As bearded dragon owners, we want the best for our pets, particularly when it comes to their dietary requirements. Luckily, they can eat lots of different things such as vegetables, insects, and greens. But can bearded dragons eat unsweetened applesauce? The short answer is yes!
Bearded dragons can eat unsweetened applesauce that has no sugar or additives. Applesauce is a healthy and common treat for dragons. The word here is a ‘treat,’ meaning you should only occasionally feed unsweetened applesauce to your bearded dragon.
How Much Applesauce Can Your Bearded Dragons Eat?
Before answering this answer, it is essential that we understand what comprises a bearded dragon’s diet. To start with, bearded dragons are omnivorous [1].
Their food and diet sources might vary from one bearded dragon to another, but generally, larger amounts of vegetables should be comprised in the diet of any of these dragons.
All bearded dragons eat insects, vegetables, and fruits (non-citrus). Some of the insects with a rich source of proteins for your insects include; dubia roaches, crickets, phoenix worms, mealworms, etc.
On the other hand, some of the healthy types of vegetable staples for your bearded friend include; mustard, beet greens, turnip, spinach, collard, and dandelion greens.
Starting with apples, bearded dragons can consume a wide array of fruits. Some of the healthy fruit choices we recommend to feed your pet include melon, fig, papaya, pears, and peaches.
A healthy and balanced diet for bearded dragons should consist of eighty percent plants and twenty percent proteins from insects. About twenty percent of the plant’s percentage should entail healthy fruits, including apples.
Apples are among the best fruits when it comes to vitamin A and vitamin C. They are also super hydrating because of their high water content.
However, when taken in excess, they can result in loose bowel movements and diarrhea to your bearded dragon. Therefore, when it comes to how much applesauce our bearded dragons can eat, we should feed them in moderation.
What Applesauce Type Can Bearded Dragons Eat?
If we want to feed applesauce to your dragon, it is vital that we give them high-quality applesauce. Although any applesauce contains high amounts of nutrients, I highly recommend you to only purchase organic unsweetened applesauce that contains no corn syrup, added sugar, or preservatives.
If possible, always go for natural baby food products. If applesauce is not available, you can alternatively go for pureed prunes. Additionally, you should always avoid apple skins because they might choke your bearded dragon.
And although organic unsweetened applesauce is the best option for your dragon, it should also be served in moderation as it can also cause negative side effects such as diarrhea when taken in excess.
It still has a dense amount of calories and high sugar content even though it’s in smaller amounts; hence it’s best served with other healthier food types rather than alone. If your dragon has constipation, applesauce is an ideal natural laxative, including blueberries, prunes, and pureed canned that will serve as a great treat for your bearded dragons.
When Should We Give Applesauce To Our Bearded Dragon?
As we have earlier stated, fruits, applesauce included are desserts and treats in the dietary nutrition of the dragons. They should be given as treats occasionally and in small amounts. A significant percentage of their food should comprise greens and vegetables.
Insects such as super worms, mealworms, and crickets come next, and finally, we have dessert foods and fruits. Generally, we recommend that you feed your dragon vegetables and greens with some fruit on day one, insects with calcium supplements on day two, and let them rest on day three, and the cycle starts again. This will ensure you meet the proper nutrient requirements for your pet.
You should, however, keep in mind that just like humans, dietary preferences vary between different dragons. One dragon might prefer particular foods over others, and their appetites also vary from one another.
Also, bearded dragons require about one hour to bask in warm light for proper digestion of food. We should hence never feed our dragon immediately before turning off their tank lights. Otherwise, they might go into hibernation, which is inactivity due to low temperatures. In this period, they do not have an appetite due to slowed metabolism.
Summary
Yes! Most dragons will enjoy an occasional treat, and applesauce is an excellent option treat. However, applesauce is only a healthy option for your bearded dragon if it is unsweetened, organic, and fed to it as an occasional treat.
The unsweetened applesauce should not make more than twenty percent of the bearded dragon diet. Hopefully, we have answered your questions concerning giving unsweetened applesauce to your bearded dragons.
Recommended reading: can bearded dragons eat zucchini squash?
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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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