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Can Beardies eat rose petals? (Is it dangerous)

When you are looking after your Beardie, understanding what to feed him is key (Click here to see what you should be feeding him), you may be wondering if Rose petals are even a consideration…

Can you feed your Bearded dragon rose petals? Yes, you can feed your Bearded Dragon rose petals. But, there is a risk of pesticides, fertilizers, and parasites that may reside on it. Read on to see how to mitigate this.

Now that you know, at a high level, that you can feed your Beardie rose petals, is it really something that you should be considering? or is it really something to offer him occasionally? Read on to learn more.

What is a rose petal?

Before we think about or wonder if our Beardies can eat this stuff, we should get a better understanding of what Rose petal is. I won’t insult your intelligence, I am sure you are aware of what it is from a high level.

But, do you know what nutritional benefits it has, what family, genus, and the native country it is typically found in? Exactly! So, for that reason, let me explain that in this section.

Origins & family

According to Wikipedia, the Rose petal is part of the Rose plant, which is a perennial flowering plant. It is part of the Genus, Rosa. And, its family is known as Rosaceae. It is native to Asia but sometimes found in Europe.

Love Association

As you may know, the Rose petal is typically associated with love. It is, in fact, one of the many symbols of love, along with the heart. For that reason, it is often sold heavily during Valentine’s day.

And, for this reason, it is typically listed at a premium price in comparison to other flowers such as carbonation, etc.

What is the nutritional benefits of a rose petal?

You may be wondering if a flower, such as a rose petal, or a Marigold has any real nutritional benefits. So, for that reason in the section, I will explain its nutritional benefits, the vitamins that can be found in it, and how it used by professional cooks and in Chinese medicine.

The reality is, there is a limited nutritional analysis that has been done on Rose petals. As you can imagine, its not strictly a known food source for us humans, even though it can be used as this.

It is 95% water-based, so there is very little nutrition or calories that can be gained from these petals. However, it does contain vitamin A & C, phosphorus, iron, calcium & potassium.

Rose petals and also Rosehips are used in cooking and by professional chefs. Obviously, not at the main food ingredient, but added to delicious meals during preparation.

In addition to this, it can also be found in Chinese medicine. This is mainly to help with digestive issues or even pain management.

So in summary, although there is no big list of nutrients, there is clearly some benefits with rose petals. Not to mention that it is known to have a sweet taste.

What are the dangers of Beardies eating flowers?

Although I have mentioned that there are some nutritional benefits with rose petals. There are some dangers to consider. So, in this section, I will explain why some people say that you should avoid feeding your Bearded Dragon Rose petals and how these risks can be mitigated if you are still keen to use them.

Fertilizers, pesticides, and parasites

The biggest concern with Rose petals is the fertilizers, pesticides, and parasites that may be on them. Strictly speaking, this is not really the Rose petals fault, but a man-made issue. So, the petal itself is not the problem here, are you with me?

Why Fertilizers are used on Rose petals

You may be wondering why fertilizers are used if they are harmful to Bearded Dragons and other animals, including us humans, right?

This is a big debate in itself and could warrant a whole website dedicated to it to cover all the arguments. But, in a nutshell, it speeds up the growth of the crops and is used in modern ar=griculture for faster profits, basically.

Why are pesticides used on Rose petals

Similar to fertilizers, pesticides are harmful to Beardies, us humans, and other animals. They are also an area of hot debate. But, they are used for pest control while crops are growing. Such as rats, mice, ticks, etc.

How can you mitigate these risks

If you want to avoid fertilizers, pesticides, etc. The only real way to control the growth of fresh Rose petals is to grow it yourself. As you can imagine not many people can be bothered to do this, well, not on a large scale anyway. Especially when you may only use it for a small portion of your Beardies diet (more on this later).

Also, there are other challenges that present themselves if you try and grow these things. Such as the same parasites, rats, mice, etc. How will they control them naturally? I will let you decide.

Are Bearded dragons built to eat flowers?

As you may be debating the use of Rose petals, it is a good idea to understand if Bearded Dragons should really be eating Rose petals, or flowers in general, right? So, let me explain what the majority of their diet should be, how the ratio of their diet chances, based on age, and how Rose petals should factor into their diet.

A Bearded Dragons Diet

A Bearded dragon is typically known for eating insects such as crickets. But the reality is, they eat a variety of food items. And this ratio largely depends on their age.

Juveniles will eat more insects than an adult beardie (more on this later). So, you would expect an Adult to consume more fruit, such as bananas, veg, and some flowers, such as dandelions. But, they are really regarded as a treat, rather than a staple part of their diet, are you with me?

How do you feed your Beardie rose petals?

Now that you understand the nutritional benefits of rose petals and some of the dangers associated with it. It is worth understanding how to feed him rose petals if you wish to proceed. So, in this section, I will share with you exactly how to do this, what considerations you need for his age, the ideal ratio of food, and more.

Distinguish if he is juvenile or adult

Earlier I mentioned that his age is important. This is because, depending on his age, you will need to consider a different ratio of food. Either way, adult or Juvenile, you will not feed him 100% rose petals, so you can forget that.

What is a juvenile? A Juvenile is any Bearded Dragon under 8 months old, but obviously they have already hatched though

How much Insects, Fruit & veg do they consume?

These juveniles will typically consume more insects than an adult Beardie. In fact, you can expect the juvenile to consume approx 70% insects and the remaining 30 percent is a combination of fruit and veg (including some rose petals if needed).

Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to consume approx 30% insects, with the remaining being fruit, veg, and/or flowers (including rose petals).

Preparation & combining

The idea is you need to offer your Beardie these food items as a combination. So, you will first prepare the insects, by first adding supplementation. This is, for example, a calcium supplementation, and offer them as usual.

Chop up the required fruit and veg. As for the rose petals, you should chop these up as well. And offer them together.

Monitor what he consumed

After you have fed him, the job does not end there. You need to monitor what he eats and most importantly, what he leaves behind. Why? Well, you need to check if he really likes the rose petals or not.

Also, in general, how is his eating habits? Is he off his food? Or maybe he gobbled it up really quick and searching for more? Either way, you need to observe, check, and adjust his diet based on the feedback you get here.

Related Questions:

In this section, I will answer some questions related to Bearded dragons food and feeding them in general. If you have more questions please contact me.

Q: Should you hand feed your Bearded Dragon?

Yes, you can hand-feed your Bearded Dragon. They are relatively friendly reptiles. Naturally, they may reluctant but after years of domestication, Beardies have become used to human contact.

Q: What type of insects do Bearded Dragons usually eat?

Bearded Dragons can eat many different insects including Calci Worms, crickets, Dubai roaches, and more. They generally like live prey. The stimulation of movement usually triggers them to eat.

Q: What vegetables do Bearded Dragons eat?

Bearded dragons eat many vegetables including Kale, collard greens, and pumpkin. There are some that Beardies should avoid, such as onions though. So, you can’t just throw anything into their plate and expect them to eat it.