Yes bearded dragons can eat dragon fruit. Fruit is an important part of any healthy Bearded Dragon diet.
There are many fruits that Bearded Dragons can eat, but one that some owners swear by is dragon fruit. This article will explore whether it truly is safe for your Reptile to consume this unusual, brightly colored fruit.
Just like other Beardie food sources, fruits should not comprise more than about 20% of the lizard’s daily diet. Fruits also contain lots of good nutrients and provide your pet with much-needed water for hydration. The key to whether dragon fruit makes the cut is its sugar content. Dragon fruit is very high in sugar and can easily make your beardie obese if you feed them this treat too often. Check out the complete list of fruits.
Nutritional Components of Dragon Fruit
- Crude Protein: 1.3%
- Fat: 0.2%
- Sodium: 5mg/100g, 2%
- Protein: 21.6mg/100g, 4.5%
- Vitamin C: 97mg/100g, 169% of daily requirements
- Calcium: 27mg/100g, 6% of daily requirements
- Iron: 0.7mg/100g 7% of daily requirement
- Fiber: 3.1%. 9 calories per gram.
- Potassium: 340 mg/100 g, 8 percent of the RDI for adult humans
- Despite sugar being a negative selling point with dragon fruit, this fruit is mostly made up of water fiber which is very healthy for Beardies.
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is important when considering the Bearded Dragon’s diet; 4:1 is ideal. When it comes to fruit, dragon fruit is perfect. One whole serving of the fruit gives your beardie an excellent balance of calcium and phosphorus.
Advantages of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Dragon Fruit
There are several advantages to adding dragon fruit to your Beardie’s diet.
Naturally occurring taurine is found in dragon fruit, which is great for calcium absorption and overall bone health. This means that your beardie can grow into a healthy adult without the need for synthetic supplementation with taurine. Dragon fruit also contains high amounts of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and vitamin A. Vitamin C is vital for maintaining strong bones by facilitating collagen production, while fiber aids digestion by promoting the movement of material through the digestive tract. Potassium also plays an important role in many bodily functions including nerve transmission regulation as well as fluid balance throughout your Bearded Dragon’s body. Dragon fruit is also high in fiber.
Fruits Bearded Dragons Can Eat?
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Pomegranate
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cherries
- Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cranberries
How to Feed My Bearded Dragon Dragon Fruit
The safest way to feed your Beardie dragon fruit is to cut it into small pieces and feed it to them by hand. Make sure you wash the fruit thoroughly before handling and never give your Beardie any part of the pit or seed.
Disadvantages of Feeding My Bearded Dragon Dragon Fruit
Despite all of the advantages dragon fruit has to offer, there are also some disadvantages you should be aware of.
First, the main con associated with feeding your Bearded Dragon this type of fruit is that it can get stuck in their jaw causing them to choke, or worse.. If you have a smaller beardie it might be too big for them to chew on so they could choke on it.
Second, due to the high sugar content in dragon fruit, care must be taken so that your Beardie does not become obese. Obesity can increase blood pressure and decrease life expectancy.
Another negative aspect of feeding dragon fruit is that its high phosphorus content when combined with low calcium intake over time could lead to metabolic bone disease (MBD).
Finally, while dragon fruit is a great source of several important minerals and vitamins, its high sugar content means that you should only feed it to your Beardie sparingly.
Summary
In conclusion, dragon fruit is safe for your bearded dragon to eat, however, do not feed it to them every day because of its high sugar content which could lead to obesity. If you decide to give your bearded dragon fruit, cut the pieces into small pieces and only give it to them by hand.
Feeding other vegetables and fruits is a great way to promote healthy eating in your Bearded Dragon! I hope this article has provided you with valuable information on whether or not bearded dragons can eat dragon fruit. Thanks for reading! Look out for more great articles coming soon!