Bearded dragons are known for their appetite for fruit. If you’re looking into buying a bearded dragon, the first question you should ask is which fruits they like to eat. Some people recommend blueberries, while others say that bearded dragons can’t eat them at all!
So, can bearded dragons eat blueberries? Yes, bearded dragons can eat blueberries. The fruit has some nutrients that are essential to keep them healthy. Like most fruits, it has a very high amount of sugar so blueberries should be fed to your beardie in moderation.
When caring for bearded dragons, it’s important to remember that they have different dietary needs than other pets. While dogs and cats eat meat, reptiles such as bearded dragons must be fed a diet of fresh fruit and vegetables in order to stay healthy.
In this short guide, I’ll go through what benefits bearded dragons can benefit from eating blueberries, how often to feed them, how to feed them, and other related subjects.
Is It Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat Blueberries?
Blueberries are safe to feed bearded dragons since it doesn’t contain any toxins.
However, what can cause blueberries to be unsafe for your bearded is the high amount of sugar that it has. Too much sugar in their diet can lead to obesity, health problems, and high blood pressure. For that reason, it’s best to feed them on occasion to prevent health issues.
Another thing that can make blueberries unsafe for beardie to eat is if there were any chemicals used to grow them. Most blueberries sold at the grocery stores are grown at the farm using pesticides. The chemicals in pesticides are toxic to bearded dragons, even death can occur if they consume a lot of it.
Therefore, if you do choose to feed your bearded dragon blueberries, make sure they are organic and grown by local farmers who use sustainable farming practices. Better yet, grow blueberries yourself at home and not use any types of chemicals on them.
Is It Healthy For Bearded Dragons To Eat Blueberries?
These small berries are great treats for your bearded dragon. They can help keep them healthy and energetic while providing a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, and anthocyanins – antioxidants that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
However, it is important to make sure your pet is not getting too many blueberries, as this could lead to dangerous health issues.
Nutrition Facts
1-cup (148-gram) serving of blueberries contains:
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Vitamin C: 24% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 36% of the RDI
- Manganese: 25% of the RDI
Source: NutritionData
Below are some of the health benefits of feeding blueberries to your bearded dragons:
Good For Hydration
Blueberries have a high amount of water, which is essential for bearded dragons to stay healthy. Water is an important nutrient that helps keep their body hydrated. It also removes toxins from the body and transports nutrients to the cells throughout the body. Bearded dragons that have the right amount of water in their body, the better your cells can perform their tasks.
Prevent Illness and Disease
Blueberries are one of the foods that have the highest amount of antioxidants. They’re loaded with antioxidants — one serving contains more than 20 different types!
Antioxidants are a compound that prevents free radical damage to the bearded dragon’s cells in the body.
Promote Healthy Digestive System
Blueberries are a good source of fiber which is important for the digestive system. Since the body isn’t able to digest fiber, it will bulk up the stool and prevent constipation. This will make food that your beardie eats move through the digestive tract smoothly.
A healthy digestive system is crucial to overall health, which is why it’s important for bearded dragons to consume fiber every day.
Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Blueberries?
Baby bearded dragons will grow quickly and to support their fast growth, they need the proper nutrition. Two important nutrition for baby beardie is calcium and protein.
The only food that can provide them the needed nutrition is live food such as crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, and worms. Live food should make up 70-80% of their entire diet. The rest should be vegetables and fruits.
As for blueberries, they don’t have the nutrition that baby beardie need. For that reason, you should only feed blueberries to them once or twice per month.
How To Feed Blueberries To Bearded Dragons
Blueberries are soft enough that you can just give them the whole fruit to eat. However, you’ll need to prepare them first before giving any to your beardie. Below are some of the things you need to do before giving any to your beardie.
Go Organic – It’s best to only feed your beardie organic blueberries. If you buy blueberries from the store, most of the time they will have pesticides on them. Farms that grow them will usually use pesticides to help prevent pests from damaging the fruit. The chemicals in pesticides are toxic and can harm them. Therefore, it’s best to feed them organic blueberries.
Wash Thoroughly – Whether you buy them from the store or pick them yourselves, it’s recommended to wash them thoroughly, even if the fruit looks clean. Washing them will help remove pesticides, pests, and dirt from the fruit.
Chop Them – Bearded dragons can actually eat the whole fruit, including the seeds. However, if you have a young beardie, it’s best to chop the fruit into small pieces first. This will prevent them from choking on it.
Serving Them – You can place the blueberries into their bowl and let them eat it. Another way is to mix the blueberries with other fruits and vegetables. This is a good way to give your beardie a boost in nutrition.
If you have a bearded dragon that won’t eat any vegetables, mixing it with some blueberries will encourage them to eat it.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Blueberries?
Although bearded dragons can eat blueberries occasionally, they should not be a regular part of their diet.
The reason for this is that blueberries are higher in sugar than most other fruits. A bearded dragon that consumes too much sugar will become obese and have heart problems.
When feeding your bearded dragon, it’s important to give them sugary foods like blueberries in small amounts, once a week. Also, make sure to incorporate other food into their diet like vegetables and insects.
Other Berries That Bearded Dragons Can Eat
Blackberries
Blackberries are a healthy snack for bearded dragons. The fruit is high in vitamin C and fiber, but low in sugar. While it’s very important to make sure your dragon isn’t allergic to their food, blackberries are generally safe to feed as a treat or part of their diet.
Cranberries
When it comes to keeping bearded dragons, you need to make sure they are getting all of the nutrients they need. That’s why cranberries are a great addition to their diet, because they contain antioxidants and other important vitamins. Bearded dragons can eat cranberries, but there are some precautions to take for them not to get sick.
Raspberries
Bearded dragons can eat raspberries since it’s nutritious and a healthy food. Like many other fruits, berries contain antioxidants that help fight off disease. By including raspberries in your bearded dragon’s diet, you will be helping to ensure its health throughout its life. Bearded dragons should never be fed whole or large pieces of fruit, instead only feed raspberries in small amounts when mixed with other low-fat foods to avoid obesity.
Conclusion
Blueberries are a great source of vitamins and antioxidants, which can help improve your bearded dragon’s health. Because they are so nutritious, it is best to feed blueberries in moderation. Once per week should be plenty for an adult bearded dragon.
