PLANTS, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR REPTILES Many species of Australian lizards are herbivorous or omnivorous which means they include a lot of fruits, foliage and flowers in their natural diet. When caring for these lizards in captivity we aim to provide as healthy, natural and varied diet as possible for their health and wellbeing. Developing a diet It can be overwhelming when trying to develop a healthy diet for our lizards so we have compiled this handy guide of safe fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers that you can incorporate into your lizard’s diet. To further help you, we have broken down these lists into three sections; staples, moderation and treat only. Foods listed under ‘Staples’ are healthy foods that you can confidently feed your lizard every day. Foods listed under ‘Feed in Moderation’ are foods that offer different benefits for your lizards, but shouldn’t be relied upon with every feed. The ‘Treat Only’ list are foods that are safe for your lizard to eat, however may contain certain vitamins, minerals or other substances that are not healthy if fed on a regular basis. Toxic Foods We have also included a list of foods that are toxic or otherwise have negative effects on your lizards. This list is not complete and you should always consult a reptile specialist for advice when feeding unknown food items. SAFE VEGETABLES Staple Vegetables Feed in Moderation Treat Only Butternut Pumpkin Celery (Stalk and Leaves) Collard Greens Endive Turnip Greens Yellow Squash Alfalfa Sprouts Asparagus Bok Choy/Pak Choi Broccoli Leaves Cabbage (Green or Red) Capsicum Carrots Cauliflower Choko Green Beans Kale Pumpkin Beetroot Broccoli Stalk and Floret Corn Cucumber (Peeled) Pea Sprouts Potato (Cooked) Turnip Zucchini Snap Peas Sweet Potato SAFE FRUITS Many lizards love their fruits, especially Blue tongue and Shingleback Skinks! There are many common fruits that are safe to include in the diet of your lizard, however caution should be taken that they are not overfed any fruits. Fruits are one of the leading causes of dental issues in lizards as soft fruits tend to accumulate in the teeth causing plaque and tartar. Fruits are also high in natural sugars which can also result in other health issues. Staple Fruits Feed in Moderation Treat Only Apple Blackberries Blueberries Cranberries Grapefruit Grapes Guava Honeydew Melon Mango Orange Paw Paw Pineapple Strawberries Watermelon Apricot Banana Cherries Kiwifruit Mandarin Nectarine Peach Pear SAFE PLANTS & FLOWERS Most herbivorous or omnivorous lizards consume flowers and foliage in the wild. While we may not be able to source all of the variety of plants they would encounter there are certain plants that can be included in their diet. Staple Flowers/Plants Feed in Moderation Dandelion Flower and Leaves Basil Coriander Dahlia Hibiscus Flower and Leaves Nasturtium Flowers Peppermint Leaves Rosemary Wheatgrass Treat Only TOXIC FOODS Some of the common fruits and vegetables in our kitchen are potentially toxic to our lizards! Be cautious of the following food items and do not incorporate them into your lizard’s diet. While some are not necessarily toxic they may possess vitamins, minerals or other substances that are harmful to your lizard. An example of this is spinach which is very high in oxalates; oxalic acid binds to calcium, leading to disorders such as MBD due to lack of calcium metabolism. Spinach is also goitrogenic which may lead to thyroid disorders. Food Item Avocado Chives Eggplant (raw) Garlic Lettuce Mushroom Onion Rhubarb Spinach Notes Parsley High in calcium binding oxalates Potentially toxic to reptiles Potentially toxic to reptiles, high in oxalates Potentially toxic especially to Pogona sp. Potentially toxic to reptiles Little nutritional value, may cause diarrhoea Some mushrooms are toxic to dragons Potentially toxic Highly toxic, extremely high in calcium binding oxalates High in calcium binding oxalates and goitrogens *While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in this document, it should only be used as a guideline and should not replace the advice of a veterinarian’s. Western Reptile Rescue Inc, its members and the author take no responsibility in the misuse of the information provided
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