Bearded dragons belong to a group of eight reptiles known as Pogona from the Greek word pogon, which means “beard”. And that’s how these beloved lizards received their fearsome common name.
Aside from their fierce name, they can be much easier to care for than other reptiles or lizards. But what about their diets? Can they eat blueberries?
Yes! Bearded dragons can eat blueberries. These little berries can provide an excellent source of nutrition for your pet. However, you need to be sure that they eat a balanced diet alongside them.
Let’s take a look at a typical diet for bearded dragons and how to incorporate blueberries into it.
What do Bearded Dragons Usually Eat?
A bearded dragon’s usual diet in the wild mostly consists of insects, a variety of worms, spiders, leaves, and fruit. So, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to feed them blueberries.
While there are a few foods that aren’t safe to feed your bearded dragon, most fruits and vegetables are fair game. Many bearded dragon owners tend to mix in plenty of leafy veggies and small berries with their lizard’s gut-loaded insect diet.
What is a Balanced Bearded Dragon Diet?
Bearded dragons need a balanced diet that contains a healthy mixture of greens, vegetables, protein, and fruit.
The proper ratio for this is 75% insects (protein) and 25% vegetables, greens, and fruits.
For their insect diet, you can find gut-loaded or dusted insects that will suffice such as Dubia roaches, crickets, earthworms, and super worms. These are usually available in almost every pet supplies store.
As for the plant-based portion, you probably already have it on hand—whether it’s in your fridge or growing out in the garden. Collard greens, kale, cabbage, and dandelion greens are just some of their favorites.
That being said, bearded dragons love to eat their fruits and berries! In the wild, they have access to a huge variety of berry fruits that they enjoy frequently. And providing your beardie with foods that mimic what they eat in the wild helps keep them healthy and happy.
Feeding Bearded Dragons Blueberries
Most bearded dragons love blueberries. So, you shouldn’t have any problem getting your lizard to eat them. However, you do need to follow a few precautions when doing so.
How Many Blueberries Can They Eat?
The number of blueberries a bearded dragon can eat depends on the diet they eat throughout the day. The rule of the thumb is to offer blueberries or any kind of fruit as a dessert. That means you should only offer blueberries after they eat their main course. Here is an example of a bearded dragon meal chart and how you can incorporate blueberries into your beardie’s diet:
| Feeding Time | Insect | Vegetable | Fruit |
| Morning | Crickets x 10 | Kale leaves x 2
A small slice of pumpkin x 1 |
Blueberry x 1 |
| Lunch | Dubia roaches x 10 | Collard green leaves x 2
A small slice of sweet potato x 1 |
Peach slice x 1 |
| Dinner | Crickets x 10 | Kale leaves x 2
A small slice of pumpkin x 1 |
Blueberry x 1 |
Just like any food though, you need to keep portion control in mind. While blueberries are chock full of healthy vitamins and minerals, they’re also loaded with sugar. Sticking to one or two blueberries at a time is ideal.
Just remember, a bearded dragon’s diet changes as it grows older and bigger. The sample meal plan provided above is good for younger bearded dragons until they reach 18 months old.
After that, they will require more protein to stay strong. Consult your vet for the daily recommended ratio for their daily meals as they age.
Is it Safe to Feed My Bearded Dragon Blueberries?
It is completely safe to feed your bearded dragon blueberries. In fact, you may find that it is actually one of their favorite things to eat. However, it is also important to be cautious when feeding them.
Make sure you only give them clean and washed blueberries. If you can find organically grown blueberries, those are even better. However, be sure to practice portion control and don’t feed them too many.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
