Can bearded dragons eat raspberries? This is one of the questions I received from my readers. I think the reason why bearded dragon owners ask questions like this is due to the fact that beardies are omnivores.
Because bearded dragons are omnivores, they eat a variety of fruits and greens. However, not all those fruits and greens are healthy and safe for them.
So, can bearded dragons eat raspberries at all?
Bearded dragons can eat raspberries on an occasional basis as a treat like once every two weeks, or once a month. Although these fruits are safe for beardies, raspberries contain constituents that may not good for beardies in regular consumption.
It is very important to remember that bearded dragons are prone to health issues when fed with unhealthy foods. Some nutrients intake should be monitored because they can do harm than good to beardies when consumed in large amounts.
Table of Contents
- Nutrition Content of Raspberries
- Is It Safe for Bearded Dragons to Eat Raspberries Occasionally?
- What are the Good Staple Foods for Bearded Dragons?
- Additional Vegetables for Beardies
- Fruits for Bearded Dragons
- Live Animals for Bearded Dragons
- What Foods that Bearded Dragons Should Not Eat?
- Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Raspberries
Nutrition Content of Raspberries
Although raspberries are not toxic to bearded dragons, they contain nutrients that may not good for beardies in large consumptions.
To give us a clear picture, the table below shows what your bearded dragons can get from eating raspberries.
Nutritional Value per 100g
| Name | Amount | Unit |
| Energy | 57 | kcal |
| Protein | 1.43 | g |
| Carbohydrate | 12.14 | g |
| Fiber | 6.4 | g |
| Sugars | 4.29 | g |
| Calcium | 21 | mg |
| Iron | 0.71 | mg |
| Potassium | 150 | mg |
| Vitamin C | 26.4 | mg |
| Fatty acids | 0 | g |
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
As you can see in the table, raspberries contain nutrients that are healthy for bearded dragons. The essential nutrients are:
1. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are sources of energy. They can gain it from eating root crops and fruits such as raspberries.
2. Protein
Raspberries are a good source of protein. Protein is a primary requirement when it comes to building body tissues and bones.
3. Fiber
Raspberries are also good sources of fiber. Fiber is important in the beardies’ diet to maintain a healthy bowel movement. But make sure that they do not have too much of it because it could also cause digestive issues.
4. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is basically an immune system booster. In bearded dragons, it also helps to develop their organs and repair tissue. This makes vitamin C as one of the essential vitamins for beardies.
5. Potassium
Raspberries are very high in potassium. Potassium is essential in keeping blood pressure normal and healthy.
6. Iron
Iron helps build and develop healthy blood and bones for bearded dragons.
As you can see in the table, raspberries are rich in energy sources. However, it is also high in carbohydrates, which, although carbohydrates are good sources of energy, they could also be transformed into stored sugar.
The carbohydrates are usually converted into glucose sugar before it can be absorbed in the bloodstream. This means that eating foods high in carbohydrates will increase blood sugar.
The reason why raspberries are not as good as a staple food for bearded dragons is the carbohydrate and sugar content. You don’t want your beardies to be loaded with too much sugar.
Is It Safe for Bearded Dragons to Eat Raspberries Occasionally?
Yes. Raspberries are safe for bearded dragons on an occasional basis. As mentioned, these fruits do not contain harmful chemicals that could detriment the health of your reptile.
The only reason why I recommend occasional consumption is due to their carbohydrate and sugar content. In addition, although not included in the table above, it is worth noting that raspberries are also high in water.
These constituents are certainly not good in large amounts. Bearded dragons may suffer from many health issues when given on a regular basis.
If you really want to give your beardies fruits like raspberries, make sure that you control the intake. Do not give your beardies more than a treat.
Fortunately, because bearded dragons are omnivores, they have a whole bunch of options when it comes to food selection.
If raspberries are not a good staple food for them, you can choose other fruits though. There are a healthier variety of foods you can offer.
Related Article: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bread?
What are the Good Staple Foods for Bearded Dragons?
Bearded dragons should always get a balanced diet. And a balanced diet means a combination of several food sources.
You need to remember that beardies are omnivores. They eat live animals as well as greens and vegetables. So in order to attain a balanced diet, you need to give them both live animals, fruits, and greens.
The ratio for live animals to greens is dependent on the age of the bearded dragons. This is because the nutrient needs of young bearded dragons are different from the adults.
