Can Bearded Dragons Eat Blackberries? The Expert Thought

Can bearded dragons eat blackberries or not? The truth is that bearded dragons eat various fruits, including blackberries, but are they safe for them?

When it comes to bearded dragon diet, you need to be pretty careful because some foods are toxic and can harm your beardie.

Generally, fruits make an excellent snack for bearded dragons, and they serve as occasional foods.

In the next two sections, we will give you the deep details about bearded dragons and blackberries and lots more.

This article has been reviewed by Dr. Gospel. Read more about our knowledge control process here.

What Nutrients are in Blackberries?

In every fruit you choose to feed your beardie, it is crucial to learn about its protein, calcium, phosphorus, sugar, water, fat, fiber, and acid content.

Fruits that are high in acid and sugar can pose health issues to the beardies, and they need only to be used sparingly. Getting to understand the nutrients in a specific fruit can tell if it has any nutritional value to your pet bearded dragons.

So, let’s find out the nutrients content in blackberries to see if they are safe fruits for the beardies. Here is the nutritional profile of blackberries, according to the US. Department of Agriculture.

• Water: 88.15g
• Energy: 43kcal
• Protein: 1.4g
• Carbohydrates: 9.6g
• Dietary fiber: 5.3g
• Sugars: 4.9g
• Total fat: 0.49g
• Vitamin C: 21mg
• Vitamin B-6: 0.03mg
• Vitamin A: 11µg
• Beta-carotene: 128µg
• Lutein + zeaxanthin: 118µg
• Potassium: 162mg
• Magnesium: 20mg
• Calcium: 29mg
• Phosphorus: 22mg
• Ca:P →1.3:1

These are the primary nutrients in blackberries, and as you can see, the calcium to phosphorus ratio is at a healthy range. Bearded dragons require Ca:P ratio between 1:1 or 2:1 calcium and phosphorus respectively.

Likewise, blackberries contain some antioxidants, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene. They also consist of high water content and are sugary as well.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Blackberries?

Blackberries have a decent amount of fiber, vitamin C, and other essential nutrients, and this makes them suitable and safe fruits for the beardies. Bearded dragons can eat blackberries occasionally and in small amounts.

There is a balance between Ca and P minerals in these flavorful summertime berries; therefore, the beardies can easily absorb this calcium to the body. Calcium is essential in bearded dragons for strong bones and good health.

Another tremendous essential item in blackberries is the high level of fiber which is the key to smooth digestion of food and also prevents constipation. Blackberries are high in vitamin C, and this can benefit the beardies growth and immune system.

Another good thing concerning blackberries is that they contain several antioxidants that help to prevent inflammation. 

Minerals like magnesium and zinc benefit the beardie’s immune system as well as metabolism while the high-water content in blackberries is good for hydration.

You might also didn’t know this: Bearded dragons can eat grapes

How Often to Feed Blackberries to Bearded Dragons?

Although blackberries are rich in nutrients that have more significant impacts on bearded dragons, you should not feed them every day to your lizard as they can be harmful. Water makes up the highest percentage of nutrients in bearded dragons.

Therefore, too many blackberries can result in diarrhea in bearded dragons because of excess water. Persistent diarrhea is dangerous as it can cause severe dehydration and might eventually kill your dragon.

The best way is to allow your beardie to eat a few blackberries on occasion, which can help boost hydration.

Moreover, blackberries have some oxalates, and this substance becomes a threat when it comes to calcium absorption. Oxalates, just like too much phosphorus, works against calcium and interferes with its absorption.

So, feeding excess blackberries to bearded dragons is a bad idea as it raises the level of oxalates, which in turn binds to calcium in the body, and this leads to hypocalcemia.

To avoid such problems, you should feed limited blackberries to the beardies every other week. Around two to three blackberries per meal are more than enough.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Blackberry Leaves?

Yes, the beardies can eat blackberry leaves, but I would not advise you to feed them since they have minimal nutritional value.

However, if you want to add blackberry leaves in your lizard’s diet, make sure you use a few of them. Avoid using these leaves frequently since they don’t have many benefits to your bearded dragons.

You will also need to wash the leaves with clean water before feeding to remove the unwanted chemicals.

Are Frozen Blackberries Safe for Bearded Dragons?

Frozen fruits have lower nutrient content than fresh fruits, and frozen blackberries are no exception.

While frozen blackberries will not kill your bearded dragons, they have low or no nutritional benefit in the beardies.

Another thing to note is that frozen blackberries can cause stomach problems if you don’t warm them correctly or bring them to room temperature before feeding.

Using frozen blackberries isn’t a viable option, and it would be best if you go for fresh fruits that are more nutritious and much healthier.

Can I Feed Dried Blackberries to My Bearded Dragon?

Dried fruits are not suitable for bearded dragons because they are rich in sugar compared to fresh fruits. The same also applies to dried blackberries, and this is a super reason to avoid them.

Excess sugar in bearded dragons can lead to obesity, diarrhea, or fatty liver disease. I believe this is the last thing you want to happen to your dear friend. Please avoid dried blackberries at all circumstances.

Is Blackberry Juice Good for Bearded Dragons?

Similarly, to dried fruits, blackberry juice is too sugary and risky if the beardie drinks it. Some people would prefer to dilute the juice with water before feeding, which is still okay.

However, bearded dragons are used to taking water even in their natural habitat. Therefore, avoid blackberry juice or any other juice and give water to your dragon instead.

How to Prepare Blackberries for Your Beardie

It is necessary to understand how to prepare blackberries for your bearded dragon to avoid many mistakes. Blackberries are not the kind of fruits that you pick directly from the farm and give the beardie when whole as they are firmer.

Likewise, make sure to avoid wild blackberries because they may contain parasites. The safe blackberries to use are the ones you buy from the store or the garden’s organic berries from your garden.

Here is how you should prepare blackberries before feeding them to bearded dragons.

• Select only fresh blackberries.
• Wash the berries thoroughly with clean water to remove any possible chemicals.
• Cut the berries into half or much smaller pieces to prevent the beardie from choking when they eat them.
• It is dinner time. Add about three pieces of blackberries on top of the salad and let your lizard enjoy the meal.

Wrapping Up

Blackberries are reasonably safe for the beardies, but you should feed them occasionally and use only a few pieces. 

These berries are high in fiber and vitamins C plus other minerals that are beneficial to bearded dragons.

Bearded dragons can also eat blackberry leaves but only in moderation since they don’t have many nutrients. I hope you found this article insightful.