Can Bearded Dragons Eat Stink Bugs? (Answered)

Despite their quiet nature, bearded dragons can make great pets. The bearded dragon is known as a gentle animal and they can form bonds with children.

In fact, kids love that bearded dragons are the most docile of all the pet creatures.

Not to mention, most people love having a bearded dragon because they’re easy to handle and all they need are care, attention, and food.

In this article, we’re going to answer the question–do bearded dragons eat stink bugs or not?

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Can Bearded Dragons Eat Stink Bugs?

If you have bearded dragons, you need to make sure they don’t eat stink bugs. Insects such as stink bugs contain chemicals that are semi-toxic to bearded dragons and can cause harm through parasites and pesticides.

Remember, keep your bearded dragons from eating not just stink bugs but any wild insects as well.

You should know that stink bugs carry a smell that’s harmful to bearded dragons. The chemicals they emit can also harm bearded dragons, leading to health complications.

Bearded dragons are only semi-toxic to stink bugs, so they won’t end up in serious danger, but if they consume the insects it could put them at risk for illness.

It is possible for bearded dragons to be very susceptible to the parasites that come from stink bugs.

These parasites reside on the bearded dragons’ skin and produce their offspring there.

That’s why you need to keep your bearded dragons in an area where there are no flies, mosquitos, or any other kind of bug.

To avoid introducing any potentially harmful bugs into your bearded dragon’s diet, always buy packaged bugs intended for the bearded dragon’s food.

Unfortunately for any potential pet owners, it can be very tough for them not to feed their dragons stink bugs. Keeping them in a controlled environment is the best way to keep them safe.

If a bearded dragon has ingested a stink bug, it must be taken to the veterinarian immediately.

The longer this is allowed to go untreated, the worse the health of your bearded dragon can get. That said, there’s always hope for a full recovery.

Baby bearded dragons:

Baby bearded dragons can’t eat stink bugs. It is best to avoid giving stink bugs to your baby bearded dragons altogether because they can cause health complications.

Are Stink Bugs Harmful For My Bearded Dragons?

Yes, stink bugs are very harmful for bearded dragons. Bearded dragons are toxic to stink bugs.

Stink bugs also become diseased by eating insecticides and parasites that the stink bugs spread. Bearded dragons can suffer from a number of diseases caused by parasites.

We scientists have found that both stink bugs and pesticides they carry can negatively affect the health of your bearded dragons.

Not only do stink bugs contain these pesticides, but so do many other wild bugs. While eating any type of bug isn’t great for bearded dragons, it’s even worse when the bugs contain pesticides.

You should always avoid letting your bearded dragons eat stink bugs. It can lead to complex, hard-to-treat health complications.

5 Reasons Why Bearded Dragons Cannot Consume Stink Bugs

Bearded dragons cannot eat stink bugs for a variety of reasons most of which involve health complications.

The vets recommend against giving your bearded dragons stink bugs because it can cause problems to their health. Stink bugs cannot be eaten by bearded dragons for these reasons:

Semi-Toxic:

It has been found that bearded dragons can be a bit toxic for stink bugs, therefore, the stink bug’s disgusting smell may cause its own illnesses. It has been observed that the chemicals on the skin of stink bugs can make it sick.

Parasites:

Parasites are small animals that live in or on other animals. They’re often difficult to see with the naked eye and feed off their hosts, causing them harm. Parasites carried by stink bugs can be extremely harmful to bearded dragons.

These parasites can cause many health problems, and even enter their bloodstream if the dragon has a bite from these bugs on their skin for too long.

Plus, the parasites can also create serious stomach problems for the dragon.

Impactions:

If a bearded dragon ingests stink bugs, it can be detrimental to their health. In these sorts of cases, taking the dragon to the veterinarian is the best course of action.

Chemicals:

It is vital for your bearded dragon’s health to avoid unnecessary chemicals, so doing a detox regularly can be beneficial. Poor diet and stress create toxins in the body that need to be eliminated.

