Pet owners often have questions or concerns regarding the food they are currently feeding their pets. People often question whether or not the meal is healthy for their cat. In that case, I hear mangoes are a safe and healthy treat for bearded dragons.
This holds true for Bearded Dragons just as much as it does for any other kind of reptile. It might be tricky to figure out what to feed your lizard, especially if it is a fruit- or vegetable-eating kind.
Bearded Dragons are one of the many lizard species that can consume a broad range of foods, but I was wondering whether they could eat mango. In this essay, we’ll take a closer look at this topic.
Is Mango Bad For My Bearded Dragon?
VCA Hospitals says mango is OK to consume, but it contains several things that might hurt your bearded dragon.
Sugar
Bearded dragons should not be fed mango unless you carefully monitor the sugar content. There are around 14.8 grams of sugar per 100 grams, which may fast lead to obesity if fed on a regular basis. The prevalence of obesity in both people and animals is increasing. Diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs are all possible in an overweight dragon. Your dragon may have trouble moving around and breathing if it is overweight. Your bearded dragon is overweight if its tummy sags to the floor.
Your bearded dragon may get dental problems if you feed it sugar, much like people. If your pet’s teeth start giving it trouble, it may have trouble consuming the nutrients it needs.
Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio
In order to ensure that our bearded dragons receive the calcium they need every day, we typically sprinkle calcium powder over their food. One other thing we may do is stay away from meals that have an unbalanced amount of calcium to phosphorus. Two parts calcium to one part phosphorus is optimal, although experts advocate maintaining the ratio at 1:1.
If the diet contains more phosphorus than calcium, your pet won’t get the nutritional advantages since phosphorus binds with calcium and hinders absorption. Moreover, if the ratio favors phosphorus too much, it might bond with other calcium in the system, inhibiting the absorption of calcium as well.
For 100 grams, mango contains roughly 14 milligrams of phosphorus and 11 milligrams of calcium. Your dragon will not get any calcium from this meal, and if it eats too much of it, it may also prevent the dragon from getting any calcium from other foods.
Vitamin A
Mango has a little quantity of vitamin A, yet it may be fatal to bearded dragons because to their sensitivity to the vitamin. Vitamin A toxicity may cause serious health problems, including osteoporosis and birth defects. Although if eating fruit isn’t likely to cause toxicity, giving supplements that also contain vitamin A like mango might be.
Is Mango Good For My Bearded Dragon?
Mango is a tasty treat, but it also provides essential nutrients for bearded dragons.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a potent substance that may aid in the prevention and treatment of illness by strengthening the immune system. Mango has about 36 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, so eating it is a great way to boost your intake significantly. Put some limp lettuce leaves in a dish of water with some vitamin C powder and watch them perk right back up.
Iron
Mango also contains a trace quantity of iron, an essential component for young dragons still growing and developing. While iron is equally poisonous in large enough doses, it poses no threat here.
Fiber
The fiber content of mango is 1.6 grams per 100 grams. Your bearded dragon may have fewer bouts of diarrhoea and constipation if you give it a diet high in fiber. The increased elimination of toxins from the body is another way in which high-fiber diets protect against colon cancer.
Water
Bearded dragons and other reptiles obtain the majority of the water they need from plant foods. Your pet may stay hydrated with the help of mango, which contains this vital ingredient. Mangos may be used to help rehydrate a thirsty dragon that has gone without water for an extended period of time.
How Can I Feed My Bearded Dragons Mango
You may reduce the likelihood that your pet will be exposed to potentially dangerous pesticides by feeding them organic fruit.
Mangoes, like apples, should be sliced vertically into thin quarter-inch-thick pieces. The huge pit within will be easier to remove after being sliced, and the fruit itself will cling to the thick skin.
Remove the peel and cut the fruit into cubes.
Provide no more than a single slice once every several weeks, preferably in a salad with other nutritious produce.
You may make a nutritious salad by combining mango with other vegetables such as bell peppers, squash, seedless watermelon, collard greens, and mustard greens.
Why is it important to know what my Bearded Dragon can Eat?
Bearded Dragons, like all other forms of life, have certain nutritional needs. They need a balanced diet of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
They also need to have enough of the right kinds of nutrients, such vitamins and minerals. While this may be accomplished with the aid of supplements, it is always preferable to receive the nutrients you need through food.
Understanding what a Bearded Dragon can eat, and more importantly, the nutritional value the food provides, is crucial.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mango?
