I LIVE IN FLORIDA WHERE I KEEP MY BEARDED DRAGON IN AN OUTSIDE ENCLOSURE. I NOTICED TODAY THAT WILD ANOLES ARE ENTERING THE ENCLOSURE AND MY BEARDIE ATE THEM. I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS EATEN THEM BEFORE. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF EATING ANOLES CAN BE HARMFUL TO A BEARDIE. I KNOW OTHER HERPS EAT THEM, AND I KNOW OF THE RISK OF PARASITES. HE REALLY SEEMED TO LIKE IT. THANKS
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
BEARDED DRAGON EATING ANOLES
HANGGLIDERPILOT
Oct 10, 2004 01:40 PM
Replies (4)
dmlove
Oct 10, 2004 10:22 PM
Bad Idea. Not only is the parasites a baaad baaad thing, your beardie can also get impacted really bad by them, especially if he is not a full grown adult. These lizards cannot digest BONE, and they can most likely DIE very soon, the bones will build up and cause blockage, maybe just with one anole. I would get him to a vet immediatly for an X-ray to make sure he is alright, and then anole proof your outdoor cage.
-----
KDRKreatures.com
Exotic Reptile Breeders - Specializing in Bearded Dragons
hanggliderpilot
Oct 11, 2004 06:44 AM
Beardies can eat fuzzy mice. Digesting a small anole shouldn't be a problem if they can eat fuzzys. He is eating voraciously and in great health, with no ill side effects from eating the anole. Thanks for the misinformation tho.
hanggliderpilot
Oct 11, 2004 06:45 AM
He is a full grown adult german giant with a huge appitite.
LdyPayne
Oct 11, 2004 05:05 PM
I would anole proof your cage as any wild animal can carry parasites and contaminants. You don't know what that anole has been eating or where it was before it became dragon food. It may have ran through a field sprayed with insecticides (or eaten insects that just did), or other poisons. If your dragon eats one of these contaminated anoles, then it would also suffer from the poison.
Anoles are not a recommended food for bearded dragons, even pinky mice are not recommended as a frequent food. Most adult dragons are only fed pinky mice when they need fattening up after having clutches or recovering from illness.
With your dragon currently showing no ill effects from his free meal, I wouldn't worry about the anoles he has already eaten. Just keep an eye on things to make sure there are no problems in a few days. No need to wait till something bad happens to decide letting your dragon eat anoles was a bad ideal.
