Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've read many posts and care sheets saying to feed baby food and/or the processed rhac diets but have seen nothing so far about offering fresh fruit. I'm curious if it would be good to include some fresh fruit in their diet. If nobody feeds fruit then I am curious as to the reason. If people are offering fresh fruit then I'd like to know the best kinds to offer. I was thinking along the lines of bananas, peaches, and apricots perhaps? I know that the baby food is basically fresh fruit and that it is certainly convenient, but it lacks the texture of the fruit they would eat in the wild. I am concerned that the soft foods could be causing them to lose jaw strengh that they'd have in the wild. I remember a discussion on the monitor forum regarding comparisons between wild monitors who had strong jaws and large jaw muscles from eating snails and crunching the shells up, and captive ones who lacked the strengh and muscles because they were fed softer food. Has there been any discussion about the long term effect of feeding mainly soft foods to rhacs? Even the crickets bought in the stores for feeding purposes are soft bodied as opposed to insects they would come across in the wild which would likely have harder exoskeletons. I'd very much like to hear what people think on this subject. I don't want to offer fresh fruit to my rhacs if there is a specific reason it would be bad for them.

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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

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AMPHIBIANS (6)
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Current Headcount: 79
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Fresh fruit is perfectly fine for rhacs. Puree the fruit and freeze it, thawing out cubes as needed, or serve fresh. A little bit of calcium/multi-vitamin can be added to ensure all nutrients are offered, or regularly dusted crickets will take care of that as well. Fruits to use are mangos, peaches, apricots, honeydew melons, cantaloup and other 'nector' fruits are great to offer. Some berries can be offered as well.

As for losing jaw strength due to eating soft foods, I can't really comment on it. Crickets, roaches and other insects safe for rhacs should still be offered in an otherwise all fruit diet.

Thanks! I am eager to offer fresh fruit to my geckos. I didn't want to try it since I hadn't read that people were doing it and thought maybe there was a reason. I don't eat enough fruit myself so maybe this will get me eating healthier, if I have fruit in the house for them then maybe I'll eat some too!

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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

SNAKES (27)
1.0 Ball Python
2.2 Black Rats
1.1 California Kings
1.0 Carpet Python Coastal
0.1 Carpet Python Irian Jaya
1.1 Chinese Dog Faced Waters
2.2 Corns
0.0.2 Eastern Garters
3.2 Eastern Milks
1.0 Everglades/Yellow Rat
1.0 Malagasy Blond Hognose
1.1 Russian Sand Boas
1.0 Smooth Green

GECKOS (19)
1.0 AFT
1.1 Cresteds
1.0.2 Gargoyles
5.4.4 Leopards

CHELONIANS (5)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise
0.0.2 Midland Painted Turtles
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles

AMPHIBIANS (6)
0.0.1 American Bullfrog
0.0.1 American Toad
0.0.3 Cane Toads
0.0.1 Fowlers Toad

MAMMALS (20)
0.1 Cat
4.2 Ferrets
8.5 Rats

MARSUPIALS (2)
1.1 Short Tailed Opposums

Current Headcount: 79
plus too many fish to count