What Fruits Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
Bearded dragons are omnivorous and thrive on a diet of insects with a supplement of leafy greens and fruits such as apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, papaya and mango. Fruits are a wonderful treat for bearded dragons but should make up no more of 10 percent of their normal, varied diet, according to PawNation. Eating a variety of foods allows bearded dragons’ stomachs to function properly and encourages healthy digestion.
Bearded dragons can safely eat all fruits in moderation. Strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe, peaches, apples and blueberries are all commonly available and can be switched out for one another in a bearded dragon’s daily salad. Frozen fruits are acceptable as well as cost effective, but they must be completely thawed before consumption.
The hard outer layer of a cricket’s exoskeleton sometimes causes impaction in a bearded dragon’s stomach. Without the fiber that leafy greens and fruits provide, this impaction is often fatal, especially in juvenile dragons. An ideal bearded dragon diet should consist of 60 percent crickets and meal worms, 30 percent leafy greens and 10 percent miscellaneous fruits. This diet breakdown ensures that bearded dragons consume sufficient protein to grow in addition to the fibrous content needed to properly digest insect matter.
