Bearded dragons can eat a diverse diet consisting of various insects, fruits, and vegetables. The list of recommended foods for a bearded dragon is long, but many seemingly healthy foods shouldn’t be fed to your dragon, such as lettuce. This causes confusion for many owners when determining what they ought to feed their dragon.
Kiwi is a tasty green fruit that seems like a perfect treat for a pet dragon. Will your dragon eat kiwi? Almost certainly. They’ll love the sweet taste and would probably eat it daily if given the opportunity. The real question is whether it’s good for your dragon. Fortunately, kiwi can provide a host of benefits for your bearded dragon, making it a great choice for an occasional treat. That said, you can cause major adverse effects if you feed kiwi to your dragon too often.
What Benefits Can Kiwi Provide for Your Bearded Dragon?
Kiwi is packed full of nutrients, and many of them can provide a health boost for your bearded dragon. For instance, you’ll find loads of antioxidants in a kiwi, which are great for their overall health.
Source: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102667/nutrients
That said, most of these benefits do not outweigh the risks of feeding kiwi to your bearded dragon.
Potential Downsides of Feeding Too Much Kiwi to Your Dragon
Since kiwis offer such a wide range of health benefits for your bearded dragon, you might be wondering if there are any downsides to this fruit.
Calcium-to-Phosphorus Ratio
For healthy adult bearded dragons in maintenance, their diet should have a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of anywhere between 1.5:1 and 2:1. This means the calcium should be around twice as much as the phosphorus. The recommended ratio for juveniles is around 2:1, and dragons that are breeding (particularly females) require a much higher calcium intake compared to adults in maintenance.
In kiwi, the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is around 1:1. Phosphorus balance in the body requires that it be in the correct proportion with calcium. It binds to calcium, so when a bearded dragon is fed high amounts of phosphorus, their body responds by pulling calcium out from the bones to restore the proper levels of minerals and reduce the excess phosphorus in the bloodstream. Over time, the loss of calcium from bone mass can make the bones brittle and weak, leading to a condition called metabolic bone disease.
In addition, an inappropriate ratio of calcium to phosphorus is undesirable for the long-term health of a bearded dragon because it may predispose them to kidney or parathyroid issues. Therefore, kiwi should be offered sparingly to your bearded dragon.
This problem is considered significant because captive bearded dragons require the correct lighting (UVB) to properly synthesize vitamin D3, a nutrient required for calcium absorption. Therefore, they need multiple sources of care to ensure that their calcium requirements are met: the correct diet and the correct lighting. Adding excess phosphorus to their diet complicates this process significantly.
Oxalates
Kiwi are high in oxalates, also sometimes referred to as oxalic acid. Oxalates bind with calcium within the body and prevent its use. They may also predispose a bearded dragon to kidney stones, which require medical attention. A single kiwi may contain up to 29 mg of oxalates.
Sugar Content
Compared to vegetables, fruits are considered high in sugar content. Kiwi is no exception to this rule; most of its carbohydrate content is actually the naturally occurring sugars present in the fruit. This isn’t considered nutritionally catastrophic for beardies, but it’s definitely not desirable in high amounts.
Sugar is not directly associated with diabetes in bearded dragons. However, an overabundance of calories can lead to an obese pet, which isn’t healthy and may serve as a precursor for other diseases.
How Often Can Your Bearded Dragon Eat Kiwi?
The general rule of thumb when it comes to feeding fruits to your dragon is that variety is important. Therefore, it’s best to not just stick with one fruit, but rather rotate several different fruits to offer your dragon on a daily basis.
The number of fruits and vegetables that you should offer your dragon depends on their age. Younger dragons require fewer fruits and veggies and need a diet that’s high in insects. Juvenile dragons need a diet that’s composed equally of vegetation and insects. Adults require a diet that’s high in vegetation and low in the number of insects that they’re served. It’s best to consult with your veterinarian to formulate a meal plan that works best for your bearded dragon.
How to Feed Your Bearded Dragon Kiwi
If you’re going to feed kiwi to your bearded dragon, there are a few tips that you should follow to ensure that you’re doing it safely.
Wrapping Up
If given the choice, your dragon might opt to eat tasty fruits like kiwi on a daily basis. While kiwi is safe for your dragon to consume, it’s best to remember that variety in your dragon’s diet is preferred over offering them just one fruit every single day. That said, kiwi is a healthy snack that you can incorporate into your bearded dragon’s diet.
It’s always best to consult with your vet about the dietary well-being of your pet to ensure that you’re feeding them the correct things and in the right amounts.
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Featured Image: Pranjall Kumar, Unsplash
