You need to feed fruits to your pet bearded dragons sometimes. It ensures their proper intake of vitamins and hydration. Various fruit names might pop up in your mind and confuse you. It could be like, “Can bearded dragons eat grapes?”
Yes, bearded dragons can eat grapes in small numbers. Feeding them one or two grapes a week will cause no harm. Grapes will provide your reptile with water, vitamins, and powerful antioxidants and improve the digestive tract. The sugar content of the fruit makes it unsuitable for regular consumption.
Though grapes are safe for bearded dragons, you need to maintain a routine. Feeding them in a disciplined way will be more beneficial. Have a good read for detailed ideas about this.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes Safely?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat grapes safely. The fruit is not toxic for them, no matter what color you are referring to. The fruit is high in water and can keep your reptile friend hydrated. However, you must not overfeed them with the fruit.
Bearded dragons require a range of food variations as they are omnivores. They need a balanced diet, including various fruits, vegetables, and insects. This will satisfy their herbivore and carnivore instincts.
Grape Nutritional Facts
Grapes are moderately nutritious fruits and can offer some important nutrients to your pet. Check the below table of food nutrition for raw grapes:
| Nutrition name | Amount per 100 g |
| Water | 80.54 g |
| Energy | 69 kcal |
| Protein | 0.72 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g |
| Calcium | 10 mg |
| Iron | 0.36 mg |
| Magnesium | 7 mg |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.086 mg |
Benefits of Eating Grapes for Bearded Dragons
Feeding grapes has multiple benefits for your pet dragons. Here are some of the major benefits of giving them grapes:
1. Keeps Them Hydrated
Grapes are almost 81% water. Feeding them to your reptiles will meet their water consumption requirement. The taste of the fruit will encourage them to eat more and have more water in their body. Adding it to their diet on hotter days is therefore recommended. Besides, you can give them grapes if you notice they are drinking enough water.
2. Supports Metabolism
Metabolism supports converting food into energy. With a slow metabolism, your bearded dragons will need to eat more to gain the necessary energy. This can lead to obesity and other health risks. Grapes contain vitamin B-6, which improves the metabolism of reptiles. Additionally, it strengthens their immune system, too.
3. Provides Necessary Minerals
Grapes are a good source of minerals. They contain calcium, magnesium, sodium, and other minerals in small amounts. Calcium plays the primary role in making their bones stronger. Calcium deficiency can cause several issues, including death threats for your pet. Other minerals contribute to their metabolism, growth, and bone density as well.
4. Other Nutrients
Grapes can offer protein and fiber in small amounts with sugar. Protein is a vital food nutrition for them that contributes to their overall health. However, grapes cannot meet their protein requirement. You need to also include chicken eggs in their diet for this. Anyway, the fiber in grapes helps with digestion and keeps them comfortable in their stomach.
5. Works as a Good Occasional Treat
A major reason to include grapes in your bearded dragons is that it adds variations. Eating the same food can make your beardie bored. It may not want to eat much. In such circumstances, grapes can come in handy. They will love the refreshing taste of the fruit and also get the necessary nutrition. Keep incorporating grapes into their meal at regular intervals.
How to Feed Grapes to Bearded Dragons?
This is an important aspect. Feeding them grapes in the right manner is important to ensure the fruit remains beneficial for them. Otherwise, they can experience some side effects, too.
- Manage fresh grapes that were not exposed to pesticides or preservatives. Bearded dragons have a digestive system that is too simple to deal with chemicals. Peeling the fruit can also be a good precaution.
- Wash the fruit properly with clean water. Make sure it is not too cold while serving your pet. Room temperature is ideal for them.
- Cut the grapes into manageable sizes for them. You must also remove the seeds from the grapes. The seeds are not palatable or digestible for them. It also poses a choking risk.
- Do not feed them more than one grape at a time.
- Observe the reaction of your pet. Do not force them if they are not showing interest.
Can Grapes Be the Primary Food for Bearded Dragons?
No, grapes should not be made the primary food source for your pet. It poses several risks to their health. Check the below side effects before making it their primary food.
1. Contain Too Much Water
Well, the high water content of the fruit can be both beneficial and harmful. It depends on how you are feeding them. Regularly giving them grapes can reduce their intake of fresh water. This can harm their metabolism. You need to ensure your reptile has enough water. If it resists, use a syringe and feed it water through the mouth.
2. Cannot Meet Nutrition Requirements
Grapes cannot meet all the nutrition your reptile pet needs. Though it offers minerals, water, and vitamin B-6, it lacks protein, fiber, and other vitamins. A variation is needed to ensure your pet is getting all the required nutrients.
Contains Harmful Sugar
Sugar is not needed for reptiles. It does not provide any benefit to them. However, excessive sugar can cause various problems for them.
- Excessive weight gain, which is not healthy for them
- Disrupt the metabolic balance and lead to metabolic disorders
- Sugar can contribute to dental issues in bearded dragons
- An abundance of sugar may cause digestive upset and imbalances
3. Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio
Bearded dragons need more calcium than phosphorus. A general statement is that calcium should be present in twice the amount of phosphorus. However, grapes are quite the opposite. They contain more phosphorus than calcium. Having too many grapes can disrupt the natural calcium and phosphorus balance in them. This can affect their metabolism, reduce bone density, and affect their overall health.
Alternative Fruits for Bearded Dragons
Grapes should not be the only fruit in your bearded dragon’s diet. You can offer them many other types, as well. Here is a list of suitable fruits that you can introduce to these reptiles.
| Fruits for Bearded Dragons | Notes |
| Apples | Remove seeds and core. |
| Berries (strawberries, blueberries) | High in antioxidants. |
| Grapes | Cut into small pieces, no seeds. |
| Mango | Remove skin and pit. |
| Papaya | Rich in vitamins. |
| Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew) | Remove seeds and rind. |
| Kiwi | Peel before offering. |
| Pineapple | Offer in moderation. |
| Figs | High in fiber. |
Note: you need to feed them various insects like crickets, worms, roaches, etc. However, avoid feeding them dead crickets or chicken egg.
FAQ
Here is some additional information with answers to common questions regarding grapes and bearded dragons’ eating habits.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grape Leaves?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat grape leaves, and it is absolutely safe for them. In fact, the leaves are more nutritious for your reptile than the fruit itself. However, you must not overfeed your reptile with these leaves.
Are grapes toxic to bearded dragons?
No, grapes are not toxic to bearded dragons unless they contain chemicals like pesticides and preservatives. You should, however, remove the skin and the seed of the fruit. Feeding them grapes with some routine can actually be beneficial for them.
Can bearded dragons eat seedless red grapes?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat red, green, or purple eggs if they are seedless. The color of the grape is not a factor here. You can remove the skin and the seeds for their safety.
How often can bearded dragons have grapes?
Feeding one or two grapes a week is enough for your bearded reptiles. They will enjoy the taste of the fruit and the nutritional benefits as well in this manner.
Conclusion
Can bearded dragons eat grapes? What do you think of it now? Yes, they can eat the fruit in a small number. Avoid overfeeding them with the fruit and maintain a good variation. This way, your bearded dragons will remain healthy, strong, and fit. You will be a successful pet parent.