Can bearded dragons eat apricots or not? Bearded dragons feed on a variety of fruits, and the owners will often ask themselves what fruits are suitable for their lizards.
Since you want your lizard friend to eat what is healthy and beneficial, you may be curious if it’s a good idea to feed it apricots.
Read on to know if apricots are suitable for bearded dragons, how often to feed them, whether bearded dragons should eat dried apricots and lots more.
This article has been reviewed by Dr. Dilber. Read more about our knowledge control process here.
Contents
What are the Nutrients Found in Apricots?
The list below shows the nutritional content per 100 grams of raw apricot, according to USDA.
- Water: 86.4g
- Energy: 48kcal
- Fat: 0.4g
- Sugars: 9.24g
- Calcium: 13mg
- Phosphorus: 23mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Vitamin B-6: 0.05mg
- Vitamin K: 3.3µg
- Lutein + zeaxanthin: 89µg
- Beta-carotene: 1094µg
- Vitamin A: 96µg
- Potassium: 259mg
- Ca:P ratio→1:2
As you can see from the list, apricots have a decent amount of vitamin C, water, fiber, and antioxidants.
However, there is no balance between calcium and phosphorus as the ratio does not fall within the healthy range (1:1 or 2:1 Ca and P, respectively) for the beardies.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apricots?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat apricots. But you need to feed these fruits as a treat on an occasional basis.
Apricots are suitable for the beardies, and they have several nutritional benefits to them. Let’s look into these benefits.
Good Source of Vitamin C
Apricots have 10mg of vitamin C per 100 grams. This is a decent level for bearded dragons as it is not too high. Vitamin C is responsible for boosting the beardie’s immune system.
The presence of vitamin Cin the apricots help to prevent the incidence of diseases. Apricots maintain the cell division in the beadrded dragon’s body and prevent frequent aging. Besides that apricots are healthy for the skin, coat, and eye health of the bearded dragons.
Moreover, apricots are high in vitamin A which is vital for eye health, and it also boosts the immune system. Vitamin C also contains a few antioxidant properties.
High Water Content
Apricot contains a lot of water, and as you can see from the nutritional list above, in every 100 grams of apricot, 86 grams is merely water.
High water content in apricot is vital for bearded dragons as it offers hydration. In most cases, bearded dragons don’t drink water, and they obtain much of the water from vegetables and fruits. Also, insects have a little hydration potential.
The fresher the apricot is the more hydration it offers; therefore, consider using fresh fruits at all times.
Low in Calories and Fat
Apricots are recommended for adult bearded dragons. Young beardies need more calories because they are energetic and active. So, calories and fats as source of calories are needed for the young bearded dragons.
In captivity, bearded dragons don’t engage in a lot of activities like they do in the wild. So, your lizard pet will not naturally burn high contents of calories and may end up gaining abnormal weight.
However, this is a different story with wild bearded dragons as they move more often to look for food.
A Decent Amount of Potassium
Apricots have an adequate level of potassium which is one of the essential minerals that bearded dragons need for different body functions.
For instance, potassium helps in regulating blood pressure and prevents kidney stone disorder in bearded dragons. Phosphorus also maintains the heartbeats and ensures proper function of muscles and nerves in the bearded drgons.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Dried Apricots?
Bearded dragons can eat dried fruits as long as they are safe for them. However, dried fruits tend to be high in sugar and have low moisture, and apricots are no exception.
Too much sugar isn’t good for the beardies as it can result in many health problems, including but not limited to tooth decay and obesity.
So, if I were you, I would not feed my lizard dried apricots at any time. Allowing your beloved pet to eat fresh apricots gives it a chance to enjoy the many nutrients in this fruit.
Fully understanding your bearded dragon will help you better take care of them. As a suggestion, we would recommend you to get the best bearded dragon book. Not to become an expert on bearded dragon care but will help you avoid the common mistake in new pet lizard owners.
Last update on 2022-12-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apricots?
Apricots don’t qualify to be staple foods for bearded dragons because of calcium to phosphorus imbalance, and they have a little acidic content.
So, if you choose to use apricots, make sure to feed them in limited amounts and as a rare treat. Consider providing a maximum of five pieces of apricots every other week. This will help to keep your lizard safe.
Let’s look into the possible risks of feeding excess apricots to bearded dragons.
Disproportionate Ca:P Ratio
Ideally, bearded dragons require calcium to phosphorus ratio of 2:1 to favor the absorption of calcium.
You need to monitor the level of phosphorus if you want your pet to benefit from the calcium in the diet. Excess phosphorus in the diet typically works against calcium and hinders the absorption of this essential mineral into the body.
Lack of calcium leads to metabolic bone disease in bearded dragons which is incredibly fatal if there’s no immediate treatment.
Excess Amounts of Water
While the high-water content in apricots is good for hydration, it is dangerous to use these fruits as a regular diet. Feeding apricots frequently will abnormally increase the water content in the body and can affect the consistency of the poop.
This is the reason why you should limit the number of apricots you provide to your dragon. Generally, most fruits are incredibly watery, and that’s why bearded dragons need to eat fruits occasionally. Indeed, it is better to be safe than sorry.
You might also like: Complete list of common food can a bearded dragon eat that people usually ask.
Preparing Apricot for Bearded Dragons
Preparing apricots for bearded dragons is not much different from how you prepare other fruits. But it’s good to ensure you follow the right steps and prepare what is ideal for your lizard. Below is how to go about it.
- Choose only fresh apricots. Dried fruits have relatively low nutritional value and are not suitable for bearded dragons.
- Chop the apricot into smaller pieces that your beardie can easily swallow. The appropriate size should be equivalent to the space between the beardie’s eye.
- The next step is to mix apricot with veggies and other fruits and give the meal to your lizard. Be sure to remove the leftovers.
Wrapping Up
I hope you found this article insightful and you can now make the right decision when it comes to feeding apricots to bearded dragons.
Bearded dragons can eat apricots but only in moderation. Apricot is rich in water and has low calcium to phosphorus ratio, making it unfit for frequent consumption.