Bearded dragons are omnivorous lizards that eat a mix of insects, vegetables, and a small amount of fruit, with the balance changing as they grow (younger = more insects, adults = more greens).

Quick Scoop

Core Diet Idea

  • Babies/juveniles: Mostly protein from live insects, with some chopped greens on the side.
  • Adults: Mostly leafy greens and vegetables, with insects as supplements a few times a week.

What Do Bearded Dragons Eat?

In the Wild

In the wild, bearded dragons eat whatever they can find: insects, plants, and sometimes small vertebrates. Common wild foods include:

  • Insects and invertebrates: termites, crickets, beetles, worms.
  • Plant matter: leaves, flowers, and some fruit.
  • Occasionally: small rodents or lizards if they can catch them.

This opportunistic, omnivorous pattern is why pet beardies also need both animal and plant foods.

What Pet Bearded Dragons Eat (Day‑to‑Day)

1. Insects & Animal Protein

Common, safe feeder insects (always live, never wild‑caught):

  • Crickets (very common staple).
  • Dubia roaches.
  • Soldier fly larvae / black soldier fly larvae.
  • Hornworms and silkworms.
  • Mealworms, superworms, waxworms (usually treats because of high fat or harder shells).

Key notes:

  • Juveniles may have insects as ~50–70% of their diet for growth.
  • Adults usually have insects around 20–30% of the diet; some guidelines suggest 20% insects and 80% plants.
  • Insects should be “gut‑loaded” (fed nutritious food) before being offered.

2. Vegetables & Greens

Bearded dragons should get a daily salad, especially as adults, made mostly of leafy greens with some veggies mixed in. Examples include:

  • Leafy greens: collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens.
  • Other vegetables: bell peppers, cabbage, celery, peeled cucumber, zucchini, squash, carrots (in moderation).

Many care guides recommend adult beardies eat about 70–80% salad greens, plus additional vegetables daily.

3. Fruit (Small Treat Portion)

Fruit is generally a small part of the diet, more like a topping for salads than a main course. Examples of commonly used fruits:

  • Apples (no seeds), strawberries, grapes, melons, peaches, raisins.

Most veterinary and pet‑care sources advise only 2–5% of the diet as fruit for adults, given once in a while.

Age‑Based Diet Overview

[1][7][9][3] [7][9][1][3] [9][3][7] [3][7][9]
Life stage Insects share Plant share Notes
Juvenile (<12 months) About 50–70% insects for protein and growth.About 30–50% greens/veggies.Offer several small insect feedings plus daily salad.
Adult Roughly 20–30% insects.About 70–80% salad greens and vegetables.Insects a few times per week; salad every day.

Simple Example Day (Adult Beardie)

  • Morning: Big salad of collard and mustard greens with some grated squash and a few pieces of bell pepper.
  • Evening (3–4x per week): A portion of gut‑loaded dubia roaches or crickets, sized no larger than the space between the dragon’s eyes.
  • Twice a week: Tiny topping of chopped fruit like strawberry or apple (no seeds) on the salad.

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TL;DR: Bearded dragons eat a mix of live insects, leafy greens, vegetables, and a little fruit; babies need more bugs, adults need more salad, and variety plus proper balance keep them healthy.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.