When it comes to feeding bearded dragons, it’s essential to know the nutritional composition, health benefits, and potential dangers associated with a food before adding it to their diet. Just because a particular food is safe for humans and other animals don’t mean it’s safe for bearded dragons to eat. So completely understanding the characteristics of the food you want to feed your bearded dragon is vital if you want it to live a long and healthy life. And since avocado is one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world, one might wonder if bearded dragons can also eat it. Let’s find out.
What Is Avocado?
Avocado, also referred to as avocado pear or alligator, is a medium-sized oily fruit that originates in South America. There are several varieties of avocados, each with its own characteristics and nutritional composition. Avocado typically has a pear shape, although it may also be spherical or egg-shaped. This fruit is rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals, which accounts for its worldwide popularity.
Avocado is versatile and can be used in a variety of culinary applications. It is frequently enjoyed raw but can also be cooked to create diverse dishes. Some popular ways to use avocado include incorporating it into soups, adding it to burgers and sandwiches, using it as a spread on tortillas, or using it as the base for guacamole. Due to its mild and distinct taste, avocado is a highly desirable ingredient frequently used in sweet and savory recipes.
The Nutritional Composition Of Avocado
| Name | Avocado’s Quantity |
| Energy | 160 kilocalories |
| Water | 73.2 grams |
| Protein | 2 gram |
| Fat | 14.7 gram |
| Carbohydrate | 8.53 grams |
| Fiber | 6.7 grams |
| Sugars | 0.66 grams |
| Calcium | 12 milligrams |
| Magnesium | 29 milligrams |
| Phosphorus | 52 milligrams |
| Potassium | 485 milligrams |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.257 milligram |
| Vitamin C | 10 milligrams |
| Vitamin E | 2.07 milligrams |
| Vitamin A | 7 micrograms |
NOTE: This Table Includes Only The Most Relevant Information.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Avocado?
Avocado contains a substantial amount of nutrients and vitamins that are beneficial to bearded dragons. However, eating avocado can negatively affect bearded dragons. As a result, it’s not advisable to feed avocados to bearded dragons. That’s why it’s better to feed bearded dragons other edible fruits and vegetables instead of avocados.
Health Risks Of Avocado For Bearded Dragons
Here is a list of reasons why it’s a bad idea to give a bearded dragon an avocado to eat.
Calcium To Phosphorous Ratio
The calcium-to-phosphorous ratio is one of the main factors you must scrutinize when picking a new meal for a bearded dragon. That’s because bearded dragons require their meals to have a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1:1 or 2:1. So basically, the amount of calcium and phosphorus in their meals should be equal, or the amount of calcium should be more than the amount of phosphorus. Nevertheless, the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in avocados is not balanced since the amount of phosphorus is more than the calcium. As such, feeding avocados to bearded dragons is not advised because the phosphorus in the fruit can easily bind the calcium since the amount of phosphorus is more substantial. This will prevent the bearded dragon from absorbing the calcium from the avocado.
Persin
Avocados also contain persin, a type of fungicidal toxin that sticks to the body of the fruit from the seeds. The amount of persin in each avocado fruit is relatively low and, as such, is generally considered harmless to human beings except for people allergic to it. However, the persin in avocado can negatively affect some animals, including bearded dragons, whenever they consume it. Consuming persin can cause bearded dragons to develop diarrhea, respiratory issues, and other illnesses that can invariably lead to death.
Calories
Avocado also contains a substantial amount of fats and calories, which can make bearded dragons obese. Bearded dragons in captivity do not have the opportunity to burn excess calories like bearded dragons in the wild; that’s why it’s always a good idea to check the fat content of the food you feed them. Obesity and weight issues can lead to severe health issues such as heart failure and liver disease in bearded dragons.
Choking Hazard
The peel, pulp, and endocarp of avocado are usually tough, even when the fruit is completely ripe and harvested. This makes it difficult for bearded dragons to eat it since they prefer swallowing their food whole rather than eating bits of it one at a time.
Oxalic Acids
Avocado contains a high concentration of oxalic acids, which can be disastrous to the health of bearded dragons if they consume too much of it. Ingesting small amounts of oxalic acids is enough to get a bearded dragon ill, so consuming a large quantity of it can result in death. That’s because the significant amount of oxalic acid in avocados can bind to minerals and vitamins in the fruit to form oxalates. Which can cause diseases like metabolic bone disease in bearded dragons.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Other Parts Of An Avocado?
Bearded dragons should not be allowed to eat any part of an avocado fruit. The fruit’s peel, pulp, and endocarp are not recommended for bearded dragons to eat due to the reasons stated above. On the other hand, it’s not safe to feed avocado seeds to bearded dragons as they can cause impaction or choking.
How Much Avocado Is Safe For Bearded Dragons To Eat?
Avocado is one of the worst fruits to feed bearded dragons, so ensure the fruit is far from them at all times. Even a little bit of the fruit can harm a bearded dragon.
What To Do If Your Bearded Dragon Eats Avocado?
It’s best to act fast whenever your bearded dragon has eaten an avocado. As such, here are some guidelines you need to follow once you notice your bearded dragon has eaten even a little bit of the fruit.
Reach Out To A Veterinary Doctor
The first thing you should do if you believe your bearded dragon has eaten an avocado is call a veterinary doctor specializing in reptile care. You can also reach out to your region’s emergency animal hotline or take your bearded dragon directly to a veterinary hospital.
Look Out For Symptoms Of Avocado Ingestion
Though it’s not advised to wait for symptoms to pop up before reaching out to a veterinary doctor, it’s essential to always be on the lookout for any signs and changes once your bearded dragon has eaten some avocado. It’s important to note these symptoms so you can transmit as much information as possible to the veterinary doctor. So ensure you write down or try to remember as much as possible.
Some symptoms of avocado ingestion you can watch out for are:
- Facial irritation.
- Decreased activity.
- Restlessness.
- Diarrhea.
- Lethargy.
- Respiratory issues.
- Vomiting.
Give Your Bearded Dragon A Warm Bath
You can also help wash out the toxins from your bearded dragon’s system by giving it a warm bath. A warm bath will help stimulate your bearded dragon’s digestive system and work the avocado out.
Give Your Bearded Dragon A Mixture Of Activated Charcoal And Water
A mixture of activated charcoal and water can be given to a bearded dragon to help bind toxins in the body and reduce the effects of poisoning. All you have to do is to draw the mixture into a syringe and carefully pour it directly into its mouth.
Give Your Bearded Dragon Some Water To Drink
You can also help flush the toxins from your bearded dragon’s system by letting it drink lots of water. You can use a syringe to pour the water into your bearded dragon’s mouth if it’s reluctant to drink.
Conclusion
Just because avocados are edible and safe for humans doesn’t mean you should feed your bearded dragon some. Consuming avocados can lead to various health issues for bearded dragons, which is why it’s better to choose other safe and edible fruits to feed them.
Resources And Further Reading
Avocados, Raw, All Commercial Varieties. Agricultural Research Service. U.S. Department Of Agriculture.
A Preliminary Feeding Study In Bearded Dragon Lizards, Pogona Vitticeps. Meridian Allenpress.
Bearded Dragons: Common Husbandry And Nutrition-Related Problems. Taylor & Francis Online.
Heat-Induced Off-Flavor In Avocado Flesh. Wiley Online Library.
Oxalic Acid. Science Direct.
The Diet Of Free-Roaming Australian Central Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Wiley Online Library.
Tracing The Geographic Origins Of Major Avocado Cultivars. Oxford University Press.
