Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mango? 7 Secrets

Can bearded dragons eat mango? Mango (Mangifera indica) is a delicious drupe that grows mainly in tropical climate and is often used as dessert by many people or chewed while unripe.

Could be you have come across a number of them at market place or you grow various mango species and wonders if bearded dragons can eat them. It may also concern you if beardies can eat mango peels, leaves or stems/backs. 

So, the question here is, can Bearded Dragons Eat Mangoes? The direct answer is YES! Beardies feed on mangoes without any problems. Actually, mangoes are rich in minerals and Vitamins (needed for growth and immune boost). 

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Details: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Mango? 7 Secrets 

Moreover, mangoes have relatively low water content (thus prevent over hydration) and it is an aphrodisiac fruit (improves beardies sexual activities).

However, mangoes should be supplemented with other meals as they contain Low calcium: phosphorous ratio, relatively high sugar level, moderate oxalate level as well as sight acidic content that may impair beardies body functionalities if fed in excess.

1. Vitamins Composition

For every 100g of mango salad, there is 6% to 10% Vitamin A that is needed to boost beardies’ eyesight thus preventing dry eyes and night blindness. In addition, vitamin A will improve your pet’s immune system further and help in development of reproduction system – just like with eggs. 

Mangoes also have Vitamin B6 (0.119mg or 11.6% RDI needed for fat & protein metabolism as well as in manufacture of red blood cells), Vitamin C (34.6mg or 67.2% of RDI – required to help repair worn-out tissues and boost your beardie’s growth and development) and Vitamin E (0.9mg or 9.67% RDI – needed for destruction of free radicals within tissues and prevents beardies’ skin from UV rays damage that may occur).

Importantly, mangoes have vitamin K (6% of RDI) that improves beardie’s blood clotting (in case of injuries) thus preventing any excess bleeding.

Related: Best Substrate for Bearded Dragons

2. Rich Pre-Biotic Dietary Fiber

Mangoes are known to have pre-biotic fibers that are will add bulk to your beardie’s stool thus preventing it from constipation (difficulties in releasing bowels). Scientific research shows that for every 100g of mango salad, there is 2.6g to 3.2g dietary fibers – this number is relatively high as compared to other fruits such as paw paws and berries.

The soluble based mango fibers will also add to the food content in the alimentary canal and ease the digestion process. Importantly, these fibers will help lower chances of your beardie suffering from coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.

To acquire maximum dietary fibers, feed your beardie with ripe mangoes. Avoid mangoes that are over ripe as the fibers are usually very weak. 

Related: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cabbage?

3. Strong Antioxidant

Mango species such as Apple mango have Strong antioxidant compounds that help in destruction of free radicals that mainly attacks body cells.

Antioxidants such as astragalin, gallate, quercetin, isoquercitrin, fisetin, and gallic acid and methyl work together in breaking down any free radical and poisonous chemical component that is taken in through ingestion by your beardie.

Moreover, mangoes contain other powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols, rhamnetinm, angiferin, catechins, anthocyanins and kaempferol, which further boost the intestinal lining protection and improve beardie’s immunity.

Notably, ripe mangoes have more antioxidants than unripe ones.

4. Rich Mineral Content

There is 168mg of potassium in every 100g of fresh ripe mango salad. Potassium is required for smooth muscle contraction, fluid regulation and quick nerves signal control in your bearded dragon. In addition, potassium will lower the blood pressure, control excess water levels and prevent occurrence of diseases such as osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Presence of 11mg calcium will further help strengthen your beardie’s bones and teeth. Other minerals present include Sodium (1.3mg – needed for osmoregulation and blood pressure balance), Magnesium (10mg –boosts heartbeat and maintains smooth nerve signal response), Zinc (0.19mg-required for cell division and repair of injuries), Manganese (0.063mg –needed for metabolism of cholesterol and amino acid as well as clotting process) and Iron (0.16mg-prevents anemia and oxygen transportation).

Mangoes also contain phyto-nutrients such as β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and α-carotene, which easily combine with other antioxidants thus helping in elimination of free radicals.

5. Relative Water Content Level

On average, most mango species contain 49% to 74% water content when ripe. This quantity won’t be harmful to your beardie if controlled feeding is carried out. Your beardie will have a stable osmoregulation (very crucial process for beardie without which it suffers kidney failure) if you follow proper feeding and preparation procedure given below.

Average water content is needed for your beardie’s homeostasis processes as well as maintenance of its skin and cells in hydrated state for proper physiological processes.

Low water content in beardie will cause dehydration that leads to dizziness, constipation and dry skin.

You should avoid overfeeding your bearded dragon with excess mangoes-it may lead to over hydration that causes high blood pressure and runny poo. Normally, Mangoes should be fed occasionally and be supplemented with other meals like mealworms or silkworms.

Related: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas?

6. Aphrodisiac fruit

Mangoes, from the recent scientific research, are now aphrodisiac. They contain compounds, which improves sexual activities of bearded dragons.

If your beardies are sexually inactive, just prepare 300g of mango salad weekly (as supplement feed) for a period of 3-4 months in order to boost their mating desire and performance.

Species such as chaunsa and alphonsos mangoes strengthen further the bonds of male and female beardies in a given cage –they tend to stay together most of their time. 

