Bearded dragons love the occasional piece of fruit in their diet. Overall, fruits should make up around 15% of a healthy, balanced bearded dragon diet, while 35% should be vegetables and greens and the remaining 50% live food (crickets, mealworms, etc.).
However, not all fruits have the same health benefits for your bearded dragon, and some are even plain dangerous, potentially deadly. So you need to monitor your bearded dragon’s diet carefully.
In this little guide we’ll go over some of the most popular fruits you might add to your bearded dragon’s diet, and which ones are healthy, which ones are good for snacks, and which ones are potentially deadly.
Watch This Adorable Bearded Dragon Eating Fruits!
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe?
Without a doubt, yes. Your bearded dragon can eat cantaloupe. It’s tasty (for humans and bearded dragons alike) and has lots of great nutrients to keep your dragon healthy, namely:
- Folate: Helps with healthy cell regeneration and healthy blood cells.
- Beta-carotene: Helps aid development, making cantaloupe particularly beneficial for a young bearded dragons.
- Vitamin C: Helps fight off infection and illness and keeps your bearded dragon’s immune system healthy.
Feeding a small piece of cantaloupe (around 100 grams) once a week will contribute to a healthy, balanced bearded dragon diet.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Oranges?
As tasty and innocent looking as oranges are, they can be pretty bad for your bearded dragon, so they aren’t a suitable food or snack source. They contain:
- Oxalic acid: An excess of this in your bearded dragon’s system is the main cause of metabolic bone disease, which causes weak, brittle bones and can even be fatal.
- Citric acid: Can damage your bearded dragon’s stomach lining.
- High sugar content: Can cause weight gain or extreme diarrhea and eventually dehydration.
Overall, if your bearded dragon had some by accident, there’s nothing to worry about, just monitor their behavior. But oranges are a fruit to avoid!
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pumpkins?
Although bearded dragons can eat pumpkin, it’s not recommended. The flesh of a pumpkin contains dangerously high amounts of phosphorus that can prevent the intake of calcium. There’s also minimal nutritional benefit to pumpkin flesh.
The seeds are also too large to break down and chew and can be a choking hazard. And the texture can dehydrate them. So, avoid adding pumpkin to your bearded dragon’s diet.
The one good part of the pumpkin is the leaf. If you can get hold of pumpkin leaf (after washing it), you can feed a small portion to your bearded dragon once a week.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Peaches?
Peaches are one of the best fruits for your bearded dragon. They aren’t too sweet, so they rarely cause digestion issues, and they’re 88% water, which means your bearded dragon will get a hydration boost.
They’re also packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, all of which strengthen their immune system and help them break down other foods.
A few small squares of peach per week will keep them healthy and provide a nice, welcome treat.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pomegranates?
Pomegranate is great to sweeten up a leafy salad for your bearded dragon. However, it does contain a lot of sugar and phosphorus. This means that, although they’re tasty, they can cause some health issues:
- Impaction: The seeds can compact in their digestive system and cause constipation.
- Weight gain: Excessive sugar causes weight gain.
- Limited calcium: Phosphorus reduces the amount of calcium that can be absorbed.
So, yes, you can feed your bearded dragons some pomegranate, but limit them to a couple of pomegranate arils per month.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mango?
Bearded dragons can eat mango, but you have to make sure you give them ripe mango.
When mango is ripe, it contains more antioxidants, which are great for repairing your bearded dragon’s skin. It’s also much easier for them to eat since it’s squishy, and the taste becomes sweeter too.
However, mango skin can be very tough and may even break a bearded dragon’s teeth, so make sure you only provide the mango’s fleshy middle – removing any seeds.
Serve it once a week alongside a green salad to keep their diet varied.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Dragon Fruit?
Incidentally, dragon fruit is excellent for bearded dragons. It’s not too sweet, so it can be given more often than some other fruits, but it still shouldn’t be given as part of a daily diet.
A small slice once a week will be enough. Make sure you only offer your bearded dragon the fleshy inside. The skin will need to be removed completely as it’s too rough and barely contains any nutrients.
