Best Edible Plants For Reptiles

Herbivorous reptiles have unique diets depending on the species. They have evolved over millennia to digest the specific flora available to them within their habitat depending on seasonal availability. In captivity, we rarely have access to the “perfect diet.” Offering a range of plant species, with more flowers and buds in spring and more fibrous matter in winter is a great overall rule. The following species are great to grow at home.

Herbs

Herbs are not only practical for cooking, they are often dense in nutrients, with small leaves perfect for digestion and offer sensory enrichment.

 Recommended: Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Oregano, Spearmint, Lemon Balm.

Basic Leafy Greens

Leafy greens have a place in herpetoculture and offer valuable moisture to desert reptiles. Avoid nutrient poor options like store-bought salad and instead choose species that you can grow at home.

Recommended: Plantain, Musk Mallow, Collared Greens, Turtle Vine, Dandelion, Marigold, Bramble.

Cacti

Cacti take a long time to grow. This makes them difficult to cultivate, but, their extensive rate of maturity means they are brimming with nutrients, calcium and other important components. “Prickly pear” pads are superfoods and their flowers are equally as enticing.

Recommended: Prickly Pear/Opuntia Pads.

Flowers and Pollen

Flowers play an important role in herbivorous diets. They are full of pollen and sometimes nectar too, providing valuable sugars. You can buy Bee Pollen, which is a powerful antioxidant to sprinkle onto flowers before feeding.

Recommended: Dandelions, Hibiscus, Pansies, Violas, Mallows (hollyhock), Marigolds, dried flower mixes.

Fruit and Veg

Fruit is typically very high in sugar and therefore, each species will have different requirements. Fruit should also only be provided occasionally (once a week). Veg, on the other hand, is a little more universal. Carotenoid-rich foods can be grown at home and provide valuable nutrients to captive animals.

Recommended: Bell Peppers, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Green Beans, Turnips, Cantaloupe, Blackberries, Pear.

Avoid: Banana, Peach, Pineapple.

Differences in Edible Plant Diets

Some species will naturally encounter more fruits, flowers or grasses in the wild. The following brief overview will help keepers fine tune their animals’ diet.

Mediterranean Tortoises: Highly seasonal. Lots of flowers in spring, lots of grasses in Autumn, fasting period before hibernation. Prepared, dried diets can be used as a reliable, nutritious basic diet.

Bearded Dragons: Feeds primarily on desert shrubs with small leaves. Leafy greens become available in September until December when rains cause small channels to flood through the desert.

Uromastyx: Feeds heavily on herbs and other North African plants. Flowers are rare and enticing and should be provided through most of the year. Avoid overfeeding and limit the amount of “leafy” greens.

Red/Yellow-Foot Tortoises: Extremely frugivorous. Requires lots of fruits, berries and vegetables as well as animal matter.

Sulcata Tortoise: A grassland species that feeds primarily on shoots and grasses. Avoid excessive fruits, veg, or leafy greens. Stick to a high fiber diet that also incorporates dried grasses.

Green Iguana: Tropical canopy-dwelling species. Requires fruits and lots of browse.

Spiny-Tailed Iguana: Desert species. Requires less fruit, more small-leaved plants, herbs and cacti.