7. Low Fat and Cholesterol Level

According to Jasleer (nutritionist), mangoes are cholesterol free and fat free. However, some species show about 0.0013mg of fat in every 100g of mango salad. This is a very low quantity thus safe for your beardie’s consumption.

Excess cholesterol in beardies accumulate in the inner lining of blood vessel thus narrowing them –this causes high blood pressure and heart failure at long run. In addition, excess fat builds up at the berry and tail regions thus making your pet beardie docile/inactive as well as obese. 

Mangoes have a high dietary fiber (needed to add bulk and reduce constipation), low fat and cholesterol (reducing obesity and heart problems), strong antioxidants (that prevent cells against free radicals) and high potassium level (needed for nerve signals control, muscle contraction and osmoregulation).

How to Prepare Mangoes for Your Bearded Dragon

To prepare mangoes for your bearded dragon’s meal, follow the procedure below:

1. Harvest ripe mangoes from the farm and leave them to drain water for at least two days – this will also improve their nutrients action/uptake by your pet beardie.
2. Clean/Wash mangoes using warm or treated water to remove any chemicals or stains that may harm your beardie’s digestive system.
3. Leave clean mangoes to dry in air/shade for 20minutes before peeling them.
4. Slice/chop the peeled mangoes into small sizes (the sizes should not be larger than the space between the beardie’s eyes) – this may lead to chocking that causes death easily.
5. Don’t chop the central seed (dispose it instead) – mango seed is hard for beardie to digest and when swallowed may cause impaction or block the gullet.
6. Mix the mango salad with other supplement like cabbages and mealworms to add extra flavor.
7. Measure 300g to 545g of mango salad in a given time when feeding your beardie – the quantity is for one adult beardie.

NB: It is required of you to feed beardie twice or thrice per month with mango salad in order to avoid over hydration and side effects of excess sugar that may arise. Do not feed your beardie with unripe mangoes –they are difficult for beardies to digest and often impact/chock them when swallowing.

Related: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Grapes?

Mango Species not to Feed Your Bearded Dragon

1. Mangoes With Relatively High Water Content

High water content is unfavorable for beardie as it leads to runny poo, high blood pressure, diuresis, difficulties in osmoregulation as well as diabetes. In addition, excess water will make your beardie docile or less active.

Mango species such as chaunsa have high water content as compared to others and should be fed least when they have not reached overripe condition.

Select mangoes, such as apple mangoes, which has low water content to eliminate such problems. It is also necessary to avoid overripe mangoes as they to be more acid –the benzoic acid content in some mango species increases as they overripe.

2. Mangoes With High Sugar Levels

Generally, mangoes have relatively high sugar content of about 7.68g per every 100g of mango salad. Excess sugar intake by beardies cause high blood pressure, diabetes and heart attack. In addition, sugar accumulates within teeth gaps and lead to teeth decay – this is very common.

Select low sugar mango species for your beardies occasional or daily feed supplement e.g.  keitt mango, osteen mango or haden mango varieties.

You can feed your beardie with mangoes that are about to ripen – they usually have low sugar content.

3. Mangoes With Low Calcium: Phosphorous Ratio

One great problem of mangoes is that they have low calcium: phosphorous ratio of 0.4:1. This is dangerous since excess phosphorous inhibits (binds) calcium from being absorbed into the bloodstream leading to calcium deficiency disease called metabolic bone disease.

However, you can boost beardie’s calcium level in the mango salad by adding commercially manufactured calcium powder supplement when feeding.

You need to know that low calcium to phosphorous ration will also affect absorption of carbs by your beardie. Therefore, select mango species that have relatively high calcium: phosphorous ratio.

Related: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Apples? 

4. Mangoes With High Acidity Level

Most mangoes have about 0.12% of RDI acid in every 100g of mango salad. Acid such as tartaric, benzoic acid and few traces of citric acid in some mongo species will affect the digestion process of beardies. Actually, high acid level will inactivate digestive enzymes leading to vomiting or drooling of the beardies.

You should consider mango species such as haden, keitt or apple mangoes that have least acid content as frequent diet supplement for your beardie.

5. Mangoes With High Oxalate Content

Just like phosphorous, oxalate found in some mango species will inhibit calcium absorption leading to metabolic bone disease. Moreover, oxalate will also limit carbs absorption and digestion of starch. It is therefore necessary to select mango species with low oxalate content.

Can Bearded Dragon Eat Mango Peels, Stems and Leaves?

Normally, bearded dragons do not eat stems and barks of mango tree since they are hard to digest and post swallowing challenges. Though mango lives have nutritious content, beardies don’t like them –they are rough, irritate beardies’ tongue and damage the mouth lining.

However, most bearded dragons will eat mango peels if they are well sliced/chopped. Actually, mango peels contain important antioxidant compounds necessary for destruction of free radicals that may be found within beardie body tissues.

Conclusion

Bearded dragon will easily eat mangoes to acquire vitamin A, B6, C, E and K. In addition, mangoes have rich pre-biotic dietary fibers as well as rich mineral content.

Notably, low fat and cholesterol content makes mango salad a suitable feed supplement. However, mangoes contain relatively high sugar, moderate oxalate/acid and low calcium: phosphorous ratio and thus should be used occasionally.