What to Feed a Bearded Dragon
Insects or greens, pellets or gels: how a bearded dragon's diet changes with age, and the calcium it can't do without.
A bearded dragon's diet changes as it grows, and that's most of the answer. Prepared pellets and gels make feeding much easier, but they're one part of the diet. Insects, fresh greens and calcium powder are the rest.
Insects or greens? It depends on age
| Age | Insects | Plants (greens + prepared food) | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under a year | about 70% | about 30% | Every day |
| Adult | about 30% | about 70% | Every other day |
These are Exo Terra's published numbers, the only maker that gives them, and they match our own bearded dragon care sheet. Keep fruit to an occasional treat. An adult kept mostly on insects tends to get overweight.
Comparing prepared foods
| Food | Life stage | Protein | Fat | Fiber | Calcium | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo Med Bearded Dragon Food – Adult Formula | Adult | 16% min | 2.5% min | 16% max | 0.8–1.2% | 0.4% min |
| Zoo Med Bearded Dragon Food – Juvenile Formula | Juvenile | 24% min | 2.5% min | 13% max | 0.8–1.2% | 0.5% min |
| Zoo Med Adult Dragon Food | Adult | 19% min | 2.5% min | 20% max | 1.3–1.6% | 0.5% min |
| Zoo Med Juvenile Dragon Food | Juvenile | 29% min | 3% min | 13% max | 1.7–2.0% | 0.5% min |
| Exo Terra Soft Pellets Adult | Adult | 18% min | 4% min | 12% max | 0.8–1.2% | 0.5% min |
| Exo Terra Soft Pellets Juvenile | Juvenile | 30% min | 4% min | 12% max | 0.8–1.2% | 0.5% min |
| Repashy Beardie Buffet (gel) | All | 34% min | 6% min | 7% max | 1.5% min | not listed |
| Hikari Dragon Delite | Sub-adult and adult | 24% min | 3% min | 10% max | not listed | 0.3% min |
| Arcadia OmniGold (gel) | All | 31% min | 7% min | 6% max | not listed | not listed |
Figures are each maker's guaranteed analysis. Some brands, including Fluker's and Zilla, don't publish one we could read, so they aren't in the table.
Zoo Med makes two different adult foods. "Bearded Dragon Food – Adult Formula" and "Adult Dragon Food" have different calcium and fiber. If your dragon is used to one, stick with that one or switch slowly.
How to feed
- Moisten dry pellets. A splash of warm water for a few minutes. One maker requires it, others make it optional. We do it for every dragon, because a dry pellet and a dragon that rarely drinks is a bad mix.
- Use a shallow dish or flat stone. Never scatter food on loose substrate. A dragon that grabs food off sand swallows sand with it.
- Take out uneaten food at the end of the day.
- Mix gels as the label says. Usually one part powder to two or three parts hot water, cooled before serving.
- Keep insects in the plan, dusted with calcium and fed a good gut-load first.
- Fresh greens every day for an adult.
Safety
- Insect size: no bigger than the space between your dragon's eyes.
- Check the age on the label. Some foods aren't meant for hatchlings under about 8 inches, and some adult blends aren't for juveniles.
- No wild-caught insects. They can carry parasites and garden chemicals.
- Smells off? Throw it out.
Keeping it fresh
| Type | After opening |
|---|---|
| Dry pellets | Cool, dry cupboard, lid closed |
| Canned food and insects | Fridge, about a week |
| Mixed gel | Fridge up to two weeks, freezer up to six months |
If the label doesn't say, treat anything wet as good for about a week in the fridge.
What else you'll need
- Calcium powder without D3. Dust insects at most feedings, especially for a young dragon. No pellet replaces this.
- A reptile multivitamin, used on a schedule.
- Gut-load for the insects. An insect is only as nutritious as its last meal.
- A shallow dish or flat slab.
- UVB lighting. Calcium only works if your dragon gets good UVB. See the care sheet.
Quick answers
The bag says complete. Can I just feed this? For an adult, a good prepared food plus fresh greens and insects a couple of times a week is a healthy routine. For a growing dragon, no. Juveniles need lots of insects. There's also no official nutrition standard for reptile food the way there is for dog and cat food, so "complete" on a reptile label isn't a certified claim.
Do I still need calcium powder? Yes, especially for a juvenile.
Can I stop buying crickets? You can cut way back for an adult. A juvenile still needs plenty, and chasing live insects is good exercise at any age.
Should I soak pellets? We recommend it: a little warm water for a few minutes.
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Reviewed by our team 2026-11-05. Nutrition figures are each maker's published guaranteed analysis.
