Bearded dragons make great pets since they are peaceful and low-maintenance. Bearded dragons have earned a reputation as caring pets who can form strong ties with young owners and are the tamest of the kids’ pets. Bearded dragons have delicate taste receptors, so take care while feeding them. You may already know what to feed your bearded dragon; bugs are at the top of the list.
If you ask, can bearded dragons eat June bugs? You’ll find they can, as bearded dragons, for the most part, enjoy eating insects. You can find that your pet reptiles will eat fruit or vegetables besides insects without many health concerns. However, you may wonder, at some stage, if they eat so many insects, can bearded dragons eat stink bugs?
In our guide, you can learn more about why your dragon shouldn’t eat stink bugs. In the wild, stink bugs are safe from many birds, snakes, and other insects, consuming them because of their stinky nature. By the end, if you find your bearded dragon ate a stink bug, you may need to act quickly, or they will be fine. But, at least you’ll know how not to feed your pet such insects. (Read Can Ferrets Eat Shrimp)
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Stink Bugs?
Don’t let bearded dragons eat stink bugs, as they contain semi-toxic compounds to bearded dragons. Stink bugs carry parasites and pesticides harmful to bearded dragons, so they shouldn’t eat stink bugs or wild bugs.
Parasites from stink bugs can be harmful to bearded dragons as they live on and reproduce on bearded dragons. Bearded dragons should eat store-bought bugs, not any bugs you catch in the wild.
It’s challenging to prevent bearded dragons from eating stink bugs, so they should be kept in a controlled setting. If your bearded dragon ate a stink bug, take it to the vet immediately, as your pet’s health could worsen.
Top Reasons A Bearded Dragon Can’t Eat Stink Bugs?
Bearded dragons can’t eat stink bugs for several reasons. Most reasons are health-related. Vets advocate not giving bearded dragons stink bugs since they can harm their health. Bearded dragons can’t eat stink bugs for these reasons:
1. Semi-toxic:
Bearded dragons are not immune to the semi-toxic compounds found in stink bugs. So, consuming a stink bug could lead to complex health issues, making them sick.
2. Parasites:
Stink bugs contain harmful parasites for bearded dragons. Long-time parasites on dragons’ skin can create health concerns. Parasites might give your bearded dragon stomach trouble.
3. Digestion Issues:
Impactions may occur if the bearded dragon cannot digest the stink bugs. If you take your dragon to the doctor, it will be best in this situation.
4. Chemicals:
Different types of chemicals are on these insects, animals, and bugs. They carry pesticides; thus, the stink bugs harm bearded dragons.
Bearded dragons can take a minor deadly dose from stink bugs. Stink bugs can be fatal to bearded dragons, besides making them ill.
There are toxic substances in stink bugs that can harm bearded dragons.
Reptiles that come into contact with stink bugs may have gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, as well as dermatitis. (Read Can Chickens Eat Mango Skins)
What If My Bearded Dragon Eats A Stink Bug?
Taking action is needed if bearded dragons eat a stink bug. Stink bugs can harm your bearded dragon’s health, so take precautions as soon as possible.
What happens if your bearded dragon eats a stink bug, and what can you do
Bearded dragons that eat stink bugs get sick. Chemicals on the stink bug prevent digestion, and the parasites from stink bugs infect the bearded dragon’s stomach, causing more difficulties.
You can also try to prevent your bearded dragon from absorbing most of the poisons by giving it activated charcoal as soon as possible.
How To Stop Bearded Dragons Eating Stink Bugs?
You can prevent your bearded dragon from consuming stink bugs in various ways. However, any mistake can cause significant problems for your bearded dragon. How to prevent your bearded dragon from eating stink bugs.
1. Keep Dragons In A Controlled Environment:
Bearded dragons demand controlled environments. For example, it can only eat what you offer, and other bugs can’t enter the closed chamber.
2. Change in Diet:
If bearded dragons have eaten a stink bug, they may eat nothing else. As a result, your bearded dragon’s diet may fluctuate.
Bearded dragons shouldn’t eat stink bugs, and if they eat a stink bug, ensure they don’t eat anymore and feed them worms or other insects daily. Feeding them tasty foods like worms can stop them from trying to eat harmful bugs.
What Bearded Dragons Eat Around The House?
Bearded dragons can eat various foods, including mealworms, crickets, sweet potatoes, peppers, and leafy greens. However, they can also only eat a certain amount of food at a time.
Bearded dragons are not picky eaters and will eat anything you give them. So bearded dragons aren’t too expensive to keep because their owners aren’t too picky.
To keep your bearded pet dragon healthy, feed it different foods, and young beardies should eat different things than older beardies.
As a bearded dragon grows, it is also essential to change its diet.
Here are some of the most likely things your bearded dragon will eat in your home:
- Beetles and ants.
- Dubia roaches, worms, and crickets.
- Kale, dandelion, and collard greens.
- Grapes, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, and watermelon.
Bearded dragons get a lot of nutrition from the foods listed above as part of their correct diet.
Are Stink Bugs Bad for Bearded Dragons?
Bearded dragons can get sick or die from eating semi-poisonous stink bugs. So don’t let your bearded dragon eat wild insects.
Parasites can infect stink bugs, and other wild bugs infect your dragon. Bearded dragons are extremely sensitive to parasites, so a controlled environment is vital for their health.
If you can, avoid areas where stink bugs are prevalent when you’re outside with your dragon. If stink bugs are a problem where you live, keep your dragon indoors.
Make a spray using water, dishwashing liquid, and lavender oil and spray around your house, on window sills, and especially in areas where you have noticed stink bugs. This will keep stink bugs away from your house. (Read Can Goats Eat Walnut Leaves)
If your bearded dragon eats a stink bug, immediately take it to the vet. Your bearded dragon could perish.
Some people feed their dragons wild insects and stink bugs to save money, but this could cost them more than buying them from a pet store.
Keep mesh on your dragons den as this can prevent stink bugs from flying in.
Putting your dragon’s health and life at risk to save money isn’t worth it, especially if they need vet care.
In the end, asking can bearded dragons eat such things and then feeding your dragon stink bugs and other wild insects, it could cost you money and your dragon’s life.
What If My Bearded Dragon Eats a Stink Bug?
If your bearded dragon consumes a stink bug, get them to the vet for treatment. There’s a chance that bathing your dragon frequently will aid in digestion and flush the bug from its system.
Your veterinarian may suggest special treats or foods for your bearded dragon.
Watch for sick symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, loss of appetite, pale skin, weakness, and dehydration (wrinkled and sunken eyes).
You might be surprised to learn how harmful wild bugs are to your dragon’s health.
Take measures to prevent your dragon from ingesting any additional stink bugs. However, you may take steps to prevent the likelihood of your dragon coming across a wild bug and consuming it.