It is important to mention that the stink bugs carry substances that are very harmful to bearded dragons. These chemicals can lead to many different types of diseases, as well as bigger issues.

Change of diet:

Some bearded dragons like stink bugs while others don’t. But if they do like them, they won’t eat any other type of meal.

This means that if you have a stubborn bearded dragon, don’t give it any wild bugs to eat or it will never want anything else!

Is It Harmful If Your Bearded Dragon Eats A Stink Bug?

It kind of goes without saying: Beardies should not eat stink bugs. They’re toxic and can make your bearded dragon very ill or even kill them, depending on the level of exposure.

It’s important that you take whatever measures are necessary to avoid this outcome – which we’ll get into in a future blog post.

But for now, we wanted to touch on the possibility of a bearded dragon eating a stink bug, what happens if they do, and some steps you can take to mitigate the potential damage:

In the event that your bearded dragon eats a stink bug, it will vomit and get sick.

The beardie can’t digest the stink bug because there are chemicals on the stink bug’s body.

Attached to the stink bug is a parasite that might trigger more serious complications.

You need to go to the vet as soon as you possibly can after your bearded dragon eats a stink bug. You have to take the medications suggested by your vet, and follow the vet’s advice.

What Bugs Are Poisonous To Bearded Dragons?

There are many bugs that are harmful to bearded dragons. Some of the names of these insects include fireflies, glow worms, and lightning bugs.

However, these bugs aren’t the only ones to be wary of because there are blue-ringed octopuses and some other bugs with neurotoxins that will do harm to your pet if eaten.

Fireflies:

Fireflies are those little things that bring me joy and wonder. Bearded dragons are poisoned by fireflies.

Your bearded dragon should not eat the chemical that makes the bug glow because it is very poisonous.

It is important to take your bearded dragon right away to the veterinanian if it has eaten fireflies.

Worms:

The most important thing for you to know about worms is that they can be dangerous to bearded dragons.

Worms can lead to problems with digestion, which means that the bearded dragons should not eat them at all.

If your bearded dragon has eaten worms and you notice any symptoms of complication, you should get it to the vet as soon as possible.

Wasps or bees:

Bearded dragons eat wasps or bees at their peril because they can become very toxic.

Beards with these insects should not be fed by any means or they may become poisonous and can kill bearded dragons.

Ways To Prevent Bearded Dragons From Eating Stink Bugs

There are many ways to prevent bearded dragons from eating stink bugs.

One way to prevent your bearded dragon from eating stink bugs is by making sure it has everything it needs in its enclosure.

This includes good ventilation, places to climb and a space that’s big enough and tall enough so your pet doesn’t feel like it’s trapped.

Other ways to keep your bearded dragon away from stink bugs are by not handling your bearded dragon when they’re hungry or having poop on their hands.

Not allowing them to eat dead prey or hunt live prey, keeping them out of areas where the stink bugs might be and separating the male from the female for about 30 days after she lays an egg.

Controlled environment:

One of the keys to keeping your bearded dragon healthy is providing a controlled environment.

This will help make sure that it eats and drinks only what you offer, and will prevent insects or other bugs from entering.

As long as you have a closed enclosure for your bearded dragon, it can live inside or outside.

Diet change:

Most bearded dragons are stubborn, so if they get a taste of stink bugs, they might not eat anything else. This can lead to changes in your bearded dragon’s diet.

You should never let your bearded dragon eat any stink bugs. If they eat one anyway, you should make sure it doesn’t eat another and also treat it with a delicious meal every day.

You can also keep its interest away from other bugs by offering up tasty meals.

Final Thoughts:

Bearded dragons cannot eat stink bugs because they contain chemicals, parasites, and pesticides.

The stink bugs also pose the risk of causing serious stomach problems as well as health problems to bearded dragons.

In order to prevent bearded dragons from getting sick from stink bugs, you should keep them away from them.