Grapes are a good, sweet, and healthy diet for kids and adults. They provide quick energy to humans. But
- Can a bearded dragon eat grapes?
- Are grapes safe for bearded dragons?
- How much grapes can a bearded dragon eat?
- Can bearded dragons eat green grapes?
- Can bearded dragons eat purple grapes?
- Can bearded dragons eat red grapes?
- Why can’t bearded dragons eat grapes all the time?
- Why limit the number of grapes for bearded dragons?
- Can bearded dragons eat grape leaves?
- How to feed grapes to bearded dragons?
These are the questions that come to the mind of every bearded dragon owner. Let’s find out the answer to each question.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes?
The short answer is:
- Yes, as an occasional treat.
- No, not as a daily Meal.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Have Grapes?
The Overall Health of your Bearded Dragon determines when and how much grapes he can eat.
Grapes are sweet fruit and if your bearded dragon is not suffering from obesity, diabetes, or any other similar health issue, he is safe to consume one or two grapes per week.
If your dragon is suffering from health issues, then once a month is a safe option. But in that case, it is recommended to check it with your vet first. If your dragon is in his weak spot, then grapes might be harmful.
A Healthy Bearded Dragon Can eat a grape or two once a week without any health concerns.
Let’s have a look at some nutritional benefits of grapes:
- Grapes have a lot of fiber. They aid in smooth digestion and also prevent constipation.
- Grapes are low in acidic content. Grapes are safe and will not burn their mouth or harm their stomach lining like other citrus fruits.
- Grapes are high in antioxidants, especially in the skin of red grapes. Antioxidants reduce and prevent inflammation. They also lower the risk of heart disease and allergies.
- Grapes are high in water content (45% to 68%). Which can improve kidney function and prevent dehydration.
- Grapes have Potassium, which regulates blood pressure.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Green, Purple, and Red Grapes?
You might be wondering, which type of grapes are good i.e. green, purple or red? You need not worry as your bearded dragon eats all types of grapes in controlled quantities without any health risks. The recommended quantity is 1-2 grapes per week.
Why Can’t Bearded Dragons Have Grapes All the Time?
Grapes can be served to bearded dragons as a treat only. Bearded dragons can’t eat grapes all the time on their regular diet. Following are the reasons why a bearded dragon can’t have grapes all the time:
Choking hazard:
There is a choking hazard when you are feeding grapes to your bearded dragon. You need to feed them seedless grapes. When bearded dragons are excited, they also tend to get a bigger bite, which can also cause choking. You need to cut the grapes into small pieces before feeding them to your bearded dragon.
Besides choking, seeds of grapes can also gut impaction, they will block your bearded dragon’s digestive tract. This can result in serious health issues or even death of your bearded dragon. So, once again, choose grapes that are seedless or remove seeds from the grapes.
Overhydration and dehydration:
Grapes have high water content i.e. 45% to 68%. If your bearded dragon eats too many grapes, they will cause over-hydration. Over-hydration will cause diarrhea. Diarrhea will dehydrate your bearded dragon.
Bearded dragons are desert reptiles, they can live dehydrated in their natural state. However, dehydration caused by diarrhea is dangerous for them. They are not used to it.
Metabolic bone disease (MBD):
Metabolic bone disease or MBD is very dangerous for your bearded dragon. It is caused by a deficiency of calcium in bearded dragons. MBD weakens bones, damages tissue, and affects the overall skeleton of your bearded dragon. Read, “Metabolic Bone Disease 101: Keep Your Bearded Dragon Healthy”
Following are reasons which grapes can put your dragon in MBD:
- Oxalates. As already discussed, grapes contain oxalates. It is a property of Oxalates that they bind with calcium in the body of a bearded dragon. So, if your bearded dragon consumes too many grapes, he will suffer from calcium deficiency which can cause MBD.
- Phosphorus. Phosphorous behaves like oxalates. They bind with calcium and stop its absorption into the bloodstreams of bearded dragons. Grapes contain phosphorous and consuming too many grapes will lead to calcium deficiency which will cause MBD.
Diabetes, tooth decay, and obesity:
Grapes are high in sugar. Sugar is equally harmful to humans as well as bearded dragons. If your bearded dragon consumes too much sugar he can suffer from tooth decay, fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes, and in the rare and worst-case scenario, heart failure and death.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grape Leaves?
Grape leaves are high in protein and calcium and low in phosphorous. Your bearded dragon can consume grape leaves. Even grape leaves are more beneficial than grapes themselves. You can give grape leaves by simply washing them, chopping them, and placing them in a dish for your bearded dragon.
How Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes?
Although bearded dragons can eat whole grapes, but for safety reasons it is not recommended. A preferable method is to cut them into smaller pieces so that your bearded dragon can consume them easily without any threat of choking.
You need to choose the seedless grapes. If grapes are not seedless, cutting them also ensures that you will remove the seeds.
You can follow these steps:
- Wash the grapes.
- Remove the stems.
- Cut them into smaller pieces.
- Remove the seeds.
- Put them into a shallow dish.
- Enjoy the view.
As grapes are sweet, your bearded dragon will love them. You can mix grapes with other veggies to motivate your dragon to eat them. This is helpful when you are dealing with younger dragons as they are very choosy in food. You can easily add grape pieces in with bell pepper, sweet potatoes, kale, or any other staple veggies.
If you have questions feel free to contact us.