Strawberries are at all times a preferred fruit once they’re in season, so understandably many bearded dragon house owners need to know whether or not bearded dragons can eat them.
Bearded dragons can eat strawberries as a part of a balanced weight loss plan.
Because of the excessive sugar content material of strawberries – the very factor that makes them so candy – they need to solely be fed to bearded dragons carefully. Given often, nonetheless, strawberries make a beautiful deal with to your lizard.
For finest outcomes, fastidiously wash the strawberries to make sure they’re chemical-free earlier than feeding. Then chop the strawberries into small items to make it simple to your bearded dragon to swallow them.
Lastly, you’ll want to take away any uneaten strawberries out of your bearded dragon vivarium earlier than they spoil. Realistically within the heat confines of a reptile cage this possible means together with them in your bearded dragon’s morning meal, then eradicating them within the night whenever you get house.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat the Tops of Strawberries?
The inexperienced leafy tops of strawberries might be eaten by bearded dragons.
Nevertheless it’s best to not feed the stalk or stem which pokes out of the highest of the fruit as they’re indigestible and might symbolize a choking menace to your pet.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries with the Pores and skin on?
Sure, bearded dragons can eat strawberries with the pores and skin on.
The pores and skin comprises numerous nutritional vitamins and minerals, so it’s a good suggestion to eat these as nicely.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Strawberries On a regular basis?
Given the prospect, most bearded dragons will fortunately eat strawberries daily. Nevertheless simply because they will doesn’t imply they ought to.
The truth is that strawberries are very excessive in sugar. As in people, this may pose a possible well being threat.
It’s best to not feed strawberries to your bearded dragon on a regular basis. As a substitute, if fed to your bearded dragon in any respect, they need to be thought of an occasional deal with.
There isn’t any must feed strawberries in any respect in case you are involved in regards to the sugar content material. Certainly, whereas they style very good, there are arguably much better meals that needs to be making up the premise of your beardie’s weight loss plan.
How Usually to Feed Strawberries To a Bearded Dragon
Strawberries needs to be fed to your bearded dragon solely a couple of times every week at most.
Nevertheless the precise reply can rely upon a variety of things.
Strawberries are excessive in sugar and comprise little in the way in which of protein. It’s important when feeding any fruit to bearded dragons that they’re thought of a deal with. The vast majority of your bearded dragon’s meals ought to include low-sugar meals, with “deal with” meals like strawberries solely making the odd look.
Younger bearded dragons require excessive protein ranges of their weight loss plan, and consequently usually obtain a far greater proportion of feeder bugs than do adults. So not solely is their urge for food smaller, however they eat much less plant materials general. It’s essential that each mouthful actually counts in juvenile beardies.
So whereas grownup bearded dragons might take pleasure in a little bit of strawberry a few occasions every week, children ought to eat them far much less commonly.
What’s the Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio in Strawberries?
The calcium to phosphorus ratio is a crucial consideration for bearded dragon keepers. Controlling this ratio will help to make sure a powerful, wholesome skeleton. Simply as importantly it guards in opposition to the chance of metabolic bone illness (MBD).
The calcium:phosphorus ratio in strawberries is about 1:1.
You will need to word that this ratio can range fairly considerably between fruits, relying on their rising circumstances.
It’s typically agreed the “finest” calcium to phosphorus ratio for bearded dragons is 2:1. That’s – twice the quantity of calcium as there’s phosphorus.
Whereas the calcium to phosphorus ratio in strawberries just isn’t best, it’s removed from the worst ratio seen in some frequent bearded dragon meals.
It’s important that strawberries ought to solely make up a tiny proportion of your beardie’s weight loss plan. The remaining ought to comprise meals with a greater calcium:phosphorus ratio. This could assist to keep away from any potential issues with calcium within the weight loss plan.
You might also need to think about including a powder complement to your beardie’s weight loss plan to scale back the possibilities of mineral deficiencies. These are low cost to purchase and straightforward so as to add to your bearded dragon’s meals beneath the directions of the producer.
