If you’re a fellow beardie parent, probably you must have wondered sometimes: “Can bearded dragons eat bananas?”
Don’t worry; it’s a very common and interesting question in the realm of bearded dragons and their admirers.
The answer is most certainly yes, but there’s an important fact related to bananas that you need to pay attention to (more on that later).
In this article, you will find out all the necessary information regarding bananas in their day-to-day diet:
- What variants are safe for them to consume and what aren’t.
- A cool way for you is to interact with your beardie using bananas as treats to enhance your bond with them.
- Some pieces of information regarding the maximum amount of bananas that their stomachs can handle.
So keep on reading if you want to find out, you won’t regret it!
Bananas As A Part Of Bearded Dragons’ Diet
Bearded dragons are territorial beings that excel at keeping things in touch. Having a well-ventilated vivarium fully equipped with toys will challenge them to move around constantly. Unfortunately, they can’t do that on an empty stomach, especially if they crave some snacks.
Bananas are sweet-type fruits that you can find nearly everywhere around the world. Just by stepping into your local market, you are almost guaranteed to stumble upon some bananas.
Let’s take a closer look at some general macros of a banana:
| Calories | 86 |
| Fat | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 385 mg |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Protein | 1.1 g |
It is wise to remember that it is in your best interest to keep a healthy track of your beardies’ diet.
Here’s why:
An expected lifespan of bearded dragons is somewhere between 10 to 15 years. Miraculously, in some cases, beardies can live longer. Giving them lots of love and care will definitely prove beneficial towards a healthier life. Consider that next time you pet them!
Throughout the regular diet, your pet is taking in all the necessary nutrients required for their daily needs. As you probably know, there is a variety of options regarding different types of food that bearded dragons can eat.
Some of them are as follows:
- Meat in form of insects (locusts, silkworms, crickets, earthworms, king worms, and waxworms)
- A wide variety of fruits (mango, peaches, kiwi, grapes, apricots, apples, melons, plums, and figs)
- A wide range of vegetables (bell pepper, acorn squash, yellow squash, sweet potato, green beans, peas, and parsnip)
But what about bananas? As I’ve said before, it is perfectly fine to feed your beardie with some bananas. The thing that you need to worry about is to learn and remember that bananas are treats to them.
Many people (myself included) don’t provide beardies with banana slices more than once or twice per month.
By being considerate of your pet’s diet, I can guarantee that you can tweak in that amount of bananas as treats to your loved one. Pay close attention to the condition of the bananas you’re getting.
I recommend that you select fresh and sunny yellow-colored bananas. This is because, after some time, bananas become overripe. Throughout that process, sugar levels in bananas rise to the point that is unsafe to your bearded dragon.
I don’t want to scare you but some scientific studies warn us that overfeeding beardies with banana slices may lead to certain medical problems such as:
- Digestion problems,
- Obesity,
- Tooth decay,
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
Be in touch regularly with a vet. It will be beneficial if something goes wrong. If you don’t have one already, I strongly recommend that you search your neighborhood to find one you can contact whenever needed.
How To Feed Your Bearded Dragon Bananas?
The process is fairly simple: feed your bearded dragon with small batches of banana slices. Peeled, of course (if you’re perhaps wondering can bearded dragons eat banana peels). Measure the portions depending on your beardie’s size and age.
It goes without saying that the older your beardie is, the bigger it will be. The same goes with its mouth – don’t feed them bites that exceed their bite-sized mouth. Preferably, keep the volume down and give them one slice at a time (not more than a quarter-half filled soup spoon).
A Healthy Relationship With Your Beardie
It is necessary to spend quality time with your bearded dragon. It can be wise to consider spicing up your relationship with your pet. This can be achieved by providing them with numerous challenges and tasks to overcome.
What I’m referring to – put the banana piece in a place that can’t be accessed that easily. Put your pet in a position in which it is required to think about how to get to the treat. By doing so, you are forcing them to learn and adapt to said situations and that will lead to a better-established connection with them.
Here’s an idea:
- Take a banana slice that is moderate in volume for them to take a bite
- Unlock the door to their cage and make them come outside
- Show them the treat to inform them that you have one and it is located in your hand
- This will force them to make a choice, is it worth going through all that trouble just to get a bite of it?
- Well of course it is! Watch them as they advance towards their goal of taking that sweet snack
This and much more stuff can be accomplished solely because they are playful and courageous by nature. It is one of many perks of being in a relationship with a beardie.
Bananas possess a sweet taste and soft texture. That makes bearded dragons extremely happy when they stumble upon them. Some fruits (like grapefruit) are citrus by nature. Beardies on the other hand generally prefer berry-types, that aren’t citrus, fruits like bananas.
How Much Bananas Is Enough For Bearded Dragons?
In essence, treats are called treats for a reason. It is something that should be considered in moderate amounts. With us humans, it is a widely known fact. The same can be said for all animals, especially bearded dragons.
In general, you should always remember that bearded dragons need to consume more calcium than phosphorus in their daily diet.
On the other hand, phosphorus is essential to build strong bones for them. Keep that in mind as you prepare the food regime for your loved one.
How much is too much?
Bananas have a high potassium-to-calcium ratio and that can turn into a problem if not taken care of. Metabolic bone disease is one of many complications that can occur just by not paying enough attention to their everyday diet.
Another thing you should keep in mind is banana chips. They are essentially bananas that are put through a drying process by letting them sit in the oven until done. They are considered wonderful treats for some animals but not for bearded dragons.
By drying the banana, most of the water will evaporate and that might seem like a better alternative than the banana itself, but it isn’t. That is because, when that process is done, the sugar level in banana chips elevates to a degree that is not safe for consumption for beardies.
I would put frozen bananas in the same category as dried bananas. They offer a negative side-effect to bearded dragons. Overripe bananas are extremely sticky by nature; consuming them can result in a potential choking hazard.
It refers to any object that could be caught in your beardies’ throat, blocking their airway and making it difficult or impossible to breathe. Needless to say, it’s absolutely not recommended to give them the frozen variant of bananas.
Bearded dragons will undoubtedly return all the love and care that you put into your relationship with them. You just need to make sure that mistakes in the beardies’ diet need to be kept as low as possible.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas? – In Short
If it’s not clear enough by now can bearded dragons eat bananas, they most certainly can! Throughout the pros and cons, bananas represent a viable treat for your beloved pet.
It is nutritious by nature, full of potassium and sugar making it a healthy snack for them. Being a fruit, you shouldn’t have a dilemma if it is good or bad for them as long as you follow the guidelines of serving it.
Feeding them by hand with bananas may be a beneficial act to consider from time to time. Not only is it a fun way to interact with them, feeding them that way will give you an insight into a potential choking hazard.
At the end of the day, you should always remember that bananas are snacks for them. Mixing it up with their diet is a good idea only if you keep it at a low rate. Try it out, you definitely won’t regret it, I’m sure beardies won’t!