Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples -

Pet owners are often curious or worried about the food that they are giving to their animals. They often wonder if the food is nutritious or even safe for their pet. So, Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?

This is no different when it comes to Bearded Dragons or any other reptile. Especially with lizards that eat fruit and veg, it can be difficult to know exactly what to feed them.

Many species of lizards can eat a wide variety of fruit and veg but can Bearded Dragons eat Apples? We are going to look at this in more detail in this article.

Why is it important to know what my Bearded Dragon can Eat?

As with all living creatures, Bearded Dragons have specific dietary requirements. They need to be fed an appropriate amount of protein, fats and carbs to sustain themselves.

On top of this, they need to receive an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. While supplements can help to achieve this, it is always best to get as much nutrients from actual food.

Therefore, it is very important to not only understand what a Bearded Dragon can eat, but what nutritional benefit it can bring to their diet.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?

Yes, Bearded Dragons can eat apples. If fact apples are very nutrient dense and one of the safer fruits to feed your bearded dragon.

This is because apples are rich in vitamins, fibre and carbohydrates. They are also high in important minerals such as potassium and iron.

An added benefit is that apples don’t contain the very high levels of acidity and sugar that is present in other fruit. However, the sugar content is still too high for apples to be offered daily.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples every day?

You should not feed apples to your Bearded Dragon every day. They can be offered weekly to provide your lizard with additional nutrients.

As a whole, fruit should only make up around 10% of a Bearded Dragons diet so it isn’t healthy for them to eat any kind of fruit all the time.

While apples have a lower sugar content than many other types of fruit, levels are still too high for them to be offered to a Bearded Dragon daily.

There are a number of negative health issues that can occur if your lizard has a diet that is excessively high in sugar. Obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease can all affect them.

What are the Benefits if Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?

You shouldn’t be put off feeding apples to your Bearded Dragon. They provide them with vital nutrients and as long as you limit servings, they are completely safe.

Apples are rich in Vitamin A and C. These vitamins are vital to keep you Bearded Dragon offering benefits such as an improved immune system, aids in growth and helps with vision.

They are also rich in fibre. This is an important element of your lizard’s diet. Fibre helps with digestion and prevents constipation.

A Bearded Dragon can ingest foreign material from time to time which can cause impaction issues. The last thing you want is digestive issues which can compound the issue.

Apples are also high in minerals such as potassium and iron. Minerals play a key role in any animal’s health and help with things like blood pressure and muscle function.

What kind of Apples can a Bearded Dragon Eat?

When it comes to choosing between red or green apples for your Bearded Dragon, it really just comes down to preference as both varieties are good for them.

Most people have a clear preference between red and green as there is a clear difference in taste but most Bearded Dragons aren’t as fussy when it comes to their apples.

Even if they do have a preference, most of these lizards like the taste of both so you can offer them whichever variety you have available.

There are subtle nutritional differences between them with green apples being slightly higher in things like vitamins, potassium, iron and fibre.

However, the difference isn’t that much and given the fact that your lizard will only be eating small amounts, it really doesn’t make a difference what variety you use.

How can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples?

Any apple that you feed to a Bearded Dragon must be peeled. Ensure all the skin is removed before placing the apple in your lizard’s enclosure.

The skin of an apple can easily get caught between the small sharp teeth of your Bearded Dragon. Not only is this uncomfortable, but can also assist in the development of tooth decay and gum disease.

Apple peel is also more difficult to chew and break up than the rest of the apple. This can present a choking hazard to your lizard.

Any pesticides or chemicals used where the apple was grown may gather on the outside of the apple. Once the peel is removed, your drastically reduce the risk of your lizard ingesting any of these chemicals.

You will also need to remove any seeds from the apple. These present a serious choking hazard as they can get lodged in your lizard’s throat.

If your lizard does swallow a seed without choking, they will have a lot of trouble trying to digest it. This can lead to impaction as their digestive tract becomes blocked.

There are also small amounts of cyanide in apple seeds. While not enough to actually poison your lizard, it is still best to avoid the seeds altogether.

After the fruit is peeled and seeded, cut it up into small, bite sized pieces and place it into your lizard’s food bowl.

What other Fruit can you Feed a Bearded Dragon?

Fruit is an important part of a Bearded Dragons diet as it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that aren’t easily obtained from other sources of food.

However, the drawback is that most fruit contain high levels of sugar which isnt good for them. Because of this, it is estimated that around 10-15 percent of a Bearded Dragons diet should be made up of fruit.

Some of the different types of fruit you can offer them include strawberries, mango, pear, watermelon, grapes, blackberries and blueberries.

What Vegetables can a Bearded Dragon Eat?

Another important element of a Bearded Dragons diet is vegetables. Veg can make up a large portion of their diet.

You should offer a variety of different vegetables to ensure that the lizard is getting as much nutrients as possible.

Some of the vegetables you can offer include lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, bell peppers and watercress.

Do not feed them iceberg lettuce as this is almost pure water and offers no nutritional value for your lizard.

What insects can a Bearded Dragon Eat?

Insects will make up the majority of a Bearded Dragons diet. Not only do Beardie’s love insects but they also provide them with exercise as the chase the insect around their enclosure.

Crickets and Dubia Roaches are the most common insects fed to these lizards. However, variety is key here also and you should offer other insects also when possible.

Some other insects you can offer include mealworms, super worms, hornworms and silkworms.

Mealworms are often the go-to food item when it comes to feeding lizards. The problem is they are not very nutrient dense. To compare, hornworms contain 10 times more protein than the same amount of mealworms by weight.