Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries As bearded dragon owners, we always look out for the best possible care for our pets. Understanding their nutritional needs is critical to living a long, healthy life. One common question is whether bearded dragons can eat strawberries. This article will delve into this topic, examining the benefits, potential risks and best practices of eating strawberries for bearded dragons.
Nutritional Benefits of Strawberries
Strawberries are packed with vital nutrients that may be useful to bearded dragons while administered in moderation. These culmination are plentiful in:
- Vitamin C: This antioxidant facilitates enhance the immune device and prevent infections.
Fiber facilitates with digestion and a healthy gut. - Manganese helps bone fitness and metabolism.
- Folate: Essential for mobile characteristic and tissue increase.
While strawberries can offer these blessings, they will now not be an essential part of a bearded dragon’s weight-reduction plan.
Risks of Feeding Strawberries to Bearded Dragons
Although strawberries are nutritious, there are also dangers:
- High in sugar: Strawberries are high in sugar, and eating too much can lead to obesity, liver problems and other health issues
- Oxalates: Strawberries contain oxalates, which can bind to calcium and interfere with its absorption, which can contribute to osteoporosis
- Pesticides: Strawberries often contain unnatural pesticides, which can be harmful to bearded dragons.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries?
Because of the dangers of excess sugar and oxalates, it is best to feed strawberries to bearded dragons sometimes The specific rule of thumb is to feed strawberries as a meal a couple of times a month, rather than as an internal a typical part of a weight loss program.
- Preparing strawberries for your bearded dragon
Take a look at these steps to give your bearded dragon a strawberry right.
- Rinse thoroughly: Make sure that all pesticides and chemicals are removed with the help of a bottom strawberry rinse by using running water.
Cut into thin slices: Cut strawberries into measurable chunks to avoid overwhelm.
Remove the seed: While not always necessary, discarding the seed can further reduce the risks of any potential.
Why Can’t Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries All the Time?
Strawberries offer your beardie a lot when they’re not fed too often. Here are some of the nutritional benefits:
- Carbohydrates, which provide energy
- Calcium, which strengthens bone and tissue
- Fiber, which helps digestion run smoothly
- High water content (45% to 68%), which in proper amounts
- can improve kidney function and prevent dehydration
- Potassium, which regulates blood pressure
- Vitamin C, which strengthens your dragon’s immune system, vision,
reproduction, and growth
However, there are a few major reasons why strawberries aren’t safe for regular consumption.
More phosphorus than calcium. One cup of strawberries contains 23 grams of calcium and 36 grams of phosphorus. That’s not a very bad difference, but it’s enough to make strawberries unsafe for daily intake.
You’ve probably heard this, but it bears repeating: the most important component of your beardie’s diet is calcium. It is so important to the bearded dragon’s bone growth and overall health that most veterinarians will recommend sprinkling calcium powder into your pet’s food to ensure they are getting enough calcium.
Phosphorus is a different story. On its own it is not bad at all for bearded dragons, but it should be consumed in smaller quantities than calcium. In foods that contain both minerals, a balanced ratio of 1.1 to 2.1 is best. This is because phosphorus essentially prevents calcium from being absorbed into the dragon’s bloodstream.
When the amount of phosphorus in a dragon’s diet consistently exceeds the amount of calcium, the results can be disastrous. Without proper calcium intake, dragons can develop metabolic bone disease (MBD), a painful and sometimes paralyzing condition that distorts the structure and growth of bearded dragon bones.
How Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries?
Bearded dragons will sometimes chop whole strawberries into small pieces, which is usually safe as long as you supervise. You can cut strawberries into smaller pieces and put them in your bearded dragon’s food dish alone or with vegetables or other fruits.
Be sure to wash strawberries thoroughly before feeding them to your bearded dragon, especially if they are not organic. Often the berries can contain chemicals from pesticides and other sprays, which in rare cases harm or kill bearded dragons.
Once the strawberries are ready, enjoy watching your bearded dragon eat them! You may even be able to eat them together.
