Reptiles exhibit a variety of feeding strategies. Some will demonstrate a herbivore, omnivorous or carnivore diet as adults while others may switch strategies as they grow.
It is important to understand your pet’s nutritional needs. A variety of foods should be offered as it 크레스티드게코 helps prevent overfeeding (obesity) and malnutrition.
Herbivorous
Herbivorous reptiles, such as adult Green Iguanas and Bearded Dragons, need a diet rich in fiber and low in starch. This helps simulate natural feeding habits and support digestion. This formula is also formulated with live probiotics to help support gastrointestinal health, and includes vitamin A and E to promote eye and skin health. It is an extruded, easy-to-eat small particle diet that provides high fiber levels, low starch and a great source of vitamin A and E to help your lizard thrive.
Herbal diets are usually rich in beta-carotene and soluble fibre which can be metabolized for energy, whereas animal prey contains more saturated fats. However, it takes eight times as much plant material to provide the same amount of energy that a single gram of rodent prey does.
Vegetables provide reptiles with the nutrients they need for healthy growth. However, not all plant 크레스티드게코 materials are equally nutritious and some may be high in salt, or have high concentrations of oxalates and other toxins. It is therefore important to provide your lizard with the best possible quality of foods to ensure good health and avoid illness.
Reptiles need a high level of vitamin A to help maintain healthy mucous membranes, as well as good eyesight. A deficiency in this nutrient may cause the tongue and eyelids to become dry, which can lead to mouth infections and respiratory difficulties. A good dietary supply of vitamin A should help your lizard grow quickly, shed healthy and avoid these complications.
Omnivorous
While we typically think of reptiles as fearsome carnivores or leaf-munching herbivores, some reptile species occupy a fascinating niche—the omnivorous. These versatile foodies enjoy the best of both worlds, savoring everything from crunchy insects and invertebrates to juicy fruits and succulent vegetables.
In the wild, a diversified diet can help these lizards and amphibians survive during periods of drought, disease or predation. In the home, an omnivorous reptile diet can also provide a healthier and more nutritious alternative to high-protein, low-carbohydrate foods that are often recommended for these species.
Omnivorous reptiles include geckoes, blue-tongue skinks and ocellated lizards as well as box turtles, bearded dragons and semi-aquatic turtles. They need a combination of fresh greens, vegetables and fruit and should be fed both animal and vegetable matter daily as juveniles and bi-weekly as adults. It’s important to remember that plant matter provides a very different energy content than animal protein sources, so it is essential not to over-supplement with protein—it takes eight times as much vegetable matter to give a reptile the same amount of energy as one tablespoon of a protein food.
Insects are a vital part of the omnivorous reptile diet, especially for snakes. It is important to offer a variety of insect species, since not all insects contain the same level of nutritive value. When offered in the proper preparation (gut loaded or dusted), however, insects are an acceptable and healthy source of protein for many reptiles.
Carnivorous
Some reptiles, like snakes and crocodiles, are strictly carnivorous and feed on all living animals-invertebrate and vertebrate-appropriate to their size. They open their jaws extra wide to swallow prey whole, fur and all, and regurgitate the parts they can’t digest. It is important for herpetoculturists to note that the food preferences and feeding behaviors displayed by these reptiles are often heritable. For example, the common gartersnake has a preference for fish over worms, and this can be inherited.
Herbivorous reptiles (green iguanas, many skinks, box turtles) and some semi-aquatic reptiles (such as mudskippers) require a diet consisting of leafy green vegetables, fruits and insects. A commercial vegetarian diet is an excellent choice for these species. Herbivorous reptiles must also have free-choice access to hay and/or grass.
Carnivorous and omnivorous reptiles can be fed live verebrate prey such as mice, rabbits or rats. However, the risk of injury to the animal or disease transmission from one reptile to another is too great. Live prey should be offered only after a reptile has been conditioned to accept it.
Reptiles that are unable to accept live prey should be fed a high quality, nutritionally complete freeze dried food that has had supplements added to it. Supplements should include a source of vitamins A and D and omega fatty acids.
Aquatic
Reptiles like turtles are primarily aquatic. Their bodies are covered in a thick layer of watery skin, and they breathe through the surface with their gills. They can swim by lateral undulations that resemble eels, or they may move their legs in a figure-eight pattern to glide. Some aquatic reptiles also have webbed feet or a shortened tail to aid in locomotion.
These reptiles need to eat a rich mix of animal and plant proteins, vitamins, minerals and calcium. Insufficient or unbalanced diets can lead to dehydration, skeletal disease and a host of other problems. Most aquatic turtles are omnivorous, but some species are carnivorous. Eating a rich, nutrient-dense diet like Healthy Herp Aquatic Turtle Diet can help avoid common diseases, including shell disease and squamous metaplasia, and support healthy growth and resistance to stress.
Some reptiles require specialized prey items, such as crustaceans, gastropods or worms. These specialized foods must be available year round and may need to be supplemented with thiamine (vitamin B1) or Vitamin A in captivity. In addition to providing these specialized foods, it is important to make sure the reptiles enclosure has plenty of hiding spots and is kept clean one to six times a week.
All reptiles must have access to a temperature gradient that is essential for behavioral thermoregulation. The lack of a temperature gradient will lead to metabolic bone disease and other adverse health outcomes [45]. Reptiles also need a source of UVB light for behavioral and cellular health. A lack of this irradiation will interfere with the behaviorally regulated production of Vitamin D, and can cause negative emotional states [45].