What Do Bearded Dragons Eat?

By Sean Perry, DVM

Published Jul. 9, 2026

JeannetteKatzir/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Key Takeaways

Bearded dragons are omnivores.
Juveniles eat mostly insects, while adults eat mostly vegetables.
Live insects should always be gut-loaded before feeding.
Calcium and vitamin supplements are essential.
Commercial diets should supplement—not replace—fresh foods.

Bearded Dragon Diet

Bearded dragons require a balanced diet of live insects, vegetables, and small amounts of fruit.

The exact proportions change as they mature, with young dragons eating more insects and adults eating more plant matter.

Food Type	Juveniles	Adults
Live insects	~70%	20–30%
Vegetables	20–30%	70–80%
Fruit	Small amounts	≤5%

What Insects Do Bearded Dragons Eat?

Live insects should make up about 70% of a juvenile bearded dragon's diet.

Safe feeder insects include:

Commercial crickets
Dubia roaches
Black soldier fly larvae
Hornworms
Silkworms
Mealworms
Superworms
Waxworms

All feeder insects should be gut-loaded for six to 12 hours before feeding. Gut-loading means feeding insects a nutrient-rich diet fortified with vitamins and minerals so they provide better nutrition to your bearded dragon.

What Vegetables Do Bearded Dragons Eat?

Vegetables should make up approximately 20–30% of a juvenile bearded dragon's diet and become the primary component of the diet as dragons mature.

Nutritious vegetables include:

Romaine lettuce
Green leaf lettuce
Red leaf lettuce
Turnip greens
Mustard greens
Bok choy
Dandelion greens
Collard greens
Kale
Arugula
Squash
Zucchini
Sweet potato
Broccoli
Peas
Beans
Okra
Grated carrots

What Fruits Do Bearded Dragons Eat?

Fruit should make up no more than 5% of a bearded dragon's diet.

Suitable fruits include:

Papaya
Melon
Strawberries
Blueberries
Bananas

What Supplements Do Bearded Dragons Need?

Bearded dragons need both calcium and vitamin supplements to support healthy bone development and help prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Supplement recommendations include:

Dust live feeder insects with a calcium supplement to provide adequate dietary calcium.
Provide UVB lighting so your bearded dragon can properly absorb and use calcium.
Dust feeder insects with a reptile multivitamin powder one to two times per week to help prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Using both proper supplementation and daily UVB lighting is essential for maintaining healthy bones and supporting your bearded dragon's overall health.

Commercial Diets for Bearded Dragons

Commercial bearded dragon diets can be used as a supplement, but they should not replace fresh vegetables and live insects.

Commercial diets are available for different life stages, including formulas for juvenile and adult bearded dragons.

They can be a convenient addition to a balanced diet but should always be offered alongside fresh produce and appropriately gut-loaded live insects to provide dietary variety.

One commonly recommended dry diet is Mazuri® Bearded Dragon Diet for Adults, which is formulated by animal nutritionists specifically for adult bearded dragons.

What Do Baby Bearded Dragons Eat?

Baby bearded dragons eat mostly live insects because they need extra protein to support rapid growth and development.

As they mature, their diet gradually shifts to include a larger proportion of vegetables and small amounts of fruit.

Before feeding, all live insects should be gut-loaded and dusted with the appropriate calcium or vitamin supplement to help support healthy growth and prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Foods Bearded Dragons Should Not Eat

Bearded dragons should only eat foods formulated or recommended for their species, as many foods intended for people or other pets can lead to nutritional imbalances.

Do not feed your bearded dragon:

Dog food
Cat food
Raw meat
Rabbit food
Eggs

Commercial pelleted bearded dragon diets should also not be fed as the only food source. Bearded dragons require a varied diet that includes fresh vegetables, live insects, and hydration from fresh foods.

Feeding an inappropriate or overly limited diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies and other health problems over time.

How To Feed a Bearded Dragon

How often and what you feed a bearded dragon depends on its age, with hatchlings needing frequent insect feedings and adults eating mostly vegetables.

Life Stage	Feeding Schedule
Hatchlings	Feed small meals two to three times daily, consisting primarily of appropriately sized live insects.
Juveniles	Offer salads, vegetables, and gut-loaded live insects every day.
Adults	Feed a daily diet of 70–80% salad greens, 20–30% vegetables, and 2–5% fruit, with gut-loaded live insects 3–4 times per week.

For hatchlings, feeder insects should be no larger than one-half to two-thirds the width of the bearded dragon's head. Offer salads early in life so young dragons become accustomed to eating vegetables as they mature.

Adult bearded dragons may enjoy hunting live insects in their enclosure, while others are more comfortable being offered insects with feeding tongs or tweezers.

Fresh, clean drinking water should always be available. The water dish should be large enough for your bearded dragon to soak in if needed, which can also help maintain the enclosure's recommended humidity level of 40–60%.

Bearded Dragon Diet FAQs

How often do you feed a bearded dragon?

How often you feed a bearded dragon depends on its age.

Adult bearded dragons should be offered salad greens and vegetables every day, with gut-loaded live insects provided three to four times per week.

Younger dragons require more frequent feedings and a higher proportion of insects to support growth.

Can I feed my bearded dragon dry food?

Yes. Commercial dry diets formulated specifically for bearded dragons can be offered as part of a balanced diet.

However, dry food should only supplement fresh vegetables, live insects, and other appropriate foods rather than replace them.

Can bearded dragons eat scrambled eggs?

No. Scrambled eggs and other animal-based proteins should not be fed to bearded dragons.

These foods can contribute to nutritional imbalances and are not considered an appropriate part of a healthy bearded dragon diet.

What is a bearded dragon’s favorite food?

Every bearded dragon has individual food preferences.

Some dragons particularly enjoy fruits such as strawberries, while others are most motivated by hunting live feeder insects.

What do bearded dragons eat in the wild?

Wild bearded dragons eat a varied omnivorous diet consisting of vegetation and small prey.

Their natural diet includes leaves, fruits, insects such as ants and beetles, and occasionally small lizards they are able to catch.

Can bearded dragons eat lettuce every day?

Leafy greens can be offered daily, but nutrient-rich greens such as collard greens, mustard greens, and dandelion greens are generally better staples than lettuce varieties with lower nutritional value.