Feeding your Bearded Dragon some mango will provide it with a nutritious treat. Mango is a favorite food of many Bearded Dragons, and they usually devour it when introduced to their habitat.
While mango is a healthy and tasty treat for your lizard, you should limit its exposure to it because of its high sugar content.
Your lizard may benefit from the vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K found in mango.
It’s a great source of fiber, antioxidants, and minerals like manganese, magnesium, and zinc, all of which contribute to your lizard’s overall well-being.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mango every day?
You lizard probably shouldn’t eat mango every day. Fruit provides essential nutrients, but it shouldn’t make up more than around 10% of their daily caloric intake.
Fruit has a lot of sugar and has been linked to health issues including diabetes, tooth damage, and even obesity.
Mangoes are very nutritious due to their high vitamin content. Nonetheless, most lizards have their vitamin and mineral needs met via supplemental diets.
Mangos are a good source of vitamin C, but if you also give your Bearded Dragon multivitamins, they may get vitamin poisoning.
Even though it doesn’t happen often, giving your animal too many vitamins might cause this illness. Vitamin poisoning causes lack of appetite, thirst, and strength.
Mangoes are loaded with a wide variety of beneficial nutrients, but calcium isn’t one of them.
Mangoes are healthy while they make up a minor part of their diet, but if that changed, problems might arise.
All Bearded Dragon keepers know that calcium is crucial to their reptiles’ health since it helps prevent metabolic bone disease.
What are the Benefits if Bearded Dragons Eat Mango?
Because of their high nutritional density, mangoes may be a healthy addition to your Bearded Dragon’s diet.
Vitamins A and C, found in abundance in these, are essential for maintaining a strong immune system. These vitamins also assist with development and eye health, among other things.
Vitamins E and K may be found in abundance in mangoes. Vitamins like these aid in the repair of damaged tissue. They have anti-inflammatory properties as well. Vitamin K aids in the preservation of healthy tissue and blood cells.
They are also an excellent source of antioxidants, which may help keep your Bearded Dragon healthy.
Minerals including manganese, magnesium, and zinc are abundant in them as well. Minerals have an important role in several bodily processes, including metabolic regulation, muscular function, and injury rehabilitation.
How can Bearded Dragons Eat Mango?
You should always properly wash produce before giving it to your lizard. This is done to eliminate the possibility of any harmful substances being present on the fruit.
Organic mangoes, on the other hand, won’t have any pesticides on them. Nonetheless, you probably want to wash them anyhow.
Mango should be cut into bite-sized pieces. This lessens the chance of your Bearded Dragon choking on a portion too big for its mouth.
What other Fruit can you Feed a Bearded Dragon
Bearded Dragons need a diet rich in fruit because of the abundance of nutrients it provides that can’t be found in other foods.
On the other hand, most fruits have unhealthy amounts of sugar that should be avoided. This means that fruit should make up between 10 and 15 percent of a Bearded Dragon’s daily food intake.
Strawberries, apples, pears, watermelons, grapes, blackberries, and blueberries are just few of the many varieties of fruit you may provide.
What Vegetables can a Bearded Dragon Eat?
Bearded Dragons obtain a lot of their nutrition from fruits and vegetables. They may get most of their calories from plant-based sources.
To maximize the lizard’s nutritional intake, you should provide a wide range of vegetable options.
Lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, bell peppers, and watercress are just some of the veggies you might provide.
Iceberg lettuce is practically pure water and has little nutritional benefit for your lizard, so avoid feeding it to them.
What insects can a Bearded Dragon Eat?
Bearded Dragons thrive mostly on insect prey. Beardies like chasing insects about their habitat, which serves as a kind of exercise for the pet.
These lizards often eat crickets and Dubia roaches. Still, it’s important to have a wide selection, so different insects should be made available whenever feasible.
Mealworms, superworms, hornworms, and silkworms are some more insects you might provide.
When it comes to feeding lizards, mealworms are a common staple. The issue is that they lack nutritional density. Hornworms, on the other hand, have 10 times as much protein as the same weight in mealworms.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons may enjoy mango as a treat, but only in very little quantities. It’s not something you want to give daily or even weekly because of how heavy in sugar it is and how low the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is. As bearded dragons have a hard time consuming enough calcium, we advise making high calcium items like dandelion greens and collared greens a staple in their diet while reserving treats like mango for exceptional occasions.
We’re glad you took the time to read this and hope you gained some insight into these remarkable animals. If you found this article on feeding your bearded dragon mango to be informative, please consider sharing it on social media.