Can Bearded Dragons Eat Tomatoes?

Below is the complete reptile nutrition profile for the majority of red tomatoes (including grape tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes).

Areas of Concern

Tomatoes may seem like a healthy choice, but you should be aware of the following issues:

Tomatoes contain 26mg of oxalates per 100g serving. Ideally you want each meal to have no more than 10mg of oxalates as they prevent calcium from being absorbed.

Tomatoes are acidic. Raw tomatoes have an average PH values around 4.5 which can cause mouth and stomach irritation in bearded dragons.

Tomatoes have twice as much phosphorus than calcium. This is not good because phosphorus blocks calcium from being absorbed. Ideally you want more calcium than phosphorus, this way any remaining calcium will be absorbed by the bearded dragon. Since tomatoes have a higher level of phosphorus this means calcium will be blocked from other foods in their diet.

Tomatoes are not the healthiest food for bearded dragons, but when fed in moderation tomatoes pose no major health risks. If you choose to feed tomatoes to your beardie try to follow the below recommendations:

• Only feed a small portion of the tomato (don't feed an entire tomato)
• Follow the below instructions to prepare the tomato before serving
• Serve the tomato with other foods which are high in calcium to offset the tomato's naturally high phosphorus levels
• Do not feed your beardie tomatoes more than once per month

Tomato Preparation

Larger tomatoes will be easiest to prepare (grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes may be too difficult to peel/cut). Only feed the flesh of the tomato to your bearded dragon, so remove any skin before serving. Cut the tomato into small chunks no larger than the distance between your bearded dragon's eyes to reduce the risk of choking. Serve at room temperature.