What Do Bearded Dragons Eat: Diet Guide and Best Foods

Bearded dragons are brilliant little characters, but what you put in the bowl makes a bigger difference than most new keepers expect. So, what do bearded dragons eat? 

A pet bearded dragon needs a diverse diet that shifts with age: young beardies lean more heavily on insects for growth, while mature ones transition to mostly plants with greens and common staple vegetables forming the backbone of the menu. Get that balance right, alongside the right vitamins and minerals dose, and you’ll support steady digestion, good body condition, and help reduce the risk of nutrition-related problems.

In this blog, we’ll break down what to feed your beardie at each life stage, what’s best as a daily staple, what should be kept as an occasional treat, and what to avoid, plus simple feeding tips to keep meals safe and fuss-free.

Bearded Dragon Diet Fundamentals

A solid bearded dragon diet supports steady growth, smooth digestion, and long-term wellbeing. The goal is simple: balance insects with plant foods, tweak that balance as they age, and rotate safe options so they’re not missing key nutrients.

Omnivorous Nature of Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragons are true omnivores, so they need both animal and plant-based foods. Live insects bring protein and energy, while leafy greens and veg provide fibre plus essential vitamins and minerals. Young dragons typically need more insects to fuel growth; adults do best with a plant-heavy menu to help maintain a healthy weight. We advise against wild-caught insects, as they can carry parasites or be exposed to chemicals.

Common options include:

• Insects: crickets, locusts, dubia roaches, silkworms, Calci worms, mealworms

• Plant foods: Spring greens, curly kale, rocket, collard greens, dandelion greens, courgette, parsnips, squash, bell peppers

Nutritional Balance and Dietary Ratios

The right ratio is the backbone of feeding bearded dragons well, and it should be based on age and size, not just what they “prefer”.

Keep insect portions controlled to avoid weight gain over time, and offer greens daily even if they’re ignored at first. Calcium and mineral supplementation also matters for strong bones and overall health. 

Tip: Adding bee pollen helps support immune health, growth and reproduction.

Importance of Variety in Diet

Variety helps prevent nutritional gaps and keeps feeding time interesting for beardies.

Easy ways to mix it up:

• Combine a few chopped vegetables/greens into one salad

• Rotate insect types through the week

What Insects Can Bearded Dragons Eat?

Bearded dragons can eat a wide range of insects, but they don’t all offer the same nutritional value. For healthy growth and digestion, especially in young bearded dragons, focus on high-quality feeder insects, keep fatty options as treats, and match prey size to your dragon (as a rule, nothing bigger than the space between the dragon’s head/eyes).

Good Feeder Insects and Staples

Build most meals around reliable bearded dragon food staples you can buy from pet stores or trusted suppliers. We recommend varying the insects you offer so your dragon isn’t relying on one food source.

Common staple feeder insects include:

• Live crickets: widely available and encourage natural hunting behaviour

• Live locust: different in colour and provides enrichment due them jumping

Treat Insects to be Fed in Moderation

Some options are fine occasionally, but they’re not ideal as the main diet because they’re fatty, less balanced, or harder to digest. Be particularly careful when feeding baby dragons and smaller bearded dragons.

These more indulgent treats should be used sparingly:

• Mealworms: tougher outer shell and low in calcium

• Superworms: high fat/energy; better as an occasional treat

• Waxworms: very fatty, easy to overdo

• Butter worms: tempting, but not a staple

• Hornworms: high moisture; useful as an occasional “hydration boost” rather than a daily feeder

• Silkworms: low fat and gentle on the digestive system

• Calci worms (Black soldier fly larvae): naturally higher in calcium, useful for supporting bone health

• Dubia roaches: great protein, easy to digest, and generally low odour. These can be fed as a regular treat to adult beardies.

Overusing treat insects can contribute to weight gain and nutritional imbalance, and long-term issues like metabolic bone disease if calcium intake and UVB support are lacking.

