Can bearded dragons eat cantaloupe?

The Pros and Cons Of Cantaloupe In A Bearded Dragon Diet

Cantaloupe is a delicious, juicy, sweet melon that kids love to eat and bearded dragons will gobble up for the same reason.  But sometimes the food that your bearded dragon loves to eat the most is not good for them. So can bearded dragons eat cantaloupe? 

The short answer is that yes, a bearded dragon can eat cantaloupe. But it should be fed in moderation. 

We’ll give you the breakdown of how to feed this to your beardie in a safe way, the nutritional values, and what to look out for next. 

Pros Of Cantaloupe In Your Bearded Dragons Diet

Pet bearded dragons can have cantaloupe, but only as a treat and in moderation every few weeks or so.  Let’s take a look at the nutritional content when feeding bearded dragons and identify any qualities that might make it dangerous for your beardie to consume.

Dietary Fiber  Cantaloupes have lots of fiber which helps your beardie’s digestive system run more smoothly.  If your beardie is constipated, feeding a little cantaloupe might do the trick, but be careful because too much fiber can result in runny stool.

Loads of beta-carotene and Vitamin C  Beta-carotene converts to Vitamin A in the body and basically like much other fruit is cantaloupe an excellent source of Vitamins A and C.  Your beardie needs these vitamins to maintain eye health, grow at a healthy pace, fight illness and disease and have a healthy reproductive system.

Folate  Cantaloupes are an excellent source of foliage which is important for the wellness of the cells and tissue of your pet dragon. 

Water  Cantaloupe is made out of 90% water and is, therefore, a great source to keep your bearded dragon hydrated.  Just keep this limited because your beardie can soon have a very bad case of diarrhea.

Potassium and carbohydrates  The potassium in cantaloupes regulate your bearded dragon’s blood pressure and nerve function while the carbohydrates provide energy.

Other Vitamins And Minerals In Cantaloupe

There are also several other minerals and vitamins present in cantaloupe which include:

  • Vitamin K
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Copper
  • Selenium
  • Manganese

Cons Of Feeding Your Beardie Cantaloupe

Adult bearded dragons do not need to eat many fruits every day.  It is more important for them to eat enough vegetables and greens daily.  There are however other fruits that you can feed bearded dragons because they are nutrient-dense and have health benefits.  There are quite a few reasons why cantaloupe does not make a good staple for your pet bearded dragons and should only be given as a treat.

High Sugar Content  Sugar is the universal ingredient that makes fruit unsuitable for your bearded dragon to eat daily.  Cantaloupes have up to 13g of sugar per cup which is an ample amount.  Feeding your beardie lots of sugar will lead to obesity and tooth decay as well as other health issues

Overhydration  As mentioned previously, cantaloupes can consist of 90% water.  Too much water can prevent the absorption of nutrients into your beardie’s bloodstream. Furthermore, eating cantaloupe too often can cause diarrhea which can, in turn, lead to dehydration.

Too much phosphorus compared to Calcium  The phosphorus to calcium ratio is not ideal in cantaloupes.  Whenever food has more phosphorus than calcium it becomes dangerous to your beardie because phosphorus prevents the absorption of enough calcium in the body.  This can become a major problem because calcium deficiency can lead to a metabolic bone disease which can become life-threatening to bearded dragons

Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe?

Even though it is perfectly ok to give your baby beardie very small quantities of cantaloupe on very rare occasions, you should not include this fruit in their diet.

Baby bearded dragons must eat insects more than anything else because they are still growing and need the protein present in the bugs.  Your beardie should be fed insects five times a week and their food should be cut into bite-sized pieces as they are very prone to choking.

Preparing Cantaloupes For Your Bearded Dragon 

Follow the following steps when preparing cantaloupes for your bearded dragon’s meal:

Remove all foliage and vines from the fresh cantaloupe and let it stand for about a week to reduce its freshwater content.

Use warm water to wash the fruit and to get rid of insects and any bacteria on the skin.

Peel the fruit’s skin with care because the green surface has high acid and phosphorus levels.  This will cause an imbalance in calcium and phosphorus in your beardie.

Slice the fruit in small pieces, not bigger than your beardie’s eye to prevent choking.

Allow the pieces to stand in a warm place to help drip some of the excess water content.

Now the fruit is ready and your bearded dragon can eat cantaloupe.  Make sure only to give one to two pieces of cantaloupe to prevent any problems associated with it.

Conclusion

Cantaloupe is a beneficial fruit that is rich in Vitamin A and C, cholesterol-free, and low in saturated fat.  It should however be fed to bearded dragons infrequently, as an occasional treat and probably only one to two small pieces a week.  

If it is fed regularly it can cause calcium to phosphorus imbalance, metabolic bone disease, and many other risks as we’ve discussed in this article.

Continue to read our main article “What do Bearded Dragons Eat?” for all the ins and outs on general diet questions, and get a further detailed breakdown of other popular foods in the articles below:

Photo of author

AUTHOR

Annemarie Dutton
I am a huge animal lover and have four dogs, a Labrador, Jack Russell, Pug, and Teacup Yorkie. I also have a cat and a Cockatiel. I have had pets since I was a toddler, and there was not a day when there wasn't an animal in my house.