Can bearded dragons eat honeydew? Yes, bearded dragons can eat honeydew. The fruit is nutritious and healthy for them to eat. Make sure to only feed them the flesh of the honeydew. The rind and seeds pose a choking hazard for them. It’s recommended to feed honeydew to your bearded dragon a small amount, once or twice per month. This is due to the high water content and disproportionate calcium to phosphorous ratio of the fruit.
Is It Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat Honeydew?
Honeydew does not have any toxins, so it’s deemed safe for bearded to eat.
However, honeydew should be fed to them in moderation for the fruit to be safe for them. Too much of the fruit can harm them.
The reason is due to the honeydew having a high amount of water and disproportionate calcium to phosphorus ratio. Too much water in their diet can cause your beardie to have diarrhea and an upset stomach. Too much phosphorous will prevent the body from absorbing calcium.
As long as you feed honeydew to your bearded dragons in small amounts, once or twice per month, the fruit is safe for them to eat.
Is It Healthy To Feed Honeydew To Bearded Dragons?
Honeydew is healthy for bearded dragons to eat due to its high amount of nutrition. It’s a good source of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Nutrition Facts
1-cup (177-gram) serving of honeydew melon provides:
- Calories: 64
- Carbs: 16 grams
- Fiber: 1.4 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Calcium: 6 milligrams
- Vitamin C: 53% of the reference daily intake (RDI)
- Vitamin B6: 8% of the RDI
- Folate: 8% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 6% of the RDI
- Potassium: 12% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
Source: NutritionData
Below are some health benefits of feeding honeydew to your bearded dragons:
Improve Bone Health
Honeydew has a good amount of calcium and vitamin K. Bearded dragons need plenty of calcium for healthy bones. Without this mineral, it could lead to metabolic bone disease.
As for vitamin K, it is required to produce healthy bone tissue.
Good Source Of Hydration
Honeydew is high in water content. This will help keep the bearded dragons hydrated, especially during the summer.
However, make sure to not give them too much honeydew to eat. If the beardie has too much water in their diet, it can lead to digestive problems such as diarrhea and an upset stomach.
Boost Immune System
Honeydew is a good source of vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for a healthy immune system. Feeding your beardie plenty of food that is high in vitamin C will keep them from becoming ill. If they do become sick, feeding them plenty of vitamin C will help them recover quickly.
Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Honeydew?
Baby bearded dragons can eat honeydew, but in moderation.
When they are young, they require food that has plenty of protein to help with their fast growth. For that reason, a baby beardie diet should consist of 80% live food and 20% vegetables. Live food can be insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles. Fruits such as honeydew can be incorporated into their diet once in a while.
When feeding them honeydew, cut the fruit into small pieces. Each piece should be the size no larger than the space between their eyes.
How To Prepare Honeydew For Bearded Dragons
Preparing the honeydew for your bearded dragons is pretty straightforward.
Before feeding them any honeydew, make sure the fruit is fresh. Then with a sharp knife, cut the melon in halves and remove the seeds. The seeds are too large and could cause them to choke on them.
Once all the seeds are removed, slice the rind off the honeydew. All you will be left is the flesh of the fruit, which is soft and nutritious.
The last thing to do is cut the honeydew into small pieces. Each piece of the fruit should be no larger than the space between both of their eyes.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Honeydew?
Bearded dragons should be fed honeydew in small amounts, once or twice per week. This is due to the high amount of water that the fruit has. Also, honeydew contains a high amount of phosphorous. Too much phosphorous in their diet will prevent minerals such as calcium from being absorbed by the body. This could lead to metabolic bone disease due to calcium deficiency.
To ensure the honeydew doesn’t cause your beardie any health issues, give them a small piece of honeydew, once or twice per month.
Other Fruits That Bearded Dragons Can Eat
Apples
Apples and a variety of other fruits can be eaten by bearded dragons, although only on rare occasions. Before presenting the apple to your beardie, you’ll need to remove the seeds and make sure it’s washed, and cut into little pieces. It is recommended that you only give your bearded dragon apples as a treat.
Grapes
Grapes may be consumed by bearded dragons, but only in small quantities. Besides fiber, water, sugar, and oxalate, grapes also contain a variety of other nutrients that beardies can benefit from. However, in excessive quantities, grapes can cause stomach problems if taken improperly.
Watermelon
One of the things that bearded dragons like eating are watermelon. A significant amount of this substance might cause diarrhea if consumed. So, from time to time, give your beardies some watermelon.
Conclusion
Honeydew makes a healthy and nutritious treat for your bearded dragons. To ensure the fruit doesn’t cause any harm to their health, only feed honeydew to your beardies in moderation.
