ᐅ Can Bearded Dragons Eat Kiwi?

image of bearded dragon, kiwi, and a text saying: Can bearded dragons eat kiwi?

Facts About Feeding Kiwi To Your Bearded Dragon

Juicy kiwi fruits are packed with antioxidants, fiber, folate, and vitamins beneficial to most people’s diets. But, Can bearded dragons eat kiwi?

The short answer is yes: bearded dragons can eat kiwi as long as it’s only once or twice a month.

This article will take an in-depth look at the benefits, risks, and other factors when bearded dragons are fed kiwi. So, read on.

Nutritional Value Of Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi is a highly nutritious fruit that can benefit your bearded dragon in many ways.

Nutritional Information Of Kiwi Fruit Per 100g

Nutrient Name	Amount
Water	83.07g
Energy	61Kcal
Protein	1.14g
Total Lipid (fat)	0.52g
Carbohydrate by difference	14.66g
Fiber	3g
Sugars	8.99g
Calcium	34mg
Phosphorus	34mg
Sodium	3mg
Vitamin C	92.7mg
Iron	0.31mg
Vitamin D (D2+3)	0ug
Vitamin B6	0.063mg
Vitamin A	4ug
Vitamin E	1.46mg
Vitamin K	40.3ug

Potential Health Benefits Of Kiwi In Your Bearded Dragon’s Diet

Kiwi is a tasty green fruit packed full of nutrients to provide a health boost for bearded dragons.

Read on to find out some of the health benefits of feeding kiwi to your bearded dragon.

Aids Digestion

Kiwi contains a healthy amount of fiber, essential for the digestive system. Fiber helps aid digestion by bulking up the stool. It will allow the food your beardie eats to move smoothly through the digestive tract.

Boost Immune System

Kiwi is one of the fruits high in vitamin C. This vitamin will boost the immune system of bearded dragons.

Prevent Illness And Disease

There are many antioxidants in kiwi fruit. This compound helps to prevent damage to cells due to free radicals.

Energy

As you can see from the table, kiwi is a good energy source for bearded dragons in captivity.

Carbohydrates

The carbohydrate level is not too high. This is good for bearded dragons in captivity. With less physical activity, they don’t need carbohydrate-rich foods.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is excellent for cell health and reducing inflammation.

Folate or Folic Acid

Folate keeps tissues strong, boosts cell growth and function, and transports oxygen throughout the body.

Protein

Protein is essential for energy, growth, and strength.

Potassium

This nutrient is vital for cell function and nerve, muscle, and heart health

Risks Of Feeding Kiwi Fruit To Your Bearded Dragon

With all the abovementioned benefits, kiwi has one significant shortcoming preventing it from being a staple in your bearded dragon’s diet.

Kiwi contains large amounts of oxalic acid, better known as oxalates. Like phosphorus, oxalic acid prevents calcium absorption in your beardie’s digestive system and depletes the supply to your dragon’s body. Too much oxalic acid can cause metabolic bone disease over time.

Alert your vet immediately if you notice any signs of metabolic bone disease in your bearded dragon. These include:

Lack of appetite
Lethargy and weakness

Constipation
Receded lower jaw
Bowed limbs and arched spine

Fractures and broken bones
Tremors and seizures
Paralysis or difficulty moving.

You can prevent this by moderating foods with moderate to high oxalite or phosphorus levels and providing calcium supplements.

You also need to be aware of the high sugar content in kiwi fruits. It will cause your bearded dragon to become overweight and lead to tooth decay and diarrhea.

Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Kiwi?

You should not feed kiwi to baby bearded dragons. The fruit is not beneficial to them. While kiwi fruit has plenty of nutrition, it is not enough to support the growth of your baby bearded beardie.

Baby bearded dragons require a lot of protein in their diet to support their fast growth. It means insects should make up 80% of their diet while 20% should come from vegetables.

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Kiwi Fruits?

Due to kiwi fruit’s high sugar and oxalate content, we recommend it only be given occasionally as a treat. Kiwi should only appear in your beardie’s food dish once or twice a month.

Giving kiwi more than recommended can lead to health problems and even death.

How To Prepare Your Bearded Dragons Kiwi

There are a few general rules when feeding fresh kiwi to your bearded dragon. It is preferable to purchase organic kiwi free of pesticides and other chemicals.

We do not recommend that your pet dragon eat kiwi skin. When preparing kiwi for your beardie, remove the kiwi skin entirely as they are very dense and difficult for your dragon pet to chew and digest. By removing the skin, your beardie can eat kiwi safely.

Kiwi seeds are generally fine because they are very small and can pass through your beardie’s digestive tract. Too many kiwi seeds can lead to impaction, so you might decide to avoid them altogether. Simply cut out the middle portion containing the seeds.

Make sure to cut the fruit in bite-sized pieces no larger than the gap between your bearded friend’s eyes.

Final Thoughts

Bearded dragons can eat kiwi on an occasional basis. This is mainly due to the high oxalates and high water content. Kiwi should not be part of your bearded dragon’s regular diet.

When feeding your bearded dragon kiwi it is always a good idea to mix it with other greens. We suggest collard greens or leafy greens.

As bearded dragon owners, remember to read about new foods you decide to introduce into your beardie’s diet. Even food that seems the healthiest can have risks involved.

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:

Can Bearded Dragons eat tomatoes?

Can Bearded Dragons eat Corn?