Olives are one of the most versatile fruits you can get your hands on. These little green or black wonders have been used to make everything from olive oil, to tapenade, and even martini cocktails. As such, they have become increasingly popular among both home cooks and professional chefs.
Yet while there are plenty of other reptiles that enjoy olives as part of their regular diet (such as leopard geckos), bearded dragons tend not to be among them. This is because olives are very high in sodium and contain a lot more fat than most other fruits or vegetables.
However, that does not mean that bearded dragons cannot eat olives at all — just that you need to proceed with caution when feeding them to your pet. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of feeding olives to your bearded dragon:
Why Olive Is Not Good For Your Bearded Dragon?
Let’s start with the cons of feeding olives to your bearded dragon. The main issue with olives is that they have a very high fat content. While the fats found in vegetables and fruits are an essential part of a bearded dragon’s diet, too much fat can lead to obesity and a range of other health problems. When compared to other fruits and vegetables, olives have a much higher fat content.
For instance, one tablespoon of olive oil contains around 119 calories and 14 grams of fat. By comparison, one tablespoon of carrot oil contains just 6 calories and 0.2 grams of fat. Bearded dragons (and other reptiles) need a lot less fat in their diet than humans or other mammals.
In fact, too much fat can actually be toxic to reptiles, causing heart and liver failure. When feeding your bearded dragon, you should aim to provide them with around 10% of calories from fat. This means that you should only feed your pet one or two olives. Feeding them more could cause them to become obese, while feeding them less may lead to malnutrition.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Olive Oil?
While it contains significantly less fat than black olives, olive oil is still high in calories and fat. As such, it is not recommended that you feed your bearded dragon too much olive oil. However, while your bearded dragon may not eat large quantities of olive oil, they can still benefit from consuming a small amount.
This is because olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat. This fat is thought to help to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. As well as being good for your bearded dragon’s health, olive oil is also a good source of antioxidants. This means that it may help to slow down the rate at which your pet ages.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Black Olives?
As black olives are less rich in fat than olive oil, they are less likely to cause obesity or other health problems in your bearded dragon. However, black olives still contain a significant amount of calories and fat, so you should only feed your bearded dragon one or two a day.
As well as being rich in fat and calories, black olives are also an excellent source of dietary fiber. This is particularly good for bearded dragons, as reptiles tend to have a lower intestinal tract than other animals. The high dietary fiber and low fat content of black olives make them a good choice for bearded dragon owners.
However, the high sodium content of black olives may pose a health risk to some bearded dragons. You should therefore only feed black olives to adult bearded dragons and monitor your pet’s health to make sure they are not suffering from too much sodium.
Summary
Feeding your bearded dragon a small amount of olive oil and black olives can provide a number of health benefits. However, you should only ever feed these foods in moderation. Too much of even the healthiest food can have negative effects on your bearded dragon’s health.
You should also keep an eye on your pet to make sure they are not consuming too much sodium. And remember, while olives are good for humans, they are not necessarily good for your bearded dragon. Be sure to read the next section to learn about foods that bearded dragons can eat.
My name is Brad and I am the main editor of BeardieZilla.com.
The only goal of this site is quite simply to be able to help you. To help you by the means of my experiment, of the relation which I maintain with my bearded dragon as well as some of my knowledge about beardies.
I hope that you will find answers to some of your most pressing questions here.
Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the blog!
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