Can Bearded Dragons Eat Raspberries? {Do They Like Raspberries?}

Are you concerned about the quality of food you’re giving your bearded dragons?

These small reptiles consume a wide variety of food. If you’ve never tried feeding them raspberries, you may be wondering if it’s a good food source.

Maybe you’ve already made this fruit a part of their diet but can’t decide if it’s a healthy choice.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Raspberries?

Yes, Bearded dragons can and often enjoying eating raspberries. This succulent fruit has a delicious taste that these animals find very appealing. The delicious taste is largely due to the high amount of sugar present in it, which is why it shouldn’t be given to your dragon too often.

Can bearded dragons eat raspberry seeds?

Raspberries belong to that exclusive group of fruits with seeds that are safe for bearded dragon consumption.

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Raspberry seeds are quite small. As long as you’re feeding your pet in moderation, the seeds shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Can bearded dragons eat raspberry leaves?

Bearded dragons can eat raspberry leaves. One or two leaves will not hurt them, but some people prefer not to give their dragons any at all. If you choose to chip in a few leaves while serving your dragons raspberries, moderation is key.

How to prepare raspberries for your bearded dragon

First, wash this fruit thoroughly to get rid of any contaminants on the skin.

Sadly, a lot of the fruits and veggies sold on the market contain traces of pesticides and other possibly harmful chemicals, but this is the world we live in. Give organic fruits the same attention as bacteria may be present on their surfaces. Do your best to make sure these don’t get into your pet’s system.

It’s a good idea to chop every food you give your bearded dragon into small sizes they can swallow without choking. It’s also common to remove the leaves and stems before giving raspberries to your dragon.

Make sure the raspberries you feed your bearded dragon are always fresh. Even staleness that hasn’t degenerated into rot can make your dragons ill.

How to give raspberries to your bearded dragon

You can serve your bearded dragons the raspberries separately or in a mixture containing vegetables. The sweet taste is excellent for motivating fussy eaters to eat their salad.

It’s best to serve the raspberries on a plate or drop them in your pet’s terrarium. Don’t serve from your hands. Bearded dragons love raspberries and their excitement can cause them to bite you while eating.

Always remove any uneaten berries so they don’t rot and breed germs.

How many raspberries to give your bearded dragon?

Don’t give your dragon too many raspberries at once. Keep your numbers down to about two or three when you serve them. This sweet fruit has high sugar content. Dragons don’t cope well with too much sugar. Besides, this animal already gets enough sugar from other foods in its regular diet.

Raspberries also have an abundance of water in them. While this is great for hydration, consuming more than is necessary can alter your dragon’s bowel movement. It can result in stinking runny stools.

Can bearded dragons drink raspberry juice?

Raspberries are 87% water. Bearded dragons already consume a lot of raspberry juice when they eat the fruit. If you do decide to give your dragons raspberry juice as a separate treat, you should be mindful of a few things.

The juice must be fresh. Once that freshness is gone, don’t give it to your dragons. You also cannot use anything with preservatives since this can be harmful.

Perhaps the real challenge is controlling just how much sugar you’re giving your dragons. This is why it’s best to leave the raspberry juice in the raspberry when feeding them.

Benefits of feeding raspberries to your bearded dragon

In the right proportion, raspberries provide many benefits to your pet dragon. Like many fruits, they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals essential in keeping your pet healthy. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is one of the most prominent vitamins in this fruit. Vitamins E and K are present too.

Some good reasons to feed your bearded dragons raspberries:

• Their high water content makes them a great source of hydration for your pet.
• They help your dragon’s organs function normally.
• The vitamin K they contain is essential for bone development and the regulation of blood clotting.
• They contain fibers that are essential for healthy bowel movements.
• Raspberries also contain potassium which plays a crucial role in regulating muscle and nerve functions.
• They contain proteins important in bodybuilding and tissue regeneration.
• In the right quantities, the magnesium content can help regulate blood sugar levels.
• They contain iron, which helps to keep your dragon’s blood properly oxygenated.

The benefits are not all there are to this fruit though.

Raspberries contain oxalates. This oxalic acid is present in moderate amounts, but too much can prevent proper absorption of calcium in your dragon. This may result in metabolic bone disease which is often quite debilitating for your dragon’s bones.

There is also more phosphorus than calcium in raspberries. Phosphorus, like oxalic acid, binds to calcium and can prevent your body from utilizing the calcium it consumes. A persistent imbalance of phosphorus and calcium can lead to serious conditions such as metabolic bone disease.

If your dragons consume too many raspberries often, the high sugar content may cause health problems. These include but are not limited to obesity, diarrhea, fatty liver disease, and tooth decay.

This all emphasizes the need to practice moderation. Feed your dragons only small quantities occasionally. This way, you’ll be able to snag the benefits and avoid the negative effects.

How often can I feed a bearded dragon raspberries?

You should give raspberries to your dragons as an occasional treat. If you want something more specific, two to three raspberries every two weeks is a safe number.

You may also decide to serve them this fruit once a month. You’re good either way. The key is to not stuff them with sugar. Raspberries are high in sugar, and we’ve already established that too much sugar is bad for your dragons.