pet.
As a beardie owner, you are already providing healthy food for your pet. If the bearded dragon is already eating healthy food, there’s no need to offer them mice.
A nutritious diet should consist of the right amount of insects and many greens. Mustard greens, kale, collard greens, and more should be enough to keep your bearded dragon healthy.
There are only two reasons you need to feed mice to your bearded dragon. Unless your beardie falls in these two things, mice should not feed your pet.
Keep in mind that mice are high in both fat and protein. A healthy bearded dragon will be obese when you include mice in their diet.
Reasons To Feed Mice To Your Bearded Dragon?
1. Pregnancy
If a captive bearded dragon is pregnant, it means it needs more protein and fat on its diet. Offering a pregnant beardie a baby mouse will be helpful for the beardie’s condition.
2. Illness
Another reason why a bearded dragon should eat baby mice is if it’s sick. If your pet is ill, offering mice can regain its strength faster. Malnourished beardie who refuses to eat can also benefit from adding baby mice to its meal.
Can I Feed My Bearded Dragon a Mouse?
No, an adult mouse can be too big, even for adult beardies. If you let your pet eat a live adult mouse, it can be bad for their health. If you offer a live adult mouse to your bearded dragon, it will harm your pet since it will fight back.
It’s best to offer your bearded dragon a live pinky or insects. Even if you provide a frozen adult mouse, it can still pose a hazard of impaction. Make sure to avoid providing an adult mouse to bearded dragons. It will be harmful whether it’s dead or alive. A pinky should be a better option.
What Size Mice Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
When purchasing mice for your bearded dragon, make sure to get pinky mice. They are the only rodents that you can offer to your beardie. Pinky mice are newborn mice, and they are only a few days old. When they reach one week, they will no longer be called pinkies.
Fizzy mice are one-week-old mice, and they are larger and less nutritious than pinkies. When they become adults, it’s no longer an option for feeding your bearded dragon. It will be too big and more complicated to eat and digest. If you decide to get feeder mice for your beardie, you can get them from pet stores.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Baby Rats?
No, bearded dragons should not eat baby rats. They are missing vital nutrients such as calcium which is essential for beardies’ health. Rats are high in protein and fat, not a well-balanced diet for beardies. They need vitamin D3, A, calcium, taurine, amino acids, and fiber.
Bearded dragons should not eat rats due to their high protein levels. They can end up being obese and suffer from metabolic bone disease. It’s also high in fat which can cause bad shedding. That’s when beardies shed their skin. If they eat rat meat, innards, and bones, it can also cause injury.
Beardies have short digestive tracts, so they can’t digest large prey. It will give them digestion problems.
When they eat rats, they can end up stuck inside their stomach. It can rot inside and can be fatal for bearded dragons. Feeding your beardie rats can be harmful to them.
Baby rats are more prominent than baby mice or pinkies. If you must feed rodents to your bearded dragon, it’s best to give them pinkies.
But if you have a healthy bearded dragon, stick with insects and greens. Giving them rats can cause more harm than good, so it’s best to skip it and stick to their usual diet.
Can a Bearded Dragon Eat a Fuzzy Mouse?
When a mouse turns one week, it will be called a fuzzy mouse. During this time, their bones develop, and their nutritional value also changes. But fuzzy mice can’t replace the bearded dragon’s diet. If you have a healthy bearded dragon, don’t give them fuzzy mice.
Once the mice turn a week old, thru can be more prominent and bony, increasing the risk of impaction. It’s best to get pinkies instead if you want to get a different food variety for your bearded dragon.
They are softer and smaller and perfect for bearded dragons. Fuzzy mice are already starting to grow their coating. Below are their nutritional value.
| Protein | 44 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Calcium | 140 mg |
| Phosphorus | 180 mg |
These nutritional values change only after a few days. When the fuzzy mice reach adulthood, there can be fewer nutrients. The protein will be decreased, and the fat content will be doubled.
The calcium and phosphorus ratio will also be affected. It can go from 160:90 to 140:180. The phosphorus levels will be higher than the calcium levels.
It’s best to have more calcium content than getting more phosphorus. That will be a good ratio that will benefit your bearded dragon.
When feeding mice to your beardie, you can provide it with food that contains more protein than fat content. Protein content decreases, and fat increases from pinkie to fuzzy mice.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pinkies?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat pinkies. They are omnivores which means they can eat anything. Insects and vegetations are their primary source of food in the wild. That includes small animals such as mice. Some debates are going on whether to feed mice to your bearded dragon or not. But pinkies should be okay for beardies.
However, the pinkies should not be more than three days old. It can be warmed in a bowl of lukewarm water. Monitor the beardies fat and nutrition levels.
If your bearded dragon is malnourished, offering them pinkies will benefit them. It can help them consume fat which they need to become healthy again.
The size of the mice is crucial if you decide to feed them to beardies. Reptiles are prone to impaction, and bearded dragons are not an exemption.
They need to eat the food of the right size to avoid digestive issues. Their food should not be bigger than the space between the beardies’ eyes.
If your bearded dragon is healthy, feeder mice are not recommended for them. Mice are high in fat and protein that can cause obesity.
Adult beardies need 30% of animal protein and insects. For baby dragons, they need 70% protein, but they can’t eat mice. It’s too large for them to digest.
How Many Pinky Mice Should You Feed a Bearded Dragon?
Never feed your bearded dragon with fur since it can shorten your pet’s lifespan. It can cause fatty liver disease as well. The recommended amount of pinkies you should feed your dragon should only be one or two a month. Only give it to adult beardies that are a year old or older.
To keep your bearded dragon healthy, a good variety of folds should be provided. Pinky mice are very beneficial for bearded dragons.
They have less than 5% crude fat and have calcium build-ups on their stomachs. It’s recommended to help your beardie stay healthy and have a variety in their diet.
FAQs
1. Why is My Beardie Not Moving Much?
When your beardie is not moving much, it can be because they don’t get enough heat. The bearded dragon’s metabolism will slow down, and they end up with less energy and appetite. Check the temperature in the tank if your beardie is not as active as usual. It may be too cold for them.
2. Is It Okay To Feed Bearded Dragon Dead Crickets?
No, feeding dead crickets is not recommended for bearded dragons. You don’t know what causes the crickets’ demise. It might pass away because of a disease or parasite. That can pass on to your beardie, and it will get sick.
3. Will My Bearded Dragon Stop Eating When It’s Full?
Bearded dragons will not eat until they are warmed up. They need to stay warm for three hours after eating to digest their food. Unlike other animals, bearded dragons will stop eating once it’s full. Make sure to remove the uneaten insects from the enclosure since they will no longer eat them.
