Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cranberries

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cranberries; Go-To Treats Or Not?

Bearded dragons can eat cranberries in small pieces but only once a month. A beardie’s health would be at risk if it ate cranberries more often.  The high sugar content and insufficient calcium to phosphorus ratio make cranberries a poor diet choice. 

This article discusses the nutritional value of cranberries, the risks involved in feeding them to your bearded dragon, and other important facts you should know.

Nutritional Value of Cranberries 

What you should know about the nutrients in cranberries.

Nutrients	Value
Water	87%
Sugar	4 g
Vitamin B6	0.057 mg
Protein	0.4 g
Magnesium	6 mg
Vitamin C	13.3 mg
Fiber	4.6 g
Potassium	16 mg
Vitamin K	5.1 g
Carbohydrates	33 g
Calcium	8 mg
Vitamin E	1.2 mg
Phosphorus	13 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	0.02 mg
Iron	0.25 mg

Risks of Feeding Your Bearded Dragon Cranberry

High Sugar Content

The high sugar content can cause unhealthy high blood glucose levels and upset  stomach, leaving your beardie in pain.

Insufficient Nutrient Ratio

Cranberries have a poor calcium to phosphorus ratio and a low acidic content. Thus, cranberries should be fed in small quantities.

If you regularly feed your pet cranberries, it could suffer metabolic bone disease. 

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Dried Cranberries?

Yes, but you can feed them dried cranberries but more rarely than you do fresh ones because dried cranberries have a higher sugar content and less nutritional value than fresh ones. 

You can feed one or two dried cranberries to your bearded dragons bi-weekly.

Can You Give Cranberry Sauce to Your Bearded Dragon?

No.  Do not feed cranberry sauce to your bearded dragons. As with other fruits, it is not good for bearded dragons because it contains chemical preservatives and added sugars. 

Can Bearded Dragons Drink Cranberry Juice?

You, but do it sparingly by mixing a small quantity with water before serving it.

Although bearded dragons need water to stay hydrated, too much cranberry juice can cause stomach pain  and runny stool.

Can Baby Bearded Dragon Eat Cranberry?

You should not feed your baby bearded dragons cranberries. They could develop metabolic bone disease.  They need calcium and protein to grow healthy and strong bones. Instead, feed them insects like dubia roaches. 

There are better food choices than cranberries.  Your baby bearded dragons could also choke on the cranberries. 

How to Feed Cranberries to Your Bearded Dragon?

Wash the cranberries thoroughly.  Take out the seeds before serving by cutting them into smaller pieces.  They may choke or become impacted because they cannot digest the seeds properly.

Final Thoughts

Although cranberries may look desirable, do not feed them to baby bearded dragons.  They need a balanced diet with a mix of live food (70% feeder insects) and leafy greens for high water content (30%) at this early age. The best way to feed them to older bearded dragons is to serve them as occasional treats.