Tangerines are a sweet citrus fruit, but can your bearded dragon eat them?
Knowing whether it’s safe to share a snack with your pet lizard is vital in giving them a well-balanced, healthy diet.
You don’t want to give them something making them sick.
Tangerines are a common fruit in your home, so in this article, we’ll look at their role in a bearded dragon’s diet.
Table of Contents
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Tangerine?
No, you should avoid sharing the citrus fruit with your bearded dragon. They have high sugar content, and the fruit acid is much too acidic for bearded dragons. Citric acid and sugar can make lizards very sick.
Sticking to a diet rich in nutrients and vitamins is key to a healthy pet.
Knowing which foods to give daily and which to avoid is key in ensuring a long life for your bearded dragon.
Why are Tangerines Bad for Bearded Dragons?
If your lizard accidentally takes a bite of the peels, they will be fine.
You want to avoid having the orange fruit as part of their regular diet.
The fruit is too acidic for bearded dragons to eat often.
Their high level of sugar also leads to undesirable side effects.
The citric fruit can lead to diarrhea and dehydration in bearded dragons.
Dehydration can lead to other severe issues like kidney disease, gout, and shedding problems.
Too much sugar in their diet also leads to tooth decay.
It’s essential to avoid any form of citrus fruit.
Regardless of what form it comes in, the high sugar and citric acid level are not good for a bearded dragon.
This includes:
- Orange Juice
- Mandarin Orange
- Orange Peel
- Navel Oranges
What Fruits Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
While bearded dragons should avoid citrus fruit, there are some fruits they are permitted to eat in moderate amounts.
Fruits should only be about 10-20% of their diet.
Peaches
While peaches should be eaten in small doses, they are considered a safe fruit for lizards.
The sweet fruit contains Vitamin C, which will help strengthen vision and growth in bearded dragons.
The tasty fruit does not have a high sugar content level, and the fiber can help improve digestion in bearded dragons.
Still, it’s essential to limit peach consumption to around once a week because of their level of goitrogens and phosphorus.
Strawberries
Strawberries are fine for an occasional treat for bearded dragons.
Despite their sweet taste, they do not increase blood sugar levels as fast as other fruits.
When serving them to baby bearded dragons, be sure to cut them up in bite-sized pieces to prevent choking.
Make a point to give your bearded dragon fresh strawberries as opposed to dried ones.
Dried fruit tends to be even higher in sugar and is not a healthy choice for your lizard.
Raspberries
Giving a fresh raspberry to your bearded dragon will make for one happy lizard.
Just be aware if you feed them too many.
An excess amount of red fruit can cause loose stools in bearded dragons.
To keep them hydrated, soak them in a warm water bath for about 15 minutes a day.
Make a point to remove any leftover raspberries left behind.
The fruit begins to rot in your lizard’s tank if left for too long.
Rotten fruit can cause major problems if eaten by bearded dragons.
Grapes
Your bearded dragon will thoroughly enjoy seeing grapes being fed to them.
Serve it with the skin or not.
Just be sure to remove any grape seeds before serving them to your bearded dragon.
They do contain oxalates, so be aware of how much you are giving them.
They can, however, eat grape leaves regularly.
Here’s our dedicated post on feeding bearded dragons grapes for more information.
Best Foods for Bearded Dragons
While fruits may be served in small doses, it’s essential to know which foods you should be giving to your pet to ensure a healthy lifestyle.
A proper diet is one which supports higher calcium to phosphorus ratio to ensure proper bone growth.
Leaves
Greens should be a staple food in a bearded dragon’s diet.
Leafy greens are full of necessary minerals and vitamins to keep your lizard healthy.
Below is a shortlist of greens you should include in your lizard’s diet.
- Collard Greens are a great source of Vitamin C for bearded dragons and only contain moderate oxalates.
- Serving Dandelion Greens to bearded dragons provides them with a good source of calcium and Vitamins A and K.
- Mustard Greens can offer a wide array of nutrients for your lizard, like calcium and Vitamin A.
The leafy greens’ good balance of calcium to phosphorus makes it an excellent choice for your bearded dragon.
Insects
Your bearded dragon will enjoy eating various types of insects. It’s important to know which ones are safe for beardies to eat.
- Crickets are the staple insect because of their fat to protein ratio, affordability, and easy ability to “gut load” for more nutrients.
- Dubai Roaches are a favorite among bearded dragons and are a great source of calcium. An adult bearded dragon can eat about 2-3 roaches a day.
- Mealworms should be given in moderation to bearded dragons. Mealworms are high in fat and a poor source of calcium. Adult dragons can get addicted to the mealworms and can lead to an unhealthy lizard.
Avoiding Oxalates In The Bearded Dragon Diet
Oxalates are going to be found in the majority of food a bearded dragon eats.
It’s important to limit foods with a high amount of it.
Oxalates can deplete the current supply of calcium in your bearded dragon and cause metabolic bone disease.
If the calcium to phosphorus ratio is off in a bearded dragon, it will prevent much-needed calcium from entering their bloodstream.
Metabolic bone disease can cause swollen limbs and lethargy in bearded dragons.
Your lizard can end up paralyzed or even die from the condition.
Final Thoughts
A healthy lizard is a happy lizard.
Making a point to give them nutrient-rich food and limited treats with sugar will ensure a long life for your bearded dragon.
While it’s fun to share the occasional treat with your bearded dragon from time to time, avoid sharing your tangerine with them.
