ᐅ Can Bearded Dragons Eat Watermelon?

image of bearded dragon, watermelon and a text saying: can bearded dragons eat watermelon?

The Need To Know About Bearded Dragons And Watermelon

Watermelon is a yummy, juicy treat at picnics and when placed in front of a bearded dragon, will be gobbled up in a blink of an eye. But is it safe?

Can bearded dragons eat watermelon? The short answer is yes, bearded dragons can eat watermelon rarely, as a treat.

This article will provide information on watermelon in a bearded dragon’s diet, the benefits and risks of feeding bearded dragons watermelon, and so much more. If you want to find out more, read on.

Nutritional Information Of Watermelon

Nutritional Value Of 100 Grams Of Watermelon

Nutrition Name	Amounts
Water	91.45 g
Energy	30 Kcal
Protein	0.61 g
Total lipid (fat)	0.15 g
Carbohydrates, by difference	7.55 g
Fiber	0.4 g
Sugars	6.2 g
Calcium	7 mg
Phosphorus	11mg
Sodium	1 mg
Vitamin C	8.1 mg
Iron	0.24 mg
Vitamin D (D2+3)	0 ug
Vitamin B6	0.045 mg
Vitamin A	28 ug
Vitamin E	0.05 mg
Vitamin K	0.1 ug

One of the easiest ways to measure how good or bad food is for your bearded dragon, is to look at the nutritional profile of the food. Watermelon is safe to feed your bearded dragon, although nutritionally dense.

Benefits Of Feeding Bearded Dragons Watermelon

When bearded dragons eat watermelon, they will receive the following vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin C and Beta Carotene

These vitamins and minerals are needed to strengthen your bearded dragon’s immune system, vision, reproduction, and growth.

Magnesium

Bearded dragons need magnesium to aid with metabolism and prevent inflammation.

Potassium

This mineral is essential to help regulate blood pressure and the nervous system and also helps keep your dragon’s muscles working and retain proper water retention.

Risks Of Feeding Watermelon To Bearded Dragons

Too much watermelon is dangerous and even deadly to your bearded dragon. Be sure not to feed more than a few tiny pieces once a month for these reasons:

Sugar-related Health Concerns

Wild bearded dragons do not eat a lot of sugary foods, and they are also more active than their domesticated counterparts. In a controlled environment, bearded dragons run the risk of obesity, especially when given too many sugary foods.

Bearded dragons on sugar-heavy diets can run a risk of tooth and gum decay, liver problems, and even inflammation or bone issues as well.

Calcium Depletion

Like many fruits and vegetables, watermelon contains phosphorus and calcium.

There is more phosphorus than calcium in watermelon, which means the phosphorus cancels out the calcium. Phosphorus binds with calcium, preventing absorption into the bearded dragon’s bloodstream.

Long term, diets high in phosphorus with insufficient calcium will lead to bone deterioration or metabolic bone disease (MBD).

MBD is a horrible yet sadly common disease that wears away a dragon’s skeletal structure and causes weakness, deformity, and paralysis. It can kill your dragon if left untreated.

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

Stress
Constipation
Receded lower jaw

Swollen limbs and jaw
Bumps along the spine or bones
Soft jaw, and facial bones

Bowed limbs and arched spine
Fractures and broken bones
Greenstick fractures (folded or bent bones)

Trembling and twitching limbs
Tremors and seizures
Paralysis or difficulty moving

Digestive System Issues

Watermelon, mainly consists of water.

Keeping to small beneficial amounts is ok, but too much water in your beardies diet can lead to diarrhea, quickly changing into dehydration.

Can Baby Bearded Dragons Eat Watermelon?

Baby beardies need many essential nutrients because they are in their growth phase. Here again, it’s wise to rarely feed them watermelons or feed them only as occasional treats.

When providing watermelon as occasional treats, use it as salad toppings rather than the main ingredient.

In other words, add a few tiny pieces sprinkled on top.

Baby dragons need more nutritious greens with high calcium levels or calcium supplements for growth and development.

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Watermelon?

This melon consists of almost 92 % water and is appropriately named watermelon. While this is a good fruit for hydrating your bearded dragon, the nutrients are a bit watered down.

Limited amounts of watermelon can give your bearded dragon’s health a boost, and your pet beardie will love the sweet taste. Still, you must prioritize your beardie’s health by regulating his intake of this yummy treat.

Typically you can feed your bearded dragon a few small pieces of watermelon once a month or less frequently.

Watermelon is a wonderful dessert but not a staple course.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Watermelon Rind And Seeds?

No, never feed any part of the watermelon rind, not even the white part, to your bearded dragon.

The watermelon rinds and seeds are very tough for your bearded pet dragon to chew. Make sure to remove all the seeds from this pink fleshy fruit.

If they manage to bite off a piece of rind or seeds, they may swallow it whole and cause a blockage in their gastrointestinal tract, also known as impaction.

It is not recommended to feed your bearded dragons watermelon seeds or rind.

How To Prepare Watermelon For Bearded Dragons?

Buy the Melon

If possible, always choose organic watermelon not sprayed with herbicides or pesticides.

Slice and Dice

Slice the watermelon into pieces and remove the rind and seeds. We also recommend removing the thinner white rind.

Make sure to remove all watermelon seeds since they are tough to chew and can become a choking hazard for your bearded dragon.

Chop the watermelon into pieces, around the size of a teaspoon or smaller.

Feed your Beardie

Start feeding your bearded dragon only a small amount of watermelon, about ¼ of a teaspoon.

After they’ve eaten, monitor their behavior carefully over the next 24 to 48 hours to check that they don’t have an adverse reaction.

Check your bearded dragon’s cage every day, and remove any fresh fruits and vegetables they haven’t yet eaten.

Conclusion

Bearded dragons can eat a small piece of watermelon once a month or less. If you’re looking for other fruit that can top off your beardie’s salad on a more regular basis, you can try apples, cantaloupe, mango, and other fruits. Please remember never to overdo it with the fruit.

Constantly research any food you want to introduce to your bearded dragon. Even food that seems healthy and harmless can have certain risks involved. If you remain uncertain, please ask your vet for advice.

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 spinach?