Can Bearded Dragons Eat Roaches / Cockroaches? 4 Benefits | Full Guide

Bearded dragons are one of the most adorable and best types of pets to have. But, after having these adorable beardies as a pet, the most significant concern for pet owners is feeding them and taking care of them. Pet owners often need clarification about food items to feed their bearded pet dragons. 

Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning pet owners can serve their beardies with plant items and insects. But, most pet owners are often confused about the wide range of insects to serve. 

One of the questions that most pet owners have is: Can bearded dragons eat roaches? The answer is yes! Pet owners can serve their pet beardies with roaches, as they are highly beneficial for beardies in terms of nutrition, growth, health, and much more. 

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Roaches / Cockroaches?

Yes! Bearded dragons can eat roaches, and they love the taste of cockroaches. Some pet owners may consider roaches stinky and dangerous insects; however, they are a great source of nutrients for bearded pet dragons. Like cricket and centipedes, roaches contain several nutritional elements, such as proteins, fats, calcium, and vitamins. 

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Roaches?

The number of roaches to be fed to bearded dragons mostly depends on the roaches’ size and age of bearded dragons. One can understand this through an example of Dubia roaches. If the length of Dubia roaches is 2″, then pet owners can feed their bearded dragons with 4-5 of them. 

If pet owners are trying to feed their baby pet beardies, they should feed them with more Dubia roaches. Pet owners can serve up to 20-25 roaches for baby bearded dragons. But, the length of those roaches should be tinier. 

What Kind of Roaches Can Bearded Dragons Eat?

There is a wide range of options among the roaches to serve! But bearded dragons love to eat a few selected ones from them; one of them is Dubia roaches, and the other one among the roaches is Giant islander roaches. 

Pet owners can feed their baby bearded dragons with Dubia roaches, and they love feeding on those. Baby bearded dragons can eat only 1/4th of Dubia roaches. So, pet owners should only feed their pet beardies with that much. Adult dragons can eat a whole of Dubia roaches. Pet owners should look for a few significant things while feeding their pet beardies. 

4 Benefits of Roaches for Bearded Dragons 

1: Beardies Love the Taste of Roaches 

Bearded dragons love eating roaches because of their taste. Taking advantage of this part, pet owners can serve their pets other healthy foods with cockroaches. And then, no food items will be ignored by beardies.

2: Roaches Consist of Proteins 

Roaches are a great source of protein for bearded dragons. And this is one of the most significant benefits of feeding roaches to pet beardies. Some of the species of roaches have the extent of 50% of proteins in them. 

3: Roaches are Also a Good Source of Fat 

Along with every essential nutrient, fats are also significant for bearded dragons to consume. Roaches are also a promising source of fat, and all these nutrients are crucial for the growth and living of bearded dragons. 

4: Roaches Contain Other Additional Nutrients Too 

Apart from the protein and fat content, roaches are also a rich source of other nutrients. Some species of roaches, such as the Dubia roach, are rich in calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, and much more.

4 Risks of Feeding Roaches to Bearded Dragons 

Apart from the benefits, there are certain risks too, which are to be followed by the pet owners. 

1: Roaches are Very Pricey 

Cockroaches are way more pricey to feed in comparison to other insects. Pet owners can think of feeding their bearded pet dragons with roaches and other insects such as crickets, worms, and a lot more. 

2: Roaches are Not So Easy to Get 

Roaches are insects that are a bit difficult to find, and then feed them to the pet beardies! There are even very few shops where one can get these. However, one can explore online websites to find roaches for their pet beardies.

3: Roaches are the Special Harvested Ones 

For a time, one may think that they can feed their bearded pet dragons with any roaches, even the ones they find at their homes! However, this is not the case. There are specific roaches that are made especially for feeding, and it is the point where pet owners have to be very attentive. They should never feed their adorable bearded dragons with poisonous wild roaches.

4: Roaches Can Bite 

When not handled properly, roaches can bite the one who will handle them, and even they can bite bearded dragons. So, pet owners should be cautious about this. 

How to Feed Roaches to Your Bearded Dragons?

Before feeding bearded pet dragons with roaches, pet owners should shake the packet first, and shaking the bag of roaches will add nutrients to the Dubia roaches. Pet owners should always try to feed their pet beardies with fresh roaches, and they can also feed them with other food items or feed them alone. 

Conclusion 

Now that we can answer the question, can bearded dragons eat roaches? We can conclude that roaches are one of the most balanced nutritious food for bearded pet dragons. These are also easy to store so one can serve their adorable beardies for a long time once stored. Roaches are food elements that are also digested easily by bearded dragons. Pet owners can consider these a great food selection for their pet beardies and are also essential for baby bearded dragons in their growth phase. 

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