The seeds in the dragon fruit are edible and give your dragon that extra bit of texture to spice up its diet. However, you need to be careful as the seeds can put them in danger of impaction if they ingest too many of them. That is especially true with baby bearded dragons.
To avoid this, make sure that the slices you provide are thin so your bearded dragon can eat them easily and avoid swallowing too many seeds at once. Or simply take them out or crush them.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Figs?
Raw figs are great for bearded dragons. They contain lots of calcium, which helps strengthen their bones, something that is extremely important to young and adult bearded dragons alike.
Bearded dragons are prone to metabolic bone disease, which can cause their bones to become weak and bendy – eventually leading to disfigurement. So giving them as much calcium as possible is very beneficial for their wellbeing. One fig a week will do the trick.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat grapes. But they shouldn’t be part of their daily diet. The sugar can be overpowering to their digestive system and might cause diarrhea if they have too much.
It’s best to cut a grape into four pieces to allow your bearded dragon to eat it safely. Green, red and purple grapes are all perfectly fine.
They are packed with fiber and calcium and offer that extra bit of moisture into your bearded dragon’s diet. Bearded dragons don’t drink too much in the traditional way, so making sure they ingest fluids from their food sources is essential.
Just make sure you purchase seedless grapes. Grape seeds are incredibly solid and can be sharp. Accidentally swallowing a seed could cause choking, impaction, or other serious health complications.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cranberries?
Bearded dragons can eat both dry and fresh cranberries. However, these should be limited to one or two weekly. Their high phosphorus content stops all the great calcium within them from being absorbed.
Dried cranberries also contain a lot of sugar to take away the tart flavor. Too much sugar can lead to weight gain and larger digestive problems.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?
Yes, they can! Both green apples and red apples are generally safe for bearded dragons to eat, but like other high sugar fruits, it is essential to feed them in moderation. Too much sugar can lead to health problems like obesity and diabetes in bearded dragons. However, they have plenty of health benefits:
- Vitamin C: Essential for boosting the immune system and maintaining healthy skin and bones.
- Fiber: Aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.
- Antioxidants: Can protect your bearded dragon’s cells from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.
- Potassium: Helps regulate blood pressure and supports proper heart function.
When feeding apples to your bearded dragon, make sure to remove the seeds, core, and stem, as they are not safe for consumption. Also, make sure you wash them thoroughly to avoid any dirt, bacteria, and fumigants.
It is also essential to note that apples should not make up a significant portion of your bearded dragon’s diet. Instead, they should be offered as a treat or supplement to their regular diet of vegetables and insects.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat bananas. However, only in small portions and occasionally. They are still high in sugar and can cause significant health problems if consumed in excess.
Bananas do offer some nutritional benefits. Here are some of the vitamins and nutrients that bananas contain, which can be beneficial for your pet:
- Vitamin C: Essential for boosting the immune system and maintaining healthy skin and bones.
- Potassium: Helps regulate blood pressure and supports proper heart function.
- Fiber: Aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.
- Vitamin B6: Helps the body produce red blood cells and maintain proper brain function.
A small portion (less than half a banana) once a week or two will be ok. Just make sure the bananas are organic!
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries?
Strawberries are safe for bearded dragons to eat, however, only in moderation. It’s important to note that strawberries are high in natural sugars, which can cause obesity and other health problems in bearded dragons if consumed excessively.
However, strawberries are also rich in vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, folate, potassium, and antioxidants, all of which can benefit a bearded dragon’s health when consumed in moderation.
So, just like bananas, a little bit of strawberry once in a while will do only good.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Kiwi?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat kiwi, but most fruits, it should only be given to them in moderation (once or twice a month). However, kiwis are rich in vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium, and fiber, which can be beneficial to a bearded dragon’s health.
To ensure that the kiwis are safe for bearded dragons, they should be washed thoroughly and cut into small pieces that are easy to digest. The skin should be completely removed too, as it can be difficult for bearded dragons to digest.
Which Other Fruits Should You Try?
- Pineapples
- Plums
- Pears
Remember, no fruit is wholly good for your bearded dragon; it’s all about moderation. If you have a bearded dragon, check out our guide on how to bathe it!