If cranberries are healthy for us, are they safe for bearded dragons?
Have you asked yourself recently if it’s safe to share a sweet snack with your pet lizard during the holidays?
Cranberries are a common fruit served during the holiday season, so it may come naturally to want to share them with your bearded dragon.
But as with any new food, you need to double and triple-check they are safe for your lizard friend.
We’re here to help in this post, so let’s dig in!
Table of Contents
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cranberries?
While the bitter fruit shouldn’t be given every day, it’s ok to give your beardies cranberries about one or two times a month as an occasional treat. It’s important to know what nutrients are found in cranberries and why you should limit them.
Are Cranberries Nutritious?
Let’s start with the benefits of giving your bearded dragon a cranberry as a snack.
While they aren’t loaded with vitamins, they contain a moderate amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and manganese.
Cranberries do not have ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio.
When a lizard does not have an appropriate balance of the two, it can lead to metabolic bone disease (MBD).
MBD is a severe disease causing limping, decreased appetite, and lethargy in your pet lizard.
The species is prone to the disorder without a proper diet.
Nutrients in Cranberries
Let’s break down the nutrients in cranberries a little further.
Knowing exactly what the fruit is made of will help you decide whether you want it a part of your beardie’s diet or not.
Nutritional value is based on one cup (100g) of unsweetened, raw cranberries.
| Nutrients | Value |
| Water | 87% |
| Protein | .4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Vitamin B6 | .057 mg |
| Vitamin C | 13.3 g |
| Potassium | 16 mg |
| Magnesium | 6 mg |
| Fiber | 4.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Vitamin K | 5.1 Ī¼g |
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cherries?
Cherries have a similar appearance to cranberries, but are they the same when it comes to nutrients?
Cherries provide a great source of potassium, antioxidants, and manganese.
As with all fruits, limit the number of cherries given to your bearded dragon.
Your pet lizard can safely eat cherries about once a month.
What Other Fruits Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
It’s important, as a bearded dragon owner, to make yourself aware of fruits lizards can safely eat.
A fruit with a high level of nutrients, like potassium and magnesium, can help ensure a long life for your scaly pet.
Consider buying organic fruit when possible.
You want to avoid the pesticides and herbicides non-organic fruits tend to have.
Blackberries
Give your beardie cut-up blackberries as an occasional treat.
Blackberries have good fiber content and are full of beneficial nutrients: antioxidants, manganese, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C.
Manganese is an essential nutrient the body needs to function correctly.
You likely won’t run into a problem with your lizard not wanting to eat the tasty fruit, but you still want to be mindful of how much you are serving.
The high sugar content can give them diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration.
If you run into a problem with loose stools, put them in a warm bath for about 15 minutes a couple of times a day.
It will help alleviate the problem.
Raspberries
Bearded dragons will get very excited if you offer than a raspberry, but limit it as a rare snack, about once a month.
If you overfeed your beardie raspberries, you likely will find runny stool in their tank.
A raspberry is safe to serve whole or cut up into pieces.
Raspberries contain much-needed magnesium, which helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels in your lizard.
The red fruit also has a good amount of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, but they are also high in sugar.
While bearded dragon food should be lower in sugar, blueberries can make an occasional snack.
In addition, blueberries do not have ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio and have a moderately high oxalates level.
Mango
If you consider giving your bearded dragon mango, do so on a rare occasion.
The fruit does not provide many nutrients and is higher in sugar and low in calcium.
Make a point to cut the mango into bite-sized pieces to prevent choking.
Serve it on a salad or by itself!
Honeydew
Honeydew is a typical breakfast food for humans, but should lizards share the treat?
Honeydew melons have high water content and not ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio.
The fruit should only be served in smaller amounts and as a special treat.
It’s better to incorporate foods with more essential nutrients.
Cantaloupe
The sweet fruit, which is referred to as rockmelon in Australia, is another fruit your bearded dragon will enjoy on occasion.
The fruit provides much needed Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium.
Fruits For Bearded Dragons To Avoid
While there are fruits you may serve as an occasional treat, there are some you should never feed to your bearded dragon.
Make sure to keep your reptile safe by avoiding these popular fruits.
Oranges
You should avoid giving your bearded dragon oranges due to their high sugar content.
The fruit acid in oranges can irritate their intestines and cause dehydration and diarrhea.
While oranges provide an array of nutrients, like Vitamin C, to humans, it’s important not to share the snack with lizards.
A Balanced Diet For Bearded Dragons
Bearded Dragons are omnivores and need a balance of both plant and animal-based foods.
It’s essential to provide a variety of healthy foods to bearded dragons.
While fruits are a nice occasional treat, there are other foods to give more regularly to your reptile.
Proteins
- Dubia Roaches
- Silkworms
- Crickets
Vegetables and Leaves
- Collard Greens
- Turnip Greens
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Grape Leaves
Important Nutrients Vital For Bearded Dragons
As you are picking out foods, make sure to find ones rich in vitamins and minerals.
The most essential nutrients for your pet are:
- Vitamin B6
- Calcium
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Vitamin D3
- Manganese
- Potassium
- Magnesium
Final Thoughts
While serving cranberries on occasion isn’t going to hurt your beardie, be sure to limit the amount given.
Fruits should only account for 10-20% of their diet.
The ideal diet is one consisting of a variety of proteins, leafy greens, and minimal fruit.
