A lot of people are wondering whether or not bearded dragons can eat bananas.
The quick answer: It’s safe for bearded dragons to eat bananas every once in a while. Bananas have high sugar and high phosphorus to calcium ratio which is unhealthy for bearded dragons, so they should only eat bananas once or twice a month.
In this post, we’ll take a deeper dive into the nutritional benefits of bananas for bearded dragons and the potential risks associated with feeding them this fruit.
We will also provide some tips on how to safely feed bananas to your bearded dragon.
Is It Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat Bananas?
Yes, it’s safe for bearded dragons as long as it’s in moderation.
It’s best for your beardie to only eat bananas once or twice per month for a few different reasons, which we’ll cover later in the post.
What Nutrients Are In Bananas?
Bananas offer a lot of essential vitamins and minerals to keep your beardie as healthy as possible.
Vitamins
Bananas are rich in Vitamin A and C, which helps strengthen their immune system and their overall health.
Minerals
Iron, calcium, and magnesium help strengthen their bones and other various functions.
Potassium
Potassium helps your beardie prevent cramps and kidney problems.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart problems, among other benefits such as improved reproduction, eyesight, and growth.
How Much Banana Can A Beardie Eat?
It’s best to start small and increase the serving over time.
For starters, cut up a banana into tiny bite-sized pieces, and feed your beardie one of them.
If there are no adverse effects after 24 hours or so, you can likely increase this to two or three pieces.
Every beardie reacts differently to certain foods, so take things slow and see how yours reacts!
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas?
Like we said previously, beardies should only eat a small portion of banana once or twice per month, to stay on the safe side.
This is for a few different reasons which we’re about to go over.
High sugar
Simply put, bananas are high in sugar.
While a small amount of sugar is okay for beardies, too much can cause problems such as weight gain, diabetes, and potentially harming your beardies teeth.
In general, it’s important to not give your bearded dragon too much sugar, since it can cause an array of health issues.
High phosphorus to calcium ratio
While both phosphorus and calcium are important for beardies, too much phosphorus can interfere with calcium absorption.
This can lead to problems such as metabolic bone disease, which weakens the bones and makes them more susceptible to fractures.
Most experts recommend phosphorus to calcium ratio of 1:1 or 2:1, while bananas have a phosphorus to calcium ratio of 3:1, which isn’t in the range.
You can potentially offset this ratio with a calcium supplement.
Tiny stomachs
Bearded dragons have tiny stomachs, so they can’t eat a lot of food at once.
This means everything they eat should be nutritious since they get full quickly and aren’t hungry too often.
Pesticides
Just like with any fruit or vegetable, it’s important to make sure the bananas you give your beardie are free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
The best way to do this is to buy organic bananas and wash them thoroughly if they’re not organic.
You can also peel the banana before feeding it to your bearded dragon to make sure there are don’t ingest any harmful chemicals from the skin.
So while bananas do have some nutritional benefits, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks before feeding them to your bearded dragon.
How Can I Feed My Bearded Dragon Bananas?
Before preparing a banana for your beardie, make sure the banana is healthy and thoroughly cleaned.
Although organic bananas are the safest, non-organic bananas are more common.
So regardless, you should clean the outside if you’re planning on giving your bearded dragon a part of the peel.
Once the banana is cleaned, you’ll want to decide whether or not to give the peel or not.
Then, last but not least, cut it up into tiny pieces and start with a small serving.
Some beardie owners will serve the banana whole (with or without the peel), but that hasn’t been the best option in my experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can bearded dragons eat banana peels?
Yes, bearded dragons can eat banana peels as long as it was cleaned thoroughly.
You should still cut up the banana to lessen the risk of choking.
Can bearded dragons eat frozen bananas?
You should not feed your bearded dragon frozen bananas, since they’re hard and potentially a choking hazard.
Can bearded dragons eat dried bananas?
You should not feed your bearded dragon dried bananas, since they’re very high in sugar.
Final thoughts
While feeding your beardie a piece of banana every once in a while is okay, it’s important to keep it in moderation and ensure you’re properly preparing it.
This includes washing the banana peel thoroughly to remove potential pesticides, and cutting it up into tiny bite-sized pieces.
You should also supplement with calcium to offset the high phosphorus to calcium ratio, and make sure not to overfeed your bearded dragon since they have tiny stomachs.
As long as you’re aware of the potential risks and take the necessary precautions, feeding your bearded dragon bananas can be a fun and healthy treat!
If you have any questions or concerns, it’s best to check with your veterinarian before feeding your bearded dragon a banana.
