Owning a reptile or an invertebrate pet comes with many responsibilities - one of which is providing them with proper nourishment. Knowing what to feed them, how often, and how much can be challenging for many pet owners. In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of food that your reptiles and invertebrates need, and how to properly feed them to keep your pets healthy and thriving.
1. Bearded Dragon Food
Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. They require a balanced diet that consists of leafy greens, vegetables, and insects. Some popular greens to feed your beardie are collard greens, mustard greens, and dandelion greens. For vegetables, they can have squash, bell peppers, and carrots. Insects should be a staple in their diet, such as crickets, roaches, and mealworms. It is best to offer them a variety of insects to ensure that they receive an adequate supply of essential nutrients.
2. Iguana Food
Iguanas are herbivores and need a diet that primarily consists of leafy greens and vegetables. An excellent staple food for iguanas is collard greens, kale, mustard greens, and romaine lettuce. They also enjoy fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, mangos, and bananas. It is essential to avoid feeding iguanas high-protein foods such as meat, dairy, and insects as these types of foods can cause kidney problems in your pet iguana.
3. Lizard Food
Lizards are also insectivores or herbivores, depending on the species. The most common pet lizards are leopard geckos, green anoles, and chameleons. A diet for leopard geckos should consist of crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and roaches. Green anoles mainly eat insects, such as crickets, caterpillars, and moths. While chameleons prefer insects over leafy greens, they still require calcium-rich foods such as kale, broccoli, and carrots.
4. Snake Food
Most commonly, snakes are carnivores and consume mice or rats. Some of the popular species of snakes kept as pets are corn snakes, ball pythons, and boas. Depending on their size, snakes require different sizes of rodents for their diet. It is essential to feed your snake age-appropriate prey to prevent obesity and malnutrition.
5. Frog Food
The most commonly kept pet frogs are tree frogs and dart frogs. Tree frogs eat live prey such as crickets, roaches, and worms, and dart frogs mainly consume fruit flies and pinhead crickets. It is essential to avoid feeding your pet frogs wild-caught prey as this can expose your pet to parasites or diseases.
6. Gecko Food
Geckos can be both insectivores or herbivores, depending on the species. A staple diet for leopard geckos should consist of crickets and mealworms, while crested geckos primarily eat fruit puree. It is essential to research the dietary requirements of your specific gecko species before feeding and to provide them with a balanced diet.
7. Spider Food
The most commonly kept pet spider is the tarantula, and they feed on insects such as crickets and roaches. It is best to offer prey that is smaller than the spider to prevent being injured when they feed. It is also essential to provide your pet spider with clean water and avoid feeding them wild-caught prey.
8. Hermit Crab Food
Hermit crabs are omnivores and require a balanced diet of plant and animal matter. They enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes. It is also an excellent idea to feed them calcium-rich foods like crushed eggshells or cuttlebones to help prevent shell issues.
In summary, providing the right kind of food for your reptile or invertebrate pet is essential to keep them healthy and happy. Researching the dietary requirements of your specific pet and providing a balanced diet ensures that their nutritional needs are met. It is also crucial to avoid feeding your pets wild-caught prey and provide them with clean water. By following these simple guidelines, you can ensure that your pets are receiving proper nutrition to live a long and healthy life.
