Yes, bearded dragons can eat okra. But they contain a large number of acidic and water component. So, you should only feed it a little amount of okra and that too occasionally. Moreover, okra don’t have much value to your bearded dragon and so feeding them on regular basis won’t do your reptile much good. Lets look at the data that we have when we search for Can bearded dragons eat okra?
Okra, also known as, ladyfingers, bhindi, Baima, ochro, or gumbo, is a small family of flowering plants.
It grows in subtropical, tropical, and warm areas. It has edible green seed pods. This veggie is utilized in various culinary recipes all around the world.
But before feeding it to your bearded dragon you need to know the good and bad sides if this veggie and the process you should feed it to your pet.
So, in this article on can bearded dragons eat okra, I will tell you all the details regarding it.
Nutrient Value of Okra
Okra has some significant nutrient value. When it comes to bearded dragons, the veggies’ acidity, calcium, phosphorus, water, protein, fat, sugar, and fiber levels are important here.
Another factor to consider is the calcium: phosphorus ratio, where for every part of phosphorous there is one r component calcium in the case of bearded dragons, a ratio of 1:1 to 2:1. Let’s look at the Nutritional value of per 100 g Okra:
| Name | Amount | Unit |
| Energy | 138 | KJ |
| Sugars | 1.48 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 7.45 | g |
| Fat | 0.19 | g |
| Dietary fiber | 3.1 | g |
| Protein | 2.00 | g |
| Vitamin A Equiv. | (5%) 36 | μg |
| Vitamin C | (28%) 23 | mg |
| Vitamin E | (2%) 0.27 | mg |
| Thiamine (B1) | (17%) 0.2 | mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | (5%) 0.06 | mg |
| Niacin (B3) | (7%) 1 | mg |
| Vitamin K | (30%) 31.3 | μg |
| Iron | (5%) 0.61 | mg |
| Zinc | (6%) 0.58 | mg |
| Calcium | (8%) 82 | mg |
| Magnesium | (16%) 57 | mg |
| Potassium | (6%) 299 | mg |
| Water | 90.17 | g |
Should I Feed Bearded Dragon Okra?
Now, on to the real question. Can bearded dragons eat okra? Yes, bearded dragons may eat okra in tiny amounts from time to time. Okra is high in fiber and might be good incorporation to its diet.
Bearded dragons can consume entire okra, but consuming non- chopped okra and ingesting it might do irreversible damage to their health. If it’s being fed, make sure there aren’t any seeds inside.
Okra has a lot of fiber, which can assist bearded dragons to stay active and healthy. The veggie is also rich in Vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and thiamine.
All these nutrients are helpful to your bearded dragon. However, from the above chart, it is clear that okra has a lot of water and an acidic component.
Acidic components may not be that good for your beardie and too much water may increase the overall water ratio in your bearded dragon’s body. So, it is best to avoid it in the long run. To make it simple, you can feed okra to your bearded dragon occasionally. Maybe every other week. But not more than that.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Make Okra Bear-Friendly?
To be honest, there’s no need to go above and beyond. Just make sure when you feed okra to your bearded dragon it doesn’t contain any seeds. It’s okay to eat it once in a while, but not every day for its Fiber-rich and nutrient-dense attributes.
What Are Okra’s Negative Effects?
There are a few negative sides of okra:
- Because it is tough to digest, eating too much of it might cause intestinal obstructions.
- Bearded dragons may also try to eat full okra pods, which can cause oral and esophageal injuries.
How much veggies should I give the Bearded Dragon?
Baby beardie – Feed your baby bearded dragon’s 80 percent living things like crickets and grubs and just 20% vegetables. Only feed them greens 3-4 times a week, including veggies.
Juveniles-Increase the vegetable portions to 40% while lowering the amount of animal food source to 60% if your bearded dragons are juveniles. Plants should be given to these creatures at least four times each week.
Adults — The diet of adult bearded lizards should consist of 80% daily vegetables and 20% feeder insects such as crickets, Calci-worms, Silkworms, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworms, Roaches, and other insects. Give them vegetables on a daily basis.
How Should I feed Okra to Bearded Dragon?
• First of all, get fresh okra from the store.
• Then clean them thoroughly and make sure there isn’t any toxic element on it
• After that cut them to pieces and take out the seeds.
• And now finally you can serve the okra to your bearded dragon
What vegetables are safe for bearded dragons?
• Acorn squash.
• Asparagus (Raw)
• Artichoke Heart.
• Bell Peppers (Raw)
• Bok choy.
• Butternut squash.
• Cabbage (Raw)
• Carrots.
• Celery
• Tomato
• Radish
• Mizuna
• Cauliflower
• Dandelions
• Parsnips
• Potato
• Sweet potatoes
• Rhubarb
• Turnips greens
• Corn and sweetcorn
• Swiss chard
• Acorn, butternut, and yellow squash
• Soybeans
Conclusion
So finally, we are at the end of the line. So, can bearded dragons eat okra? Yes, they can. Are they an excellent food source for your bearded dragon? Not really. We have suggested some great food source too. So, you can feed okra along with them. If you want and don’t have any other option, only then you can feed okra independently. However, we won’t suggest you to feed okra on a daily basis though. So be careful when you select the diet of your bearded dragon.