If you are fond of peaches as most people are, there is no doubt you have wondered whether you can share some of this fruit with your beardie. Are peaches good for your bearded dragon?
The short answer is yes, bearded dragons can eat peaches. But to learn why, we first have to consider a beardie’s natural diet.
Bearded dragons are omnivorous, meaning that they obtain nutrients from both plant and animal sources. A beardie’s diet consists of roughly 80% insects and 20% vegetables and fruits as juveniles and 80% fruits/vegetables and 20% insects as adults.
This means that fruits are a staple part of a bearded dragon’s diet.
Are Peaches Good for Bearded Dragons?
Yes, peaches are good for beardies. Like most fruits, you are advised to feed peaches to your bearded dragon occasionally. Peaches are laden with a host of vitamins and minerals that are very beneficial to these lizards.
Like many fruits, peaches are high in moisture, which can contribute towards hydration for your bearded dragon. Much of the carbohydrates in peaches are in the form of naturally occurring sugars, which are somewhat controversial for reptiles such as tortoises and terrapins, but thankfully not as problematic for bearded dragons.
In addition, they’re very low in oxalates and goitrogens, which are two compounds that bearded dragon owners should keep as low as possible when formulating a diet for their pet.
Nonetheless, despite their benefits, you should not feed peaches to your beardie frequently because they come with certain risks.
Risks of Overfeeding Peaches
While peaches are laden with benefits, they also have a drawback that can prove to be detrimental to your bearded dragon’s health if consumed too frequently.
The main issue is that peaches contain significantly higher amounts of phosphorus than calcium. While phosphorus is not bad in and of itself, above-average levels of this element in a diet can be dangerous. This is because, within your pet’s body, phosphorus binds to calcium. If your bearded dragon is fed a high amount of phosphorus and not enough calcium, their body will compensate for the lack of calcium by releasing calcium stored in their bones.
Over time, this can weaken their bones, leading to a condition known as metabolic bone disease (MBD). MBD is a condition characterized by the weakening of the skeletal structure, making your bearded dragon prone to fractures, tremors, and overall weakness. In addition to causing MBD, low levels of calcium can lead to the poor function of other organs and systems, such as the kidneys and heart.
Therefore, to avoid those problems, do not give your beardie a finely chopped slice of peach more than once a week.
Like other fruits, peaches do contain sugar. The sugar in fruits may also be a contributing factor to dental disease in bearded dragons.
Should You Give Canned Peaches to a Bearded Dragon?
You are advised against feeding your bearded dragon canned peaches. This is because canned foods contain chemicals, such as preservatives, that can prove harmful to your pet’s health.
What About Dried Peaches?
Compared to canned peaches, dried peaches are arguably worse. Like all other dried fruits, dried peaches contain extremely high levels of sugar. This is because the drying process only extracts pure water, thus concentrating the previously dissolved sugar and calories into a much smaller package.
This means that the sugar content in even a tiny piece of dried peach can be too much for your beardie to handle.
Can You Feed Your Bearded Dragon Peach Fruit Skin?
The issue with the skin of a peach fruit is the potential application of pesticides and other chemicals. Unfortunately, the skins tend to absorb most of these chemicals. Therefore it is best to desist from feeding fruit skins to your pets. However, it is worth noting that removing the skin does minimize the nutritional value of the fruit, as some nutrients are present only in the skin. Nonetheless, because peaches are given as an occasional treat, this nutritional loss isn’t too detrimental.
Conclusion
Chances are your bearded dragon thinks peaches are the next best thing after sliced bread. Nonetheless, despite their love for this fruit, you should practice moderation when feeding peaches to dragons.
Limit the number of times you give peaches to beardies to a maximum of once a week. Additionally, avoid dried and canned peaches due to their high chemical and sugar content. Therefore, only give fresh, ripe peaches to your bearded dragon.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
