Bearded dragons are a popular pet lizard, and their unique food needs often catch our attention. In this article, we will find out if apples are a safe food for bearded dragons. Can bearded dragons eat apples? Let’s find out.
What Is the Nutritional Value of Apples?
Apples are known for having a lot of good things for you to eat. They also have important things for your general health. They are a good source of vitamins A and C, iron, fiber, and water, and they don’t have a lot of oxalates.
Potassium controls blood pressure, helps muscles work, and keeps kidney problems from happening, while iron makes sure the blood gets enough oxygen. Apples also have a lot of water in them, which will help keep your beardie moisturized.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat apples. Apples are safe for bearded dragons to eat in moderation. Apples are healthy and one of the best foods for bearded dragons to eat. But beardies can’t eat them every day because they have a lot of sugar. Beardies can’t handle too much sugar.
Benefits of Apples for Bearded Dragons
You shouldn’t be afraid to give your Bearded Dragon an apple. They give them important minerals, and as long as you don’t give them too much, they are safe.
1. Vitamins A and C
The vitamins A and C in apples are important for a bearded dragon’s nervous system and eyesight.
2. Source of Iron
Iron in apples helps move oxygen through the blood, which helps the body’s metabolism.
3. Low in Oxalates
The low amount of oxalate in apples makes it less likely that calcium oxalate stones will form.
4. Fiber
Bearded dragons need fiber to help them digest food and keep their digestive tracts healthy.
5. High Water Content
Apples have a lot of water in them, which is important for a bearded dragon’s health.
Health Risks of Feeding Apple to Bearded Dragons
1. Sugar Content
If you eat too many apples, you might get too much sugar, which could be bad for your health. When your pet eats a lot of sugar in a short amount of time, it can cause stomach problems, which usually show up as diarrhea. Bearded dragons may also get tooth disease because veggies have a lot of sugar in them.
2. Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio
The amount of calcium to phosphorus in apples is the main reason why they aren’t a good daily snack. The amount of calcium to phosphorus in apples is off, which can hurt the health of a bearded dragon’s bones. A bearded dragon shouldn’t have the wrong amount of calcium to phosphorus because it could lead to kidney or gland problems in the long run.
3. Seeds
Even though it’s safe for bearded dragons to eat apples, you shouldn’t give them the seeds. Apple seeds have cyanide chemicals that can hurt you if you eat a lot of them.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Applesauce?
Bearded dragons can sometimes eat applesauce, but it’s important to choose plain, unsweetened applesauce to avoid giving them extra sugars. Applesauce is a great way to help bearded dragons with constipation, but it should be fed carefully and never in too large of amounts.
Can Bearded Dragons Have Green and Red Apples?
If you want to give your Bearded Dragon an apple, you can give it either a red or a green one. Both are good for them, so it really just comes down to personal taste. Bearded dragons can eat both green and red apples, since the color has more to do with how ripe the apple is than with how it tastes. Green apples taste better than red apples, and they also have more fiber, protein, potassium, and iron.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apple Peels?
Apple peels are not good for bearded dragons to eat. If the apples aren’t organic, the peels can have chemicals and other poisons on them. One of these things could kill a bearded dragon. To avoid choking risks, it’s best to wash them well and cut them into smaller pieces.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples Every Day?
You shouldn’t give your Bearded Dragon an apple every day. You can give them to your lizard once a week to give it more nutrients. Even though apples have less sugar than many other fruits, they still have too much sugar for a Bearded Dragon to eat every day.
There are a number of bad things that can happen to your lizard’s health if it eats too much sugar. They can be hurt by obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.
How Much Apple Can We Give to Bearded Dragons at a Time?
A good serving size of apple is a small piece about the size of the head of a bearded dragon. Depending on its size, you can give a beardy between a quarter and a half of an apple once a week. You can also give it a couple of small pieces of meat every few days.
How to Serve Apples to Bearded Dragons?
To serve apples, cut them into small, easy-to-eat pieces and make sure they don’t have any seeds or chemicals on them. Always take away food that hasn’t been eaten right away to keep things clean.
- If possible, buy organic apples.
- Peel the apple.
- Cut the outermost flesh into bite-sized pieces.
- Take out the apple slices’ seeds, stems, and bits of core.
- You can serve it alone or with a mix of veggies
When you give your lizard a new food, like an apple, let it sniff it first or mix it with some crickets so it can get used to the taste. Watch your bearded dragons when they eat apples for the first few times. Make sure they aren’t choking or having trouble eating. If your bearded dragon is having trouble eating the slices, it’s probably because they are too big.
Another thing to watch out for is seeds. When you give your beardie an apple, make sure to take out the stem, seeds, and any other parts of the core that are left. Dragons can’t eat these parts. Foods that are difficult to metabolize can cause gastrointestinal impaction, which is a potentially fatal blockage of the digestive tract.
What Vegetables can a Bearded Dragon Eat?
Vegetables are also an important part of a Bearded Dragon’s food. A lot of their food can come from plants. You should give the lizard a wide range of veggies to make sure it gets as many minerals as possible. You can give lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, bell peppers, and watercress as veggies.
What Other Fruit Can You Feed a Bearded Dragon?
Fruit is an important part of a Bearded Dragon’s diet because it has many vitamins and minerals that are hard to find in other foods. You can give them strawberries, mango, pears, watermelons, grapes, raspberries, and blueberries, among other fruits.
What Insects Can a Bearded Dragon Eat?
Most of a Bearded Dragon’s food will come from insects. Beardies love insects, and chasing them around their cage gives them exercise.
Most of the time, crickets and Dubia Roaches are what these snakes eat. But variety is also important here, and when you can, you should also offer other bugs. Mealworms, superworms, hornworms, and silkworms are some of the other insects you can give.
What Foods Should You Avoid Feeding to Your Bearded Dragon?
Even though most of your bearded dragon’s food should be fresh greens and veggies, there are some plants you should never give to your pet. Citrus foods can make a bearded dragon’s digestive system hurt and cause stomach problems.
Rhubarb is very poisonous to bearded dragons, and if your beardie eats it by chance, you should take it to the vet right away. Many animals, including bearded dragons, can’t handle persin, which is found in avocados.
Iceberg cabbage is another food you should stay away from because it has no nutritional value and its high fiber and water content can cause diarrhea. Bearded dragons should not be fed flowers or bushes that are poisonous to them.
FAQs
Can You Feed Bearded Dragons Apples?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat apples as long as they don’t eat too many of them. When given the right amount, apples are good for the health of bearded dragons.
Why Are Apples Good for Bearded Dragons?
Apples are good for a bearded dragon’s health because they are full of vitamins, minerals, and water. Also, apples are mostly water, so they can help your dragon stay hydrated.
What Type of Apples Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
Bearded dragons can eat both green and red apples because they have similar amounts of nutrients. To make sure they are safe to eat, make sure they are fresh, clean, and don’t have any seeds.
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