Introduction
Can bearded dragons eat cherries? These little pets have always been intrigued by human foods. Although some are safe for our pets to eat, they can cause anything from an upset stomach to fatal poisoning. So, if you are asking if your beardie can eat cherries, the short answer is yes. However, it is more complicated than that.
We further explained why this summer fruit is not the best treat for bearded dragons for this article. Despite that, we have other safer alternatives to keep our scaly friends happy and healthy.
We understand that fruits are a tasty and sometimes healthy snack for beardies dragons. However, when it comes to cherries, there are some dangers that you should be aware of.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cherries?
Yes and no. Bearded dragons should not eat cherries regularly, but they can eat a nibble occasionally.
Surprisingly, many owners dispute whether or not these reptiles can eat cherries. Yes, they should eat vegetables every day, but fruits, occasionally. We understand that deciding what fruits our bearded dragons can eat can be a bit confusing.
So, technically, bearded dragons can eat cherries, but we do not recommend it as a regular treat. Why? Because this fruit is not as healthy as some other options.
Perhaps if you eat a cherry and your bearded dragon is around, you can give him a nibble. Nevertheless, do not go out of your way to feed your bearded dragons cherries. Once every two weeks is enough.
Pro Tip: Looking for some tasty treats for your little friend? Try these dubia roaches.
What Are the Downsides of Cherries for Bearded Dragons?
Although one cherry should not cause much damage to your bearded dragon, you still need to keep an eye out for the chances of food poisoning and other downsides of this fruit toward your pet’s health. Remember that the risk for consequences is higher the more cherries your little reptile eats.
Having said that, we would not recommend feeding cherries to be young and adult bearded dragons regularly. Instead, you can do it in very small quantities on rare occasions because cherries do not contain the key nutrients, such as calcium and protein, that our little friends need. Ethically, cherries have nothing to contribute to a bearded dragon’s growth. Although baby dragon requires more food intake than adults, that does not mean that they can eat more cherries.
As we mentioned earlier, they can technically eat this fruit occasionally. It is better to offer high-quality greens since these plants can support their growth, unlike cherries. One of the most sought-after greens is the dandelion.
What Are the Concerns When Feeding Cherries to Bearded Dragons?
If your dragon got a nibble of the cherry when you are not looking, don’t panic. A nibble will surely not cause any poisoning. Nevertheless, here are the most common concerns when feeding cherries to bearded dragons.
- High Sugar
Like other fruits, cherries are quite high in sugar. Based on our research, this fruit contains 12.82 grams of sugar per 100 grams, which is considerably high. We all know that too much fructose is dangerous among bearded dragons since it can lead to obesity, diarrhea, and tooth decay.
Besides that, cherries can upset your pet’s stomach because this fruit is hard to digest. Therefore, overfeeding fruits, such as cherries, can make your little reptile sick and unhealthy.
Moreover, bearded dragons should only consume a small dose of sugar because they can easily suffer from gum and tooth problems. If you didn’t know, tooth decay and gum infections are worse in bearded dragons than other animals because their teeth are directly rooted into their jaw. It makes them prone to bad oral health, inflammation, and infection.
So, once your beardie suffers from bad oral health, you should consult a veterinarian right away.
- Low Calcium
Bearded dragons need lots of calcium for bone growth, muscle function, metabolism, and maintenance. Sadly, cherries have a little amount of calcium. If you do not give the required calcium intake to your pet, he or she can eventually suffer from fatal health issues, including metabolic bone disease or MBD.
Even so, we can confirm that cherries are not the healthiest choice to offer o our bearded dragons regularly. In fact, one cherry only contains 13 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams, while mustard greens offer 115 milligrams per 100 grams.
Despite that, cherry is not the only fruit that is low in calcium. Plenty has the same situation, so we should feed them in moderation. Also, never offer a whole fruit to your bearded dragon.
According to the reptile experts, we can only offer 5% of our beardies’ total diet to fruits. The rest is for greens and insects.
Pro Tip: For better calcium absorption, try this calcium powder with Vitamin D.
How to Serve Cherries to Bearded Dragons?
Now that we have established that cherries should not be a part of our pets’ daily diet, it’s time to share how to share this fruit occasionally. Keep in mind that you can only feed a cherry to your bearded dragon at a maximum of one per month. This way, we can guarantee that we are not adding too much sugar and other unhealthy content to our little beardies’ diet.
Here’s how you can prepare and serve cherries to bearded dragons.
- Organic
The first thing to do is to choose an organic and fresh cherry.
- Wash
Afterward, you need to thoroughly wash it before feeding.
- Pitted
Lastly, you need to remove the pits because they are extremely harmful to bearded dragons.
Conclusion
Can bearded dragons eat cherries? We all know that cherries are among the most common fruits in stores worldwide, meaning almost all households will often have cherries available around the home. For that reason, it can be enticing to offer some to your beardie as a treat or a regular part of its diet. Well, if you have some at home, your baby, juvenile, and adult dragons can eat them once in a while.
