Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas?

You might be wondering, just like you love eating bananas, what if you give your bearded dragon bananas to eat? Will they love or hate eating them? Well, if you’re thinking along those lines, you’re not alone. Many beardie owners ponder this question. Let’s pull back the curtain and tell you that yes, bearded dragons eat bananas. But be cautious not to overdo it—moderation is key. Why? Before answering that, let’s shed light on the benefits of bananas for your bearded dragon.

Why Should You Give Bananas to Bearded Dragons?

Well, bananas contain both vitamins C and A. The former helps strengthen bones and supports the immune system, while the latter helps in maintaining healthy eyes, skin, muscles, and bones.

Since bananas also contain calcium, magnesium, and iron, they can help ward off MBD in bearded dragon. But be cautious—don’t let the bearded dragon overeat bananas! Give them bananas only one or two times a month.

The greatest benefit of giving bananas to your bearded dinosaur? Well, it can make them lively. This is because bananas improve kidney function due to the potassium content in them. The antioxidants present in bananas are also beneficial for their heart. So, even if you’re not willing to give your bearded dragon bananas (because they can cause MBD), sprinkle some on their food.

This is because bananas have a 3:1 ratio of phosphorus to calcium. If a high amount of phosphorus is added to a bearded dragon’s diet, it binds with calcium and prevents its absorption into the bones. If that happens, the bearded dragon can suffer from a variety of diseases, including metabolic bone disease. What’s concerning is that if this disease goes untreated, bearded dragon can even die.

So, consider using calcium supplements for this very purpose. Use calcium powder instead of liquid because you can easily give your beardie calcium by dusting calcium powder on their food. It’s better to powder calcium on docile insects like worms, roaches, etc. instead of crickets.

Are Bananas Good For Bearded Dragon?

Yes. Bananas are good for bearded dragon because it contains potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, antioxidants, vitamin A as well as C. But keep in mind, too much of these nutrients can be harmful for bearded dragon. In worse case, they can even die.

How to Powder Calcium Powder on Bearded Dragon’s Food?

Keep in mind, in order to not waste your calcium powder, put the insects in a box. Dust calcium on those insects, and then shake the box to ensure the insects are fully coated with calcium. You can also dust calcium on veggies and fruits, but here as well, don’t overdo. Intaking high calcium contribute to hypercalcemia.

Now, if you are unsure about the amount of calcium powder you should dust on your bearded dragon’s food, consult with your vet. You can also let your bearded dragon into the box that has calcium-coated insects, veggies, and fruits.

Contrarily, as for liquid calcium, give it to bearded dragon with a dropper. But be aware. Bearded dragons are really picky. Chances are they will spit it out of their mouths. For this very reason, add water with the liquid calcium. You can also provide calcium-rich foods like blackberries, kale, mustard greens, dandelion leaves, rosemary, etc. to your beardie.

Now, what kind of banana should you give? Well, you can give both non-organic and organic bananas. But it’s safer to give organic bananas because it doesn’t have pesticides and herbicides.

Additionally, check whether the banana is ripe or not. Remember, the riper the banana, the higher its sugar content. For this very reason, if you let your beardie eat too much banana, it can get obesed. They can also get kidney, and cardiovascular diseases. Because of all these reasons, some vets recommend giving bananas under specific conditions.

Now, there are two types of bananas that you should never(in your whole life) give to your beardie and that’s

Frozen and Dried Bananas!

Let’s first discuss why frozen bananas are bad. Well, frozen bananas can choke bearded dragons. Even a tiny piece of banana is enough to cause them breathing problems. Excessive sugar is bad for your bearded dragon. Dried bananas, on the other hand, have high sugar content. Apart from this, even unripe bananas can cause your bearded dragon stomach issues. Bananas with mold, holes, or slits are even worse. They contain bacteria that can make your beardie sick.

What about banana peels? Can you give these to your bearded dragon? Yes, you can. It is even better to cut the banana with the peel into small pieces before offering it to your bearded dragon.

Keep in mind that bananas should be cut into small pieces, preferably thin rounds. If you prefer a different shape, that is also fine. Just ensure it is easy for your bearded dragon to digest and swallow. You can also complement a banana with its peel with their favorite veggies like kale, turnip, and collard greens.

However, if you fear that there might be some pesticide on the banana’s peel that may be harmful to your bearded dragon, peel half of the banana. Place the peeled banana into a bowl. Let it sit there for a day or two. After that, take out the piece because, after two days, bananas start rotting. If your bearded dragon eats that rotten banana, it will be even worse for them.

Now, if you want to have some quality and fun time with your bearded dragon, take a peeled banana in your hand. Put the banana in front of your bearded dragon. Enjoy the beautiful sight of your bearded dragon nibbling on the banana you give.

When To Not Give Your Bearded Dragon Bananas?

Now, let’s discuss in what situations you should never give your bearded dragon bananas. If your bearded dragon is:

1. Shaking
2. Crouching
3. Limping
4. Making jerky movements
5. Having seizures
6. Twitching
7. Having palpable bones
8. Constipating
9. Showing signs of stress like scratching the glass terrarium

Then it means it is suffering from MBD. You need to take proper precautions in this case. Hopefully, your bearded dragon will recover from this disease with proper diet. If it doesn’t show any signs of recovering, get in touch with a vet.

Now, for those unsure whether their bearded dragon will enjoy bananas, here’s a testing method.

Cut the banana into pieces and place one or two in front of them. Even better, let it sit there for a day. During this time, if they eat the bananas, it means they like them. If they don’t even take a small bite, this means they didn’t like that. Don’t consider giving them bananas ever! Remember, bearded dragons are picky eaters?