Bearded dragons are incredible companions, and if you are the first time owner of a bearded dragon, you will want to know exactly how to care for your pet and give them the best diet possible.
The diet of a bearded dragon is quite varied and includes live food such as mealworms and crickets, vegetables such as peppers, leafy greens, and sweet potato, and occasionally some fruit.
If you are wanting to offer some more variety, can bearded dragons eat cranberries? Yes, bearded dragons can eat cranberries, but they should only be offered occasionally as treats and not form a large part of the bearded dragon’s diet.
In order to give your bearded dragon the best diet possible, it is important to find out what they can and can’t eat, and the perfect treats to give them! One such treat is cranberries.
Cranberries As A Treat
Cranberries make great treats for bearded dragons. They are the perfect blend of sweet and tart and are small enough for the bearded dragon to nibble on.
While they have great nutrients and vitamins, cranberries have high fiber content and a mix of phosphorus and calcium. This makes them unsuited to be fed to a bearded dragon often, and only one or two cranberries should be offered at a time as a treat.
Cranberries do have a high water content, so they are great for the summer months when your bearded dragon needs some extra hydration. Just beware that the high fiber content can counteract this, and cause harm to the bearded dragon’s digestive system.
Offer up one or two cranberries once or twice a week as a special treat for your pet, but do not give them more than this.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Dried Cranberries?
You can try to offer your bearded dragon dried cranberries, around one or two dried cranberries once a week, but it isn’t the best option.
As cranberries are fairly tart, they are usually sweetened with added sugar when they are dried to combat this tart taste. Due to this, they have a high sugar content, which could be harmful to your bearded dragon.
While they make an easy treat, they do have unhealthy sugars and sugar can be dangerous to a bearded dragon, especially if it is added sugar to a treat, and not natural sugars found in fruit and vegetables.
The small dried cranberries might also be difficult and hard for your bearded dragon to eat, so it is best just to avoid offering them.
Can Bearded Dragons Drink Cranberry Juice?
Bearded dragons can drink cranberry juice, but it should not be given to them often. Cranberry juice should only be offered in small portions, and it should be diluted down with water.
As cranberries are naturally tart, most cranberry juices have sugar and other additives to make it taste better, and these could be harmful to your bearded dragon.
Offering up diluted cranberry juice is a good way to keep your bearded dragon hydrated, and to get them to drink from their bowl, but it should not replace water in their diet, and it should not be done so often that it is the only way they want to drink.
It is important to note as well that bearded dragons do not need too much water, and offering them cranberry juice could actually lead to too much hydration, which could cause diarrhea and other stomach upsets.
What Should I Feed My Bearded Dragon?
Bearded dragons love treats every now and then, such as one or two cranberries, but they have a specific diet that they should be given each day. They aren’t very picky when it comes to the food they eat, but require certain foods to stay healthy.
A daily diet should include:
- Crickets, earthworms, super worms, mealworms, and Dubia roaches (this is great brand that includes these)
- Ants and beetles
- Dandelion greens, kale, and collard greens
- Grapes, bananas, strawberries, apples, blueberries, and watermelon
Bearded dragons hunt live prey, so you should try to feed them live insects and bugs where possible.
Related Questions
What foods should I avoid feeding my bearded dragon?
Avoid feeding your bearded dragon the following food:
- Lettuce – lettuce might seem okay but the high water content could cause a stomach upset.
- Fireflies – fireflies are toxic to bearded dragons and can kill them if eaten.
- Avocado – avocados have high oxalic acid content which can be fatal to a bearded dragon.
- Rhubarb – Rhubarb is toxic to bearded dragons and should not be offered to them.
Can bearded dragons eat bananas?
Bananas are fine to feed to your bearded dragon as a treat now and again. They have a high phosphorus content and contain a large amount of sugar.
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