Can Bearded Dragons Eat Bananas?

Bananas are a favorite food for many animals, but are they safe for bearded dragons? It's important to remember that bearded dragons are native to dry desert-like environments, so tropical fruits like bananas are something they would never come across in the wild. But does that make them unsafe?

The short answer is you should avoid feeding bananas to bearded dragons. Bananas are not toxic, but their nutritional content makes them a potentially dangerous food for beardies, especially if fed long term. Read below to learn more about the banana's nutrition and major concerns.

Banana Nutrition Overview

Below is the complete reptile nutrition profile for bananas as well as the main areas of focus.

Reptile Nutrition

Bananas (raw)Per 100g Serving

Core

Calories89Cal

Water Content74.91g

Carbohydrates22.84g

Total Carbohydrate22.84g

Fiber, total dietary2.6g

Starch5.38g

Sugars12.23g

Fructose4.85g

Glucose4.98g

Maltose0.01g

Sucrose2.39g

Fat0.33g

Total Fat0.33g

Total saturated0.112g

10:00.001g

12:00.002g

14:00.002g

16:00.102g

18:00.005g

Total monounsaturated0.032g

16:10.01g

18:10.022g

Total polyunsaturated0.073g

18:20.046g

18:30.027g

Proteins1.09g

Protein1.09g

Alanine0.04g

Arginine0.049g

Aspartic acid0.124g

Betaine0.1mg

Cystine0.009g

Glutamic acid0.152g

Glycine0.038g

Histidine0.077g

Isoleucine0.028g

Leucine0.068g

Lysine0.05g

Methionine0.008g

Phenylalanine0.049g

Proline0.028g

Serine0.04g

Threonine0.028g

Tryptophan0.009g

Tyrosine0.009g

Valine0.047g

Minerals

Calcium, Ca5mg

Copper0.078mg

Fluoride2.2μg

Iron0.26mg

Magnesium27mg

Manganese0.27mg

Phosphorus, P22mg

Potassium, K358mg

Selenium1μg

Sodium1mg

Zinc0.15mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A, IU64IU

Vitamin A, RAE3μg

Alpha-carotene25μg

Beta-carotene26μg

Lutein + Zeaxanthin22μg

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.031mg

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.073mg

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)0.665mg

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)0.334mg

Vitamin B60.367mg

Vitamin B9 (Folate)20μg

Folate (from food)20μg

Folate (dietary equivalent)20μg

Vitamin C8.7mg

Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0.1mg

Gamma Tocopherol0.02mg

Delta Tocopherol0.01mg

Alpha Tocotrienol0.06mg

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone)0.5μg

Choline9.8mg

Sterols

Phytosterols16mg

Other

Oxalates1mg

pH4.8

Nutrition Scores

Ca:P Ratio0.2:1

Ca:P RatingVery Poor

Safe to FeedNever

HealthinessUnhealthy

Notes/Instructions: Do not feed unless instructed by a vet.

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Areas of Concern

Below are the main things you want to pay attention to if you're thinking about feeding your bearded dragon bananas.

Dangerous Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio

Bananas contain five-times more phosphorus than calcium. This is a concern because phosphorus blocks calcium absorption. A simple trick is to assume each mg of phosphorus will block one mg of calcium from being absorbed. So a 100g serving of banana will need 17mg of extra calcium provided by other foods before it will be considered "safe".

High Sugar Content

Bananas are very high in sugar. Roughly 12% of a banana's weight is sugar, which is why they a favorite food for many animals. Unfortunately, too much sugar causes issues in bearded dragons including mouth decay and obesity. If bananas were safe to feed to beardies, we would only recommend using them as a treat due to their high sugar content.

When to Feed Bananas to Bearded Dragons

Bananas are too high in sugar and produce a significant calcium deficit in bearded dragons, so we do not recommend feeding bananas to beardies unless instructed to do so by a vet.

If, however, you are determined to feed your bearded dragon a banana, do so very rarely (no more than once per month) and use calcium supplementation to offset the excess phosphorus.