Gut Loading and Supplementation

Even “healthy-looking” insects often fall short on calcium. Gut load feeders for 24-48 hours before use (think dark leafy greens and veg, plus a quality gut-load diet), then dust insects with calcium powder. We offer a range of insect gels and foods to increase the lifespan of your live feeders.

Whether you use calcium with vitamin D3 depends on your lighting. If your setup provides strong UVB, you may not need D3 every feed. In general, calcium is used more often than multivitamins as part of a sensible diet plan. See our blog on How to Look After Your Live Food for more information.

Plant Foods: Vegetables and Greens

For an adult dragon, plant foods should make up the bulk of the diet. This is also closer to what they’ll practically eat over time in a natural environment, where they pick at wild plants alongside animal matter.

Staple Vegetables and Greens

Base daily meals around nutrient-dense greens, then rotate in veg for variety. Good staples include:

• Rocket (arugula), collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens

• Romaine lettuce (better as part of a mix, not the only green)

Add veg a few times a week, such as sweet potato, butternut squash, courgette, and carrots. Avoid feeding watery salads such as iceberg lettuce as everyday staples, and keep them in the rotation rather than the base.

Serving Suggestions and Preparation

Wash everything well, then chop into bite sized pieces (smaller than the space between the eyes). This helps prevent choking and makes meals easier to take, especially if your dragon eats enthusiastically. 

If you use loose substrate, feed from a bowl or on a feeding surface to reduce the chance they inadvertently ingest substrate. Keep water bowls topped up and clean.

Diet by Life 3 Life Stages

Bearded dragons don’t eat the same way forever. As they grow, their calorie needs drop and their plant intake rises, so adjusting the balance by age helps avoid slow growth, obesity, and common bone issues.

1. Baby Bearded Dragon Diet

Baby dragons are in full “grow mode”, so they need frequent meals and lots of protein. Aim to feed 2-3 times per day.

2. Juvenile Bearded Dragon Diet

Juveniles still need plenty of protein, but this is where you start nudging them towards a more balanced routine. Feed once or twice daily, depending on size and appetite.

3. Adult Bearded Dragon Diet

Adults should be mostly plant-fed, with insects as a smaller top-up. Feed a few times per week (or every other day) based on body condition.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one takeaway from this guide, it’s that consistency beats perfection. A simple bearded dragon diet chart can help you keep the balance right week to week: for older bearded dragons, aim for around 80% veg/greens and 20% live food, then tweak portions to suit your pet’s condition and appetite. Keep salads varied, use staple feeder insects, and stay on top of calcium/UVB so you’re supporting strong bones and long-term wellbeing. 

If you’d like a hand tailoring a diet plan or choosing the right feeders and supplements for your setup, the team at Reptile Centre is always happy to help with practical, keeper-friendly reptile care advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ideal diet for a bearded dragon?

A bearded dragon needs a mix of insects and plant foods, and the balance shifts as they grow. Young dragons generally do best with a higher proportion of live insects for growth, while adults should eat mostly leafy greens and vegetables to support healthy weight and long-term wellbeing. Use your dragon’s age, size, and body condition as your guide, and keep meals varied rather than repeating the same items daily.

Are there any fruits that bearded dragons can eat?

Fruit is not required or a normal part of the diet and any acidic sugary fruits can cause dental or dietary issues. Blueberries cut into small pieces can be fed as a very rare treat, but on the whole, it’s best to avoid fruit in their diet.

What foods should be avoided when feeding a bearded dragon?

Avoid anything toxic or risky, including avocado and rhubarb. Dairy can’t digest properly and wild insects may carry parasites or pesticides. Also limit high-oxalate greens, as they can interfere with calcium use, such as spinach and beet greens.

What do bearded dragons eat in the wild, and how can I copy that at home?

In the wild, bearded dragons eat a mix of insects, leafy plants, and flowers, with younger dragons naturally eating more insects to fuel growth. At home, the goal isn’t to match wild ratios perfectly, it’s to offer the same types of foods in a safe, consistent routine: fresh greens/veg daily, live insects in age-appropriate amounts, and blueberries only as an occasional treat.