Vitamins Present in Strawberries
Whereas now we have mentioned that strawberries have a comparatively poor calcium:phosphorus ratio, there are many explanation why you would possibly need to feed strawberries to your bearded dragon.
Like many fruits, strawberries are completely full of all kinds of vitamins. Listed below are among the most vital advantages to your bearded dragon:
Firstly strawberries are low in oxolates. These are pure compounds discovered inside many crops.
Sadly they’re identified to impression the absorption of calcium. They’ll additionally result in the formation of kidney stones. At finest these are painful for bearded dragons.
In excessive conditions they might even show deadly. Meals which can be low in oxalates, equivalent to strawberries, due to this fact make a welcome addition to your beardie’s weight loss plan.
Strawberries are additionally low in sodium (“salt”) and fats.
On the flipside, there are a variety of vitamins present in surprisingly excessive volumes in strawberries. These embrace vitamin A. vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin Ok. Strawberries additionally comprise considerable quantities of fiber and are full of useful antioxidants.
Causes To not Feed Strawberries to Your Beardie
All informed, issues look fairly rosy with regards to feeding strawberries to bearded dragons. Nevertheless there are some things it’s best to think about earlier than giving them to your pet.
Excessive Sugar Content material – By definition strawberries are deliciously candy, which is why bearded dragons, identical to people, like to eat them. On the identical time we all know that an excessive amount of sugar is a foul factor. It might probably trigger unhealthy weight achieve, and even weight problems if train is minimal.
Suboptimal Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio – In case your bearded dragon eats too many strawberries then chances are you’ll discover that it isn’t consuming sufficient calcium. This will result in skeletal issues over the long run.
Each of those parts imply that strawberries ought to solely be thought of an occasional deal with to your bearded dragon. They actually shouldn’t be fed each day as a staple of their weight loss plan.
As a substitute, the bottom of their weight loss plan ought to include dragon-safe inexperienced greens. Moreover, attempt to supply as a lot selection as potential to protect in opposition to the chance of vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
Methods to Feed Strawberries To Your Bearded Dragon
Strawberries are very tasty for bearded dragons, however they’re very candy. Because of this, you’ll want to feed them carefully.
No particular preparation is mostly required when feeding strawberries to your bearded dragon, although the next ideas might show helpful:
Wash Earlier than Feeding – Store-bought strawberries have usually been sprayed with fertilizers and pesticides. It’s most secure to present the skin of the fruit an intensive wash beneath operating water to take away these.
Contemplate Chopping – A ripe strawberry is often a fairly simple meal for a bearded dragon. They usually don’t have any issues taking a chunk out of the fruits. Nevertheless chopping up the strawberries would possibly make sense. It reduces the possibilities of choking, and likewise makes “selective feeding” much less of a difficulty.
Mix With Different Meals – Because of their excessive sugar content material, strawberries needs to be fed alongside different plant-based meals. This “salad” will due to this fact comprise a far wider vary of vitamins than feeding strawberries alone.
Contemplate a Calcium Complement – Relying on what different meals you’re together with with the strawberries chances are you’ll need to mud it with a mineral complement. These are an inexpensive and straightforward means to make sure your bearded dragon is getting all of the calcium they want.
Use a Meals Bowl – Ripe strawberries are juicy and might shortly make a large number of a bearded dragon vivarium. It’s usually best to feed strawberries in a bowl, because it prevents juice getting onto the substrate. Inserting the bowl onto a flat rock serves an analogous objective.
Bonus: Bearded dragons may even eat frozen strawberries if correctly thawed out. This generally is a helpful tip for a winter deal with. When strawberries are in season throughout the summer time, merely slice a couple of fruits into small items, pop them in an hermetic bag, and place them within the freezer. On this means you possibly can take away only one small piece at a time, let it totally defrost in a single day, after which give it to your beardie within the morning.
