Chameleon is a great pet to have around. They are a very interesting creature to keep. When it comes to food, there is food that they can eat and some they are not allowed to eat. As for grapes, can you feed your chameleon this fruit?
Yes, chameleons can eat grapes, but only an occasional treat. This fruit is high in fiber and calcium, which is great for chameleons. However, you can only feed them from time to time because these grapes are high in water, sugar, and oxalate. Too much of these can harm the lizards.
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Is It Safe For Chameleons To Eat Grapes?
Grapes are safe to feed chameleons, but only in moderation. Grapes contain oxalate. Oxalate binds to calcium in the body. When that happens, the chameleon is not able to absorb the calcium into its body. This will lead to health issues, especially metabolic bone disease. While grapes contain a very small amount of oxalate, feeding them too many can lead to calcium deficiencies.
Health Benefits of Grapes for Chameleons
Grapes are packed with nutrients such as fiber, vitamin C, and much other nutrition. All these benefit the chameleons in many ways as they need plenty of nutrition to stay healthy.
One cup (151 grams) of red or green grapes contains the following nutrients:
- Calories: 104
- Carbs: 27.3 grams
- Protein: 1.1 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Fiber: 1.4 grams
- Vitamin C: 27% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Vitamin K: 28% of the RDI
- Thiamine: 7% of the RDI
- Riboflavin: 6% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 6% of the RDI
- Potassium: 8% of the RDI
- Copper: 10% of the RDI
- Manganese: 5% of the RDI
The above data is from NutritionData
Below are some health benefits of feeding grapes to your chameleons:
Prevent Cell Damage
Grapes contain antioxidants, which is a compound that helps prevent free radicals in the body. Free radicals are molecules that damage cells in the body and can lead to sickness and diseases.
Free radicals are usually caused by food the chameleons eat, cigar smoke, and radiation.
By eating food that is high in antioxidants, it helps lessen the chance of the chameleon becoming sick or having a disease.
Promote Healthy Digestion
Grapes are a good source of fiber, which is important for the digestive system. Fiber helps promote regular bowel movement and this causes the food to move through the digestive tract smoothly.
Also, a good amount of fiber intake will help prevent constipation which is common among chameleons that are kept in captivity.
Can Baby Chameleon Eat Grapes?
Baby chameleons can eat grapes, but only in small quantities. Grapes have too much sugar content in them, and it could pose a health issue for them. Also, oxalate that is in the grapes could cause them issues as well.
At this age, they should be fed unlimited supplies of crickets and other insects. This should make up the bulk of their diet.
If you want to give grapes to them, give them a small piece of it. Peel the skin, remove the seeds, and feed them just the flesh.
When feeding them, look for any negative reaction they may have. This could be vomiting and diarrhea If you notice any of this, stop feeding them grapes. There are other fruits you can try to feed them as well.
On the other hand, if the baby chameleon seems to like eating grapes and has no negative reaction, you can feed them a small piece, once a week.
How To Feed Grapes To Chameleons
When it comes to feeding chameleons, there are a couple of ways to feed them. Each chameleon is different, so it’s best to choose the method that you feel the most comfortable with.
Feeding Grapes To Chameleon Using Your Hand
This feeding method is an excellent way to bond with your chameleons. When feeding them this method, you have to be cautious with it. Chameleons could bite your hand by mistake. If they do bite, they’ll release your finger right away. You’ll end up with just a small scratch on the finger.
Feeding Grapes To Chameleon Using A Cup
This is the easiest method to feed chameleons. Simply place the grapes in a cup and put them on a branch of the tree. The chameleons will slowly go and investigate it and if they’re interested, they’ll take a bite of it.
How Many Grapes To Feed Chameleons
Due to their high content of water, sugar, and oxalate, grapes should be fed to the chameleons on occasion. Grapes don’t have the proper amount of nutrition, so they should be fed to them as treats. Too many grapes can cause them to stop eating their staple diet of insects.
For baby chameleons, you can feed them a half piece of grape. This should be enough for them to eat.
For adult chameleons, you can give them a whole grape. If the grape has seeds, make sure to remove all of them first. Leaving the seed could cause the chameleon to choke on it.
Other Fruits That Chameleons Can Eat
Apples
Apples make an excellent treat for your chameleons. This fruit is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and a good deal of other nutrition. However, due to their high amount of sugar and water content, the apples should be given to the chameleons in moderation to avoid any health issues.
Bananas
Bananas are a tropical fruit that is high in nutrition and makes a good treat for chameleons. Due to their high content of sugar, it could harm them if it’s eaten too much.
Strawberries
During the summer when strawberries are plentiful, you can pick some or buy them for your chameleon. Strawberries make a tasty treat for your chameleon as it’s full of nutrition. Like other fruits, make sure to only feed strawberries to them in moderation. A piece of strawberry, once or twice per week is enough for them to enjoy.
Conclusion
Grapes make a great snack for your chameleon. It’s full of nutrition that the chameleon needs daily. Besides their staple diet of insects, it’s always a good idea to rotate their food weekly, so they don’t get bored with the same food every day. By adding grapes to their diet once or twice a week, not only will they get a tasty treat, but it will help boost their nutrition.
