Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe? 4 Benefits | Full Guide

Cantaloupe is a great fruit to have in the summer. Everyone loves to eat cantaloupe because of its sweet and juicy taste. It is rich in vitamins, beta-carotene, and various enriching minerals required for the growth of the body. The bearded dragon is a common pet these days. 

Cantaloupe is a good treat for bearded dragons since it has many benefits. While talking to many pet owners, some pet owners conclude that cantaloupe is not a good fruit to feed to beardies. However, if the bearded dragon has Metabolic Bone Disease, it is suggested not to provide cantaloupe as it could worsen the health of beardies. Still, the confusion about the question, can bearded dragons eat cantaloupe is there? 

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe?

Bearded dragons can have cantaloupes as a treat. Many reptiles are known to eat insects and are omnivores. Bearded dragons are omnivores; however, they love to eat vegetable leaves and fruits. Beardies can eat cantaloupes in one or two weeks as it’s good fruit in nutrients and digestion for the beardies to grow well. The proper nutrition chart for the reptiles must be 20-35% fiber, 20-25% protein, and only 3-6% fat. This composition is perfect for the growth of beardies without any risk of negative impact on the lives of bearded dragons.

It is good to consult the doctors for any requirement in the diet chart of beardies. 

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cantaloupe?

Bearded dragons can have cantaloupes once a week or thrice a month. The reason for this low feeding to beardies is because of its composition. A higher intake of fruit could threaten the health of beardies, so maintaining a particular range is crucial for beardies. 

Cantaloupe is a perfect source of hydration as it is built on water. Feeding only cantaloupe is not good because it can cause diarrhea. So, maintaining hydration by adding other exotic fruits such as dragon fruit, strawberries, kiwi, etc.

So, cantaloupes can be a rare treat to bearded dragons. However, the range must be in control.

An adult beardie can eat 100gm to 500gm slices once a month. Experts suggest a certain amount of cantaloupe to beardies at a particular stage like:

• Baby (hatchling to 5 months):  60%-80% insects and 20%-40% plant matter.
• Juvenile (5 months to 18 months): approx 50% insects and 50% plant matter.
• Adult (over 18 months): about 25%-30% insects and 70%-75% plant matter.

So, feeding beardies the preferred amount is a must.

4 Benefits of Cantaloupe for Bearded Dragons

It is good to examine the composition of the cantaloupe and its benefits before feeding them to beardies.

1: Vitamins Improve Overall Health

Vitamins are crucial for the health of every living organism. For bearded dragons, it is essential because it maintains mental development and fulfills the body’s requirements. But it should be considered that amount of vitamins must be within limits as it will cause many side effects which are toxicant for the beardies. Other fruits that are safe for beardies are raspberries, peaches and prickly pears. 

Overdosing Vitamin A can lead to vitamin A toxicity. Due to this reason, it is good to provide food rich in Beta-Carotene, as dragons can extract vitamin A from beta-carotene in the food given to them.

2: Hydrate Beardies

Cantaloupe and watermelon have very high water levels, like many fruits in the melon family. Keeping beardies hydrated every time is crucial because of their skin shredding. It is well-known that dragons are quite witty while drinking water from the bowl given to them, So for this issue, simply providing water in the fruits is best.

Feeding fruits with high water content is the best alternative to giving water to dragons without letting them know. However, don’t let cantaloupe be a staple diet for beardies, as it can cause diarrhea in them.

3: Fiber is Good for Digestion

Cantaloupe has a good composition of fibers which causes easy digestion. Apricots are also on the same list for beardies. It makes bowel movements regular.

4: High Amount Of Beta-Carotene And Vitamin C 

Beta-carotene is an essential nutrient that converts into vitamin A after consumption. Unlike many other fruits, cantaloupe is one of the best Vitamins A and C sources. If a bearded dragon has a low amount of vitamin C, cantaloupe eating is sufficient for maintaining the level.

2 Risks of Feeding Cantaloupes to Bearded Dragon

Bearded dragons do not need to eat fruits daily; despite this, they should eat vegetables and meat daily. However, there are many fruits that beardies can eat daily, like Apples, Bananas, etc. There are many why cantaloupe should be fed as a treat to beardies:

1: Sugar Causes Overweight

Sugars are high in calories which causes dragons to become overweight. It can be strenuous for beardies to live a regular life due to being overweight. Dragons are active reptiles who explore every single thing around them. So, being overweight will be a hindrance to them.

2: Overhydration Prevents Nutrient Absorption

Too much water level in the body will only cause excretion without absorption of any vital nutrients. All the nutrients will be shriveled, hindering the health of beardies. Also, overconsumption of beardies can cause diarrhea which is inappropriate for development.

How to Prepare Cantaloupe for Your Bearded Dragons?

When the feeder wants to treat bearded dragons to some cantaloupe, it is counsel to serve them ripe and deskinned. If the feeder can’t get the organic cantaloupe, frozen ones will do the same.

Remove Skin for Better Nutrition

The main thing to notice is that cantaloupes are without skin. Skin is not a good thing to give. The reason for removing the skin before feeding is that it might contain harmful pesticides to the dragons, and it can cause beardies to die. Even the cantaloupe skin has minimal nutrition, So better to remove it.

Wash Before Feeding

Removing any residue of pesticides or chemicals is a must for the safety of the beardies. Also, make sure to remove the seeds. Fruits should be seed-free before feeding as it can choke them. Make sure there are no seeds left in the cantaloupe. Beardies love soft textures. 

Conclusion

So,  the answer to can bearded dragons eat cantaloupes is yes, bearded dragons can eat cantaloupes, but in moderation, as it can hamper their metabolism. It is not good to feed only cantaloupe as it can be dangerous for beardies to eat only melons. 

Adding melons with other fruits can be a great substitute rather than feeding melons solely. Nutrition is a must for everyone, and bearded dragons require everything in a prescribed range. Otherwise, it can cause many casualties.

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