For instance, baby or juvenile bearded dragons should eat about 80% live animals such as insects and worms and 20% fruits and greens. While the adult beardies should have 80% fruits and greens and 20% live animals.
But what foods should compose their regular diet?
If you are new to caring bearded dragons, this is a real challenge. As you already know, not all foods for beardies are safe for them.
In this section of the post, I will share with you some of the good staple foods your reptile. Below are some of the safe foods for beardies:
- Clover
- Coriander
- Collards
- Dandelion greens
- Endive
- Kale
- Parsley
- Rocket
- Turnip greens
Additional Vegetables for Beardies
There are other types of vegetables that are not green but also good for beardies. You can add the following vegetables to your beardies’ diet.
Examples of these are:
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Green beans
Fruits for Bearded Dragons
Fruits are part of the beardies’ diet. However, it is very important to remember that most fruits are high in water. If consumed in large amounts, most fruits can cause a digestive problem in bearded dragons.
Aside from water, some fruits are even toxic to bearded dragons. So you need to be careful in choosing fruits.
I listed below some of the fruits that you can offer on an occasional basis to your beardies.
- Apricot
- Apples
- Blackberries
- Chayote
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Grapes
- Guava
- Grapefruit
- Mangos
- Melons
- Nectarine
- Papayas
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
Quick Reminder
When feeding foods, make sure that you chop them into small bite-size pieces. This is because bearded dragons may choke when eating big chunks of foods.
When preparing the salad, try to mix three to four types of foods. Chop them finely. This will not only help beardies eat their food easily but also prevents them from choosing their favorite part of the meal.
This technique works well especially if you are dealing with a picky beardy.
Live Animals for Bearded Dragons
As mentioned, live animals are essential in bearded dragons’ diets, especially for young bearded dragons.
Live animals are common insects. These tiny animals are good sources of protein and other nutrients necessary for beardies’ health.
Below are some of the insects and worms you can offer to your bearded dragons occasionally.
- Crickets
- Earthworms
- Kingworms
- Locusts
- Mealworms
- Roaches
- Waxworms
Related Article: Are Mealworms Bad for Bearded Dragons?
Quick Reminder
When feeding worms, there are a few things you need to remember. The most important thing is the size of the food. This is because bearded dragons are prone to choking and digestive issues when feeding with big chunks of foods.
The safest way is to only feed worms especially mealworms to adult bearded dragons. Do not feed your young beardies with mealworms. These worms have a hard exoskeleton that may cause impaction.
What Foods that Bearded Dragons Should Not Eat?
As mentioned, not all greens and vegetables are safe for bearded dragons. There are foods that are safe for humans but toxic to lizards.
You need to be careful in choosing foods for your bearded dragons. Below are some of the foods you should not offer to your beardies.
1. Iceberg Lettuce
Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value for bearded dragons. Aside from that, the iceberg lettuce is also high in water. As you might already know, watery foods are not good for beardies. If consumed in large amounts, they can cause diarrhea.
2. Rhubarb
Rhubarb is one of the most dangerous vegetables you should NOT offer to your beardies. It contains toxic materials that could poison your reptile.
3. Fireflies
Fireflies are some of the most toxic insects to bearded dragons. You should avoid your beardy to eat fireflies.
4. Avocado
Avocado is healthy for us, but not for our lizard pets. It is high in oxalic acid that could cause metabolic bone disease. Even a small amount can make the beardy ill. Needless to say that you need to avoid feeding your reptile with avocados.
Read More: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Avocado?
5. Beet tops
Beet tops are known to have substances that prohibit calcium absorption. When beardies eat beet tops, they might develop a condition known as metabolic bone disease. This is a serious condition for bearded dragons. So avoid feeding your lizard beet tops.
6. Spinach
Spinach also contains substances present in beet tops. When beardies are given spinach often, they could also suffer from metabolic bone disease.
7. Bananas
Banana is another fruit that you should not feed to your bearded dragons regularly. Bananas contain high calcium-to-phosphorus ratio making it unsuitable as a staple food for bearded dragons.
Final Thoughts on Can Bearded Dragons Eat Raspberries
Bearded dragons can eat raspberries on an occasional basis. But not more than that. These fruits are high in carbohydrates, sugar, and water making them not good as staple foods for beardies.
As a general rule, avoid watery fruits because they could potentially cause diarrhea. Too much are also not good for beardies.
Choose healthy and safe fruits instead.
I hope this helps. Thank you for reading.
