When it comes to feeding the favourite pet of yours, a crested gecko, then it will always be a confusing matter. Some owners offer their geckos’ only bugs and a limited amount of fruits, while others depend mostly on the fruit diet.
The question of feeding the geckos with fruits differs as there are many fruits that are tasty and healthy for us humans but not suitable to feed by the crested gecko. The primary reason for this is their digestive system is far more different than ours.
In the wilderness, they get to eat whatever is available around them. But when they are in captivity, we get concerned about the kind of fruits we are offering them and the food value that the fruit contains.
Banana is such a fruit, which is not easily available in the areas where crested geckos are found naturally. So this is natural that they would not have consumed this fruit much in their wildlife. Thus their digestive system is not built to digest the fruits that are usually not eaten by them.
To think of that, we can offer a few suggestions on which fruits are good and which are not for the crested gecko.
Contents
What fruits are toxic for crested gecko?
Fruits which are high in oxalic acid are toxic for crested geckos. You should not feed them with avocado, which has persin in it. Persin is a fungicidal toxin that is very harmful to geckos. Also, some fruits are not totally toxic but some parts of them are highly dangerous for crested geckos. Apple seeds contain cyanide which should be eliminated before offering the pieces to the crested gecko.
Citrus fruits are never recommended for geckos. There are certain fruits which are lemons, oranges, pineapples and kiwis which are not good for the crested gecko. Though some gecko owners offer this kind of fruits to their pets, it is advised not to offer such fruits to the gecko.
What fruits can crested gecko eat?
When you think of offering fruits to the crested gecko, make sure that the fruits are soft and contain a high amount of calcium. Also, the phosphorus content should be low in that fruit as that is not a helpful nutrient for crested gecko.
There are certain fruits that crested gecko can eat safely. Fruits like mango, pear, banana, fig, strawberry apricot and watermelon. There are some more vegetables and fruits which are considered toxic for the crested gecko.
Does crested gecko only eat fresh fruits?
Yes, if you at all wish to feed fruits to the crested gecko, then it should be only fresh soft fruits and that too, cut in small pieces. Fruits are not part of the regular diet for crested gecko. Only when you feel like giving it a treat, can you offer the fruit that is listed under the safe fruits for the gecko?
Is hand-feeding well for crested gecko?
Hand feeding is a way to bond with your gecko. You can feed your gecko when you have time in your hand. This is the best way to make the gecko trust you. You will also befriend the gecko by feeding once a week and this is a satisfying experience too.
Can a banana be part of the good diet for the crested gecko?
When crested geckos are kept in captivity, the owners tend to offer them many fruits that are commercially available. This commercial diet usually is a good mix of all the nutrients that are necessary and ideal for the crested gecko’s health. The addition of fruits makes their diet a well-balanced one, as only bugs and insects cannot provide them with the much-needed fibre and some essential minerals.
Calcium: phosphorus
Any food that is offered to the crested gecko should have a particular ration of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is a mandatory element for the crested geckos. The bone structure of the crested geckos will be developed with the help of regular calcium intake, and when they would not get ample calcium, they can suffer from various bone disease.
The absorption and retention of calcium depend a lot upon calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. In the perspective of quality, calcium and phosphorus are two opposite nutrients. In the body of any creature, when calcium level goes up, phosphate level decreases and vice versa.
As calcium is more necessary for the crested gecko, the ratio of Ca:P should be 2:1 in their body. So they should not eat anything that is high in phosphorus as that will decrease the level of calcium in their body.
The Ca:P ratio in banana:
In a banana, the amount of phosphorus is four times more than calcium. This is not the ideal ratio of the minerals and this is why banana should not be included in the diet of the crested gecko.
But this is not all about the banana. There are some good ingredients present in banana, and it should not be completely left out from the diet of a crested gecko.
How to feed banana to crested gecko?
You can mix banana with other more necessary food items like bugs, crickets etc. also there are other ways you can feed your gecko banana by. Banana is a soft fruit and can be easily mashed into pulp. So the gecko would love to have the pulp of banana more than sliced bananas.
Also, you can blend the banana with other fruits. Safe fruits like apples, pears or strawberries can be mashed with a banana to feed the crested gecko.
Another way of feeding banana is by mixing them with yoghurt. This way you will also be feeding the crested gecko with more calcium that is deficient in banana.
Conclusion:
All fruits have their own set of nutritional values. When it comes to feeding the pet crested gecko, we must remember that they should have a balanced diet. Also, we need to maintain the nutrients ration that is particularly recommended by the vet herps. The food that we feed them should not harm them and it should also be nutritional as well.
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