Can Bearded Dragons Eat Chives?

Chives are present in almost every kitchen. If you’re like us then you may love adding chives to every dish. That’s because they are delicious. But can bearded dragons eat chives? In fact, is it possible for bearded dragons to safely eat chives? 

No. Bearded dragons can’t eat chives. That’s because chives that belong to the Allium family are toxic to bearded dragons. Apart from chives, even garlic, onions and leeks are toxic to bearded dragons. In fact, humans can develop toxicity to chives if they eat too much. That’s why bearded dragons should be prevented from ingesting chives. 

Are Chives Poisonous to Bearded Dragons?

Chives are a plant that have onion-y taste that also belong to the Allium family. This family includes onions, leeks, and garlic. All these veggies contain organosulfides. Such compounds aren’t that bad for bearded dragons, until and unless they are chewed and converted to sulfur compounds. In case your bearded dragon eats too much sulfur then their red blood cells can even break down. 

Do Bearded Dragons Like Chives?

Well, bearded dragons like food that has nutty flavor. We are sure if it’s been a long time since you have dragon, then you may know which food has this flavor. Yes, bugs. They have nutty flavor. That’s the reason bearded dragons love eating bugs. Now, chives don’t have this taste. In fact, it has an onion–y taste that bearded dragons hate to eat. According to some people, chives are similar to leeks in taste. But do dragons like eating chives?

Well, no. Bearded dragons don’t like eating chives.  The reason is its taste is similar to leeks. Bearded dragons don’t like eating fruits that have an onion-y taste. 

Do Bearded Dragons Hate Chives?

Well, some bearded dragons love eating chives. But you may find that many bearded dragons hate eating chives. That’s because they are similar to onions – a vegetable that’s really toxic to bearded dragons. 

Can Chives Kill Bearded Dragons?

A small amount of chives won’t harm your dragon. But in case your bearded dragon eat lots of chives then it’s dangerous. The reason for this is that chives are part of the Amaryllidaceae family. All the veggies included in this family are really toxic to bearded dragons. That’s because all the veggies in this family have n-propyl disulfide oxidant. 

This compound can attack red blood cells in dragon’s body and decrease its amount. This situation is really harmful. That’s because this will lead to relaxed heart muscles and dilated blood vessels in dragons. Over time, this can lower bearded dragon’s blood pressure. In fact, it can also cause circulatory issues in bearded dragons. 

Chives can also cause varying issues including vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach, as well as loss of appetite. Apart from bearded dragons, this problem happens with other reptiles too. But since bearded dragons are smaller and lighter than other reptiles, it takes less time for them to show the signs of chives toxicity. In fact, chives have so much toxicity that dragons can seriously get ill. 

So, make sure that as soon as you see the following symptoms in bearded dragons, you immediately call your vet. 

• Drool
• Loose stool
• Nausea
• Upset stomach
• Weakness
• Sore mouth
• Lethargy 

At times, just to show this symptom your bearded dragon will take so much time. Further, as compared to adult bearded dragons, juveniles can become really sick after eating chives. That’s why it’s best to simply treat chives toxic for both adult and juvenile bearded dragons. 

How Many Chives Can Your Bearded Dragon Eat?

Well, none. Your bearded dragon can’t eat chives no matter the form. Fresh, dried, baked – every form of chives is bad for bearded dragons. In fact, your dragon can get seriously ill when it ingest some amount of chives. 

What are Signs of Chive Poisoning in Bearded Dragons?

If your bearded dragon eats chives, then at times you won’t even see the result of this action. But overtime, your dragon will start showing signs.

The most common sign of chive poisoning in bearded dragons is an upset stomach. Some other signs of chive poisoning include vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. Moreover, damage to bearded dragon’s blood cell production will also become apparent few days after they eat chives. That’s because red blood cells are really important for your dragon. The reason is it carries oxygen throughout the body.  If they are destroyed in a dragon’s body, you might see blood in the urine, mucous membranes, and lethargy in bearded dragons. 

Treatment for Chive Poisoning 

If you think that your dragon has eaten chives, then immediately call your vet. That’s because signs of chives poisoning won’t be seen early in bearded dragons. But the prompt treatment will for sure help in making your dragon healthy. If the bearded dragon has recently eaten chives, then the vet may get chives out of the dragon’s system by inducing vomiting.

Some vets use activated charcoal to remove toxins from the dragon’s body. But if your dragon is already showing signs of chives poisoning then this treatment will not work. Instead, the only way your bearded dragon can get healthy is supportive care. Here, bearded dragons will get different care including medication, fluid therapy, and oxygen therapy. In case your dragon is sick for too long then the vet may even hospitalize your dragon.

Conclusion

Chives are poisonous to bearded dragons. That’s why make sure you don’t give even a small amount of chives to your dragon. In case your dragon has ingested chives, then it can get seriously sick. And let’s face it. There are many fruits and vegetables that bearded dragons can eat and still remain healthy. So, whenever you’re thinking of making your dragon’s diet diverse, make sure to include only those vegetables that are healthy.