Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples? Vet Reviewed Facts & FAQ
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Bearded Dragons are omnivores that consume plant and animal food sources to stay healthy. To provide the most nutrients possible, you should feed a variety of plant food to your beardie, and it’s essential to know which fruits and vegetables are safe for them to consume. Bearded Dragons can eat apples, but only in limited quantities.
In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of feeding apples to a Bearded Dragon. We’ll also cover the basics of the Bearded Dragon diet and how to feed apples to your pet safely.
Apples: The Good and the Bad
Apples contain several beneficial vitamins and minerals that can help keep your Bearded Dragon healthy. They’re also high in fiber which can keep digestion working smoothly. And, of course, your reptile will likely enjoy the sweet taste of the fruit.
Unfortunately, that sweet taste is present because apples contain a lot of sugar. Eating too much sugar isn’t healthy for anyone, including your Bearded Dragon. Because they’re so tasty, Bearded Dragons may selectively eat apples and ignore the healthier parts of their daily diet.
Overall, fruits and apples tend to be less nutritious than vegetables and other plant foods. Apple seeds and peels can also pose a choking or obstruction hazard to your Bearded Dragon.
Bearded Dragon Diet: The Basics
While you should discuss the specifics of your Bearded Dragon’s diet with your veterinarian, here are some basic guidelines.
- Bearded dragons should eat a mix of plant and animal foods. Generally, young and growing beardies need more animal protein, while adults lean more toward an herbivore diet. Your vet can help you determine the proper ratio of plant to animal foods based on your pet’s age.
- The majority (80-90%) of the plant portion of your Bearded Dragon’s diet should be made up of vegetables and flowers. The best options are leafy green vegetables such as collards, Bok choy, dandelion greens, and clover. Red, yellow, and orange vegetables like peppers can also be fed.
- For animal protein, various bugs and worms are good choices, such as crickets and mealworms. Depending on what your veterinarian recommends, they can be gut-loaded or dusted with supplements. Most Bearded Dragons need extra calcium and other supplements in their diet, but ask your vet before using them. They can give you advice on the correct daily portions of supplements and how often to use them.
How to Feed Apples to Your Bearded Dragon
As mentioned earlier, apples and other fruits should make up about 10%–20% of a Bearded Dragon’s total plant food. A good rule of thumb is to serve fruit once a week or a couple of times monthly, depending on how often your pet eats.
Any apple variety is okay to feed your Bearded Dragon, and they may develop favorites as you experiment. You should peel and core the apples to avoid any issues. Then, chop the apple into tiny pieces and mix it with the other plant foods your Bearded Dragon will eat that day.
Mixing the fruits and vegetables makes it harder for the Bearded Dragon to pick out tasty food like apples. You can rotate the types of fruits you offer your pet for maximum nutritional value. Besides apples, here are some other safe fruits they may enjoy:
- Dates
- Berries
- Pear
- Apricot
- Melon
- Peach
- Mango
Conclusion
Apples are a tasty treat for Bearded Dragons when offered in the appropriate quantities as part of a balanced diet. Make sure to prepare the apple correctly so your pet can enjoy it safely without fear of choking. If you have questions about the correct diet for your Bearded Dragon, talk to your veterinarian. Don’t feed any fruits or vegetables to your pet that you aren’t sure are safe.
Featured Image Credit: Johannes Ziegler Photo, Shutterstock
