• 16% maximum crude fibre against 16% minimum protein — the plant-heavy profile an adult dragon needs, rather than the growth profile of the juvenile formula.
• Calcium declared at 0.8–1.2% against phosphorus at 0.4% minimum — that works out between roughly 2:1 and 3:1, on the safe side of the 1:1 line where metabolic bone disease risk climbs.
• Plant-based first five ingredients — suncured alfalfa meal, dried lima beans, rice bran, organic ground whole wheat and organic soybean meal. No meat meal, no insect meal.
• Five probiotic fermentation products — Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Enterococcus faecium and Aspergillus oryzae all appear on the declaration.
• Stabilised vitamin C at 60 mg/kg — supplied as L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, which survives storage better than plain ascorbic acid.
• Preserved with citric acid and mixed tocopherols — no ethoxyquin, no BHA or BHT and no artificial colours appear anywhere on the declaration.
• Made in the USA — the same formulation Zoo Med sells as items ZM-76 and ZM-77.

Transcribed in full from Zoo Med's declaration for Bearded Dragon Food — Adult Formula, checked 7 August 2026.

Suncured Alfalfa Meal, Dried Lima Beans, Rice Bran, Organic Ground Whole Wheat, Organic Soybean Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Endive, Escarole, Dicalcium Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Dried Dandelion Greens, Yeast Culture, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Brewer's Dried Yeast, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (stabilised source of Vitamin C), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Sodium Selenite, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Product, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Methionine Complex, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulphate, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Niacin Supplement (source of Vitamin B3), D-Calcium Pantothenate (source of Vitamin B5), Copper Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Garlic Extract, Horseradish, Anise Extract, Juniper Extract, Cassia Bark Extract, Ginger Extract, Rosemary (flavour), Citric Acid (preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (preservative).

Allergens and additives

Contains soy (organic soybean meal) and wheat (organic ground whole wheat). No tree nut ingredient appears in the adult formula, though the juvenile formula does contain almond hull meal, so cross-contact between the two lines cannot be ruled out.

The only preservatives declared are citric acid and mixed tocopherols. Ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT and artificial colours do not appear on the declaration.

Taking the declared minimums, calcium to phosphorus sits at 2:1. At the declared calcium maximum it reaches 3:1. Both figures are above the 1:1 floor that reptile keepers watch for.

Zoo Med positions this as the fortified base of an adult diet, not the whole diet. Their own guidance is that adults need a high-fibre, plant-heavy diet, and that a commercial pelleted food should sit alongside fresh greens and vegetables plus live or canned insects.

Zoo Med does not print a fixed gram-per-day rate for this formula, so we are not going to invent one. Offer the pellets in a shallow dish, either dry or lightly misted to soften them, and adjust the amount to what your dragon actually finishes.

Zoo Med also recommends dusting insects and sprinkling produce with a calcium and multivitamin supplement before feeding to close nutritional gaps. If you are switching from another food, move across gradually over at least a fortnight.

Suitable for:

• Adult bearded dragons roughly 12 months and older
• Adult dragons being moved off a juvenile growth formula onto a higher-fibre diet
• Keepers who want the pelleted portion of the diet to be plant-based rather than insect-based

Not suitable for:

• Hatchlings and juveniles under about 12 months — the protein is too low and the fibre too high for growth. Use the juvenile formula instead.
• Use as a sole diet. It is a base food, not a complete replacement for greens and insects.
• Households needing a soy-free or wheat-free reptile food
• Any species other than bearded dragons — the fibre and calcium targets are drawn up for Pogona

Keep the pack sealed in a cool, dry cupboard and out of direct sun. Stabilised vitamin C and mixed tocopherols both degrade faster with heat and light, which matters in a Queensland summer. Buy the 283 g pack if you keep a single dragon and the 560 g if you keep several, so the food is used up while it is still fresh.

• Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3 — for dusting insects and produce, as Zoo Med recommends alongside the pellets.
• Zoo Med Insect Bearded Dragon Food Adult — the insect-protein counterpart if you want more animal protein in the pelleted portion.
• Zoo Med Bearded Dragon Food Adult Canned — a moist option for dragons that turn their nose up at dry pellets.
• Zoo Med Bearded Dragon Food Juvenile — what you feed before this, and what you transition away from.

Foods are not covered by a manufacturer's warranty in the way equipment is, but nothing here limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. If a pack arrives damaged, past its date or not as described, contact us and we will sort it out.

This is a shelf-stable dry food and ships as standard freight anywhere in Australia. No cold chain and no dangerous goods handling apply.

When should I move my bearded dragon from juvenile to adult food?

Around 12 months, once growth has slowed. Zoo Med Adult Bearded Dragon Food drops the protein from 24% to 16% and lifts the maximum fibre from 13% to 16%, which matches the shift from an insect-heavy juvenile diet to a plant-heavy adult one. Make the change over at least two weeks rather than overnight.

Can this be my dragon's only food?

No. Zoo Med Adult Bearded Dragon Food is designed as the fortified base of the diet, to be fed with fresh greens and vegetables and with live or canned insects. Feeding pellets alone leaves out the variety and the moisture an adult bearded dragon needs.

Does it contain ethoxyquin or artificial colours?

No. The only preservatives on the declaration are citric acid and mixed tocopherols, both natural. Ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT and artificial colours do not appear in the ingredient list at all.

What is the calcium to phosphorus ratio?

Calcium is declared at 0.8% minimum to 1.2% maximum and phosphorus at 0.4% minimum, so the ratio runs between about 2:1 and 3:1. Reptile keepers look for calcium to sit above phosphorus, because a diet that inverts that ratio contributes to metabolic bone disease.

Do I still need to dust with calcium?

Yes, for the insects and greens you feed alongside the pellets. Zoo Med's own bearded dragon guidance is to dust insects and sprinkle produce with a calcium and multivitamin supplement before feeding. The pellets are fortified; the crickets in your tub are not.