Can Bearded Dragons Eat Tomatoes?

Bearded dragons are reptiles. Like most reptiles, bearded dragons are omnivores, and therefore they need insects, fruits, and veggies to supplement their diet.

Therefore, yes, a bearded dragon can eat tomatoes. Tomatoes are veggie-like fruits that are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and many more nutrients that are quite beneficial to your bearded friend’s well-being and daily needs.

However, tomatoes also contain certain elements that may not be healthy to the bearded dragon when they are deposited in their bodies due to regular tomato feeding.

Therefore, you can serve your bearded dragon tomatoes at least once a month and in a small amount.

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Health Benefits to Bearded Dragons Eating Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain multiple nutrients that are essential to your bearded dragons’ healthy being. The benefits of feeding your bearded dragon tomatoes include: –

Vitamin A – This vitamin is essential for your beardies eye health, skin development, immune system, and protein synthesis.

Low sugar – high sugar content foods may lead to your dragon having tooth decay, unhealthy weight gain, and digestive issues with the low sugar content in tomatoes. Feeding it to your bearded dragon will help in promoting its general well-being.

Lycopene – This is a strong antioxidant that will lower the chances of your beardie having cancer. Additionally, it will help in protecting your beardie from free radicals that cause cell aging. It also helps in reducing inflammation.

Vitamins:

C – it is essential in the growth, repair, and maintenance of your bearded dragon’s all body tissues.

B9 (Folate) – it is essential for their cell growth and reproductive health.

Potassium – helps in the regulation of blood sugar levels in their body.

Health Concerns for Bearded Dragons Eating tomatoes regularly

There are multiple health concerns of feeding your bearded dragon tomatoes regularly despite it being full of nutrients.

Some of the health concerns of feeding your bearded dragon tomatoes on a regular basis include:

They are low in calcium. Calcium is one of the essential minerals that bearded dragons need in their bodies for bone and teeth, and movement.

With low calcium in tomatoes, feeding your bearded dragon tomatoes may lead to a lack of calcium in their body, and this may result in MBD [1].

Unhealthy phosphorus and calcium ratio. Tomatoes contain a high phosphorus ratio to calcium ratio. The ratio is 2:1 in favor of phosphorus.

A high concentration of phosphorus will lead to it binding with calcium and then inhibiting its absorption in the bearded dragon’s body.

Tomatoes contain high acid content. This may lead to your bearded dragon having digestive issues such as diarrhea, which may become dehydrated.

Vitamin A toxicity. Serving your bearded dragon tomatoes regularly may lead to a high concentration in their body, causing Vitamin A toxicity.

The overdose of this vitamin may lead to your beardie becoming dehydrated, losing weight, and having decreased energy.

How To Feed Tomatoes to Bearded Dragon

You can safely feed your bearded dragon tomatoes occasionally and in small quantities.

Here is the best way to prepare tomatoes when you are planning to serve them to your bearded dragon.

You should wash the tomatoes thoroughly with running water. This will help in removing pesticides, herbicides, and dust that cause health issues to your beardie.

Serve your bearded dragon raw tomatoes. This will ensure the tomatoes retain their nutritional value since tomatoes lose nutritional content when cooked.

Chop up the tomatoes in small and fine pieces. This will make it easy for your bearded dragon to consume and allow the tasty tomato juice to flow onto other foods you serve with tomatoes.

Serve a quarter of tomato. This quantity is enough for your bearded dragon since too much may be unhealthy.

FAQ

Can Bearded Dragons Feed on Tomato Leaves or Stem?

It would help if you never served your bearded dragon tomato stems and leaves since they contain alkaloids that are highly poisonous to bearded dragons.

What Can Bearded Dragons Eat More Often Than Tomatoes?

You can try feeding this alternative vegetable or fruit to your bearded dragon.

Acorn squash

Apples

Bell peppers

Broccoli

Green beans

Mango

Sweet potato

Yellow squash

Cucumbers

Summary

Yes, you can safely feed your bearded dragon tomatoes since it is listed as one of the safe fruits.

Tomatoes are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients essential to the well-being of the bearded dragon.

However, it would help if you did not give them too many tomatoes. Additionally, it would help if you did not even feed them tomatoes regularly, even in small quantities.