Can bearded dragons eat grapes? This is one of the questions I frequently receive from my readers. In this post, let’s talk about whether or not grapes are healthy for bearded dragons.
Well, bearded dragons eat virtually anything in the wild including a variety of fruits. But this does not mean that they can eat all types of fruits. Some fruits are, in fact, dangerous to them.
So, can bearded dragons eat grapes?
Bearded dragons can eat grapes on an occasional basis only. The reason for this is that grapes have high water and sugar content, which means that these fruits are not ideal as staple food for beardies.
It is also important to remember that, when feeding grapes to your beardies, make sure that you choose the seedless variety. Seeds can be hard to digest, if they can be digested at all. Seeds can only cause digestive issues in bearded dragons. So be careful when giving fruits to your reptile.
Aside from the aforementioned reasons on why grapes are not good regular food for beardies, there are other constituents in grapes that could potentially cause harm to your reptiles. Some of these are listed in the table below.
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Table of Contents
Nutrition Facts of Grapes
Grapes contain a variety of nutrients and minerals. But I only included the ones that are significant for bearded dragons. Let’s look at the table below.
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Name | Amount | Unit |
| Sugars | 15.48 | g |
| Calcium | 10 | mg |
| Phosphorus | 20 | mg |
| Water | 81 | g |
As you can see, grapes contain nutrients that may or may not be good for bearded dragons. Some of these nutrients are the reasons why grapes are ruled out as regular food for beardies. Let’s talk about each of the constituents listed in the table.
Sugar
Grapes contain a considerable amount of sugar. As you know, sugar is not good for bearded dragons because their digestive systems do not have the enzymes that will break down lactose.
This is the main reason why sugary food are not suitable for bearded dragons. Fruits like grapes contain sugar that will be hard for beardies to digest. It could only cause potential health issues.
As mentioned, grapes are not the only fruits that contain high sugar. So be careful when feeding fruits to your reptiles.
Calcium
Grapes contain calcium. We all know that calcium is one of the essential minerals that bearded dragons need for their healthy and strong bone development.
The calcium level in grapes though may not be good for beardies. Calcium and phosphorus should have a good balance. I will talk more about this below.
Phosphorus
Aside from calcium, grapes also contain phosphorus. However, as mentioned, calcium and phosphorus should have a good balance. There is a certain proportion of calcium and phosphorus that grapes should have in order for this fruit to be suitable for bearded dragons.
Any food for beardies should have good calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. The ideal calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is 2:1 (2 parts calcium and 1 part phosphorus) or close to it. Unfortunately, grapes have a disproportionate ratio of these two minerals.
This is another valid reason why grapes should not be part of the bearded dragon’s regular diet. Choose other healthier fruits instead.
Water
As you can see from the table, the grapes have high water content. This is not good for bearded dragons, because watery food could potentially cause digestive issues such as diarrhea.
Most fruits are too watery for bearded dragons, not just grapes. So be cautious if you are feeding fruits to your beardies regularly.
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Other Reasons Why Bearded Dragons Should Not Eat Grapes Regularly
Aside from the reasons mentioned above, there are other factors that potentially harm beaded dragons when fed grapes on a regular basis. The additional reasons are:
Grapes Have Oxalates Content
Aside from the constituents listed in the table above, there are some substances that are not suitable for bearded dragons. One of which is oxalic acid.
Oxalates or oxalic acid is harmful to bearded dragons. This substance binds with calcium, which in turn prevents calcium absorption. When this happens, beardies will suffer from calcium deficiency.
Calcium deficiency will cause serious health issues like metabolic bone disease. Metabolic bone disease is a dangerous condition that could kill bearded dragons.
The oxalates in grapes are not that high, though. If you feed grapes to your bearded dragons, make sure that it’s not more than a treat.
Grapes Have Seeds
Another reason why grapes are not good for bearded dragons as part of their regular diet is that they contain seeds. Grapes have seeds which are hard and difficult to digest, if they can be digested at all.
As mentioned earlier, seeds can cause impaction and other digestive issues in beardies. So when feeding grapes to your bearded dragon, make sure to choose the seedless variety. You can also remove the seeds before feeding grapes to your beardies. But of course, this can be arduous and time-consuming on your part. But if you want to keep your beardie safe from impaction, it’s worth the effort of removing seeds from grapes.
A simple mistake can be harmful to bearded dragons. Impaction in bearded dragons is a serious health condition. It negatively affects bowel movement and could cause death if not treated immediately.
If you suspect that your bearded dragon is suffering from impaction, you can give him/her a warm bath. While doing so, gently massage the beardie’s belly. This will greatly help improve and treat their condition.
A warm bath helps bearded dragons to relax and regain bowel movement. If impaction persists, I suggest that you bring your reptile to the vet. Professional help is more accurate than trying to solve the problem on your own (unless you know what you are doing).
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How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes?
Bearded dragons can eat a couple of grapes once a week. But the frequency depends on the overall health of your bearded dragons.
For bearded dragons that are overfed and already fat, they should be fed grapes less often and in smaller amounts. Make it an occasional treat in small amounts to keep your beardie safe from other health issues.
Grapes, however, are a great addition to beardies’ salad. This is helpful if you have a picky bearded dragon.
What you can do is to cut the grapes in half and mix it with greens. Because bearded dragons love grapes, they will be able to eat greens accidentally while going for the grapes.
This trick works well for my beardies. The success of this trick will also depend on your creativity and cleverness.
Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes
Bearded dragons can eat grapes as an occasional treat. The reason being is that grapes have sugar and water content that are not suitable for beardies.
In addition, grapes also contain a disproportionate calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. As you you might know, food that do not have an acceptable combination of calcium and phosphorus should not be a part of your bearded dragon’s regular diet.
If you feed your beardies grapes, make sure that it is not more than an occasional treat.
I hope this helps. Thank you for reading.
