FAQ: Food for reptiles

Avocado, rhubarb, onion, garlic, citrus for some species, chocolate and salted or cooked human food are not recommended for reptiles. If your reptile ate something dangerous, contact a vet.

No. Bread, dairy and cooked or raw meat do not suit reptiles: they cannot digest dairy, and meat lacks calcium and has too much fat. Reptiles should get food suited to their species.

Tomatoes and cucumbers are mostly water with little fibre or calcium, so tortoises get them only occasionally or not at all. Mediterranean and steppe tortoises do better on weeds and leafy greens.

Many edible flowers, such as dandelion, marigold, hibiscus or chemical-free roses, suit tortoises and bearded dragons and add variety. Florist flowers are often treated with chemicals, so they are best avoided.

Young aquatic turtles grow quickly, so they need more protein: a pellet made for hatchlings, bloodworms, shrimp and insects. Plant food is offered too, though youngsters eat less of it.

Adult aquatic turtles such as red-eared sliders eat lots of water plants in the wild, and too much protein can lead to obesity and shell deformities. So they are given more plants and protein food less often.

Aquatic turtles are often given duckweed, water lettuce, hornwort and other water plants, as well as leafy greens such as rocket or dandelion. Plants can be left floating so the turtle grazes on them as it likes.

Aquatic turtles love dried shrimp and gammarus, but they are too low in balanced nutrients to be a staple. They work as a treat, while a balanced pellet is the better staple.

Live fish encourage hunting, but some kinds are high in thiaminase or fat, and bought fish can carry disease. They are given now and then, ideally from a reliable source, while balanced food remains the staple.

A common rule is to give as much as the turtle eats in a few minutes, roughly the size of its head, per feeding. Overfeeding is common in aquatic turtles, and leftovers foul the water.

Hatchlings are usually fed daily, and adults every second or third day, with water plants left in the tank as well. The exact frequency depends on species and condition, so keep an eye on weight and shell.

Many aquatic turtles feed at the surface, so floating pellets suit them, being easier to see and to scoop out when left over. Sinking food suits bottom-feeding species such as musk turtles.

Aquatic turtles often get calcium from a cuttlebone floating in the water and from pellets that contain calcium. They eat only in water, so dusting with powder works less well because it washes off.

Many aquatic turtles can only eat in water, because water helps them swallow. So their food always goes into the aquaterrarium or a separate container of water, not onto the basking platform.

Fish flakes and pellets are not balanced for aquatic turtles: their protein, calcium and vitamin levels differ. Occasionally they do no harm, but the staple should be a dedicated aquatic turtle food.

Aquatic turtles, especially hatchlings, enjoy frozen bloodworms and other frozen aquarium foods. On their own they are not a balanced diet, so they are combined with pellets and plants after thawing.

Baby bearded dragons are usually fed insects several times a day, juveniles daily and adults a few times a week. Fresh greens are offered daily at every age.

Young leopard geckos are fed daily or every other day, and adults a few times a week. Watching tail thickness and weight matters more than sticking to a strict schedule.

Most tortoises are offered greens daily or nearly daily, and some keepers include one or two fasting days a week. Overfeeding, especially with protein or sugary food, can cause shell deformities.

Young snakes are usually fed about every 5–7 days, as they grow quickly. As they grow they move to bigger prey and less frequent meals, and the schedule should suit the species and body condition.