Bearded dragons are often adopted as pets.However before keeping one as a pet, it is better to learn about bearded dragons and how to properly care of this reptile. This involves the diet of a bearded dragon too.The term ‘bearded dragons’ is commonly used to refer to the six species of lizards that are part of the genus of reptiles known as Pogona. These lizards acquire their name from their distinctive beards or the underside of their throats that can puff up or even turn black when they are stressed or feel threatened. You can easily make out when your pet beardie is upset or stressed. Bearded dragons are semi-arboreal creatures which means they like to live on land as well as in trees and on branches. Most bearded dragons like to bask on branches or on rocks. You might also find wild bearded dragons in the vicinity of your house. The bearded dragon is a lizard species that is native to the country of Australia. These reptiles can be easily found throughout Australia. They can also be found in various environments such as eucalyptus woodlands, shrublands, and deserts. The primary diet of a bearded dragon consists of vegetation, insects, and sometimes small rodents too.If bearded dragons can eat fruit and vegetables, you might be wondering if a bearded dragon can eat grapes if you add them to its diet?Are grapes safe for bearded dragons?It is extremely important to provide a proper diet to your pets as improper feeding can affect their health.Bearded dragons often enjoy eating both vegetables and fruit as part of their daily diet. Many new owners of beardies wonder if grapes be added to this list of fruit that can be fed to these bearded pets. Experts assure that grapes can be given to bearded dragons to eat. However, there are a few precautions you must take while giving grapes to bearded dragons. Unlike some other fruit, grapes should be fed to bearded dragons after a few things have been checked.The very first step is to feed these reptiles only fresh and ripe grapes. The grapes that bearded dragons eat should not contain any seeds. While you might find seedless grapes in supermarkets, be extra careful and check them again before giving them to your beardie to eat.Many people may think that the skin of grapes should be peeled before bearded dragons eat them. However, it is quite safe for bearded dragons to eat the skin of grapes. You do not have to peel the grape skin off. Bearded dragons do not have a problem swallowing and digesting the smooth skin of grapes. Grape skin does not cause impaction, but grape seeds do. Impaction is when bearded dragons bowel movements stop.You can also feed grapes to bearded dragons as part of a salad dressing. In this way, grapes can be fed in smaller pieces to these reptiles. Whether red, purple, or green grapes, bearded dragons can eat all types of grapes. How often can you feed them grapes?Bearded dragons are known to prefer fruit to vegetables whenever they have the option. However, the owner must be cautious regarding the amount of fruit their beardie eats, which also includes grapes.Unlike humans who can eat fruit as a regular part of their diet, feeding grapes to a bearded dragon as a regular food in its diet is ill-advised. Instead of feeding bearded dragons grapes as regularly, they should be given as a treat. A treat for a pet is anything given in small quantities a few times in a while outside of their regular diet foods.While it is safe to feed grapes to bearded dragons, you should not let them eat too many grapes as it can cause various health problems for them. The natural foods that a bearded dragon must eat consist of vegetables, greens, and insects. This is to balance and improve the health of the bearded dragon.It is possible that your beardie might not like feeding on other foods and just wants to eat grapes. Indulging this habit of a bearded dragon is not be a good idea, as eating too many grapes can have repercussions on the health of this lizard. In order to get a bearded dragon to eat other foods such as vegetables and greens, you can rub the natural juice of grapes on vegetables and greens. This makes these foods appealing to a bearded dragon and encourage it to eat them.A proper and well-balanced diet can be given to the beardie. The contents of the diet might need to change when a baby bearded dragon matures into an adult bearded dragon, so always consult a vet.What are the risks of feeding grapes to bearded dragons?While grapes, like many fruit, are considered to be healthy foods, they can still pose a danger to bearded dragons when fed too much. The risks of grapes with regard to bearded dragons are listed below.Grapes contain oxalates. These oxalates bind themselves to minerals like calcium that are present in the body. When bound to oxalates, calcium is unable to be absorbed by the body. This can lead to low calcium levels in the bodies of bearded dragons, which can lead to serious health issues. While grapes contain only a few oxalates, they can become harmful when you feed grapes in high quantity to a bearded dragon.Grapes also contain a high water content. Bearded dragons exist naturally in the hot climates of desert regions. This means that they do not require a high amount of water. A bearded dragon gets its water from the foods it eats. Of course, you should also provide a water bowl near a beardie. But feeding it too many food items with high water content is not recommended. When you feed too many grapes to a bearded dragon, it can increase the water content in the body of the lizard more than necessary. This can cause the bearded dragon to suffer from diarrhea, further leading to dehydration. More health issues can arise from dehydration.Grapes contain fruit acid and sugar. The high amount of sugar and fruit acid can make your bearded dragon obese. Obesity can lead to diseases such as diabetes and fatty liver disease. Bearded dragons should not be fed grapes in large quantities, or other fruit in genera,l as it can increase the sugar content in their bodies.Grape seeds are very dangerous for bearded dragons. Even when you feed your beardie seedless grapes, check it first for any seeds. If the bearded dragon eats grapes seeds, then it might affect its bowel movements. When your bearded dragon does not defecate for too long, it will not only fall sick but could also die. There are a few things you can try at home when you find that your beardie is not defecating after eating grapes.First of all, give the bearded dragon a nice bath. The water temperature should be warm but not be too hot, and the water should only reach the knees or the elbows of the lizard. You can also rub the belly of the lizard while it is in the bath. The beardie can also be fed a homemade laxative to induce bowel movement. If the bearded dragon does not defecate even after taking these measures, it is advised to take it to a veterinarian.Can bearded dragons eat grape leaves?By now, we have answered the question, can bearded dragons eat grapes? You can feed bearded dragons both the skin and the pulp of grapes, but can you also feed them grape leaves?While grapes contain sugar, oxalates, and fiber and should be given only as a treat once in a while, grape leaves are the opposite. Grape leaves have a high nutritional value, with nutrients such as calcium, protein, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K present in them. You can feed your bearded dragon as many leaves as it wants.These leaves also have low phosphorus content, which adds to the fact that these leaves are indeed healthy and can be a part of a bearded dragon’s diet. They can be a part of the greens you regularly feed to your beardie, along with other vegetables and insects. The presence of calcium along with vitamin C and vitamin K can also improve the health of the bearded dragon in many ways.While bearded dragons love to consume grapes or other fruit, grapes should be given in small quantities and under certain conditions without any seeds. You must avoid feeding grapes in large numbers as the high sugar content and oxalates can be harmful to bearded dragons.
Bearded dragons are often adopted as pets.
