Are you housing an iguana in your house? Well, then you must be aware regarding what foods you can feed it. The iguanas are herbivores and therefore they can eat fruits and vegetables as well as greens. If you own an iguana then it is important t for you to know if it can eat pineapple or not.
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Nutritional value of Pineapple
The iguanas need to be fed a nutritious diet and varied food items. Through this, your pet can lead a healthy and happy diet and this should be your priority.
So, you should know is pineapple nutritious? Do iguanas get the necessary nutrients from the food they eat? So let us look at the nutritious values of the pineapple.
We see that pineapple is a nutritious food and it has a high content of Vitamin C. It also has some minerals like Manganese, potassium, and even magnesium.
The Pineapple is also one of the essential fruits that help in maintaining the necessary balance between phosphorus, and calcium. It is among the foods that provide minerals like manganese and these are very essential for strong bones that in return provide good health.
Now let us know if iguanas can eat pineapple or not. We see that in iguanas diet fruits account for only 10% and the remaining is greens and vegetables. Also, fruits serve as the best food that you can give your pet and you should food them this food on rare occasions.
When iguanas are provided pineapple to eat, they get a lot of nutrients from it that is calcium, fiber, water, Vitamin C as well as other nutrients. Iguanas are seen to be having high demand of calcium and it is seen to be performing top a lot of functions in the body.
One of the main functions is that it enhances growth and also helps in strong bone development. This also helps in maintaining a stable skeletal structure.
Along with this, we see that pineapple contains a very low percentage of protein and it is quite suitable for the iguanas. The pets are herbivores and they do not need food that has high protein because they can lead to kidney disorders.
How often can you feed Iguanas pineapple?
You know that iguanas cannot eat pineapple or other foods every day as they are not the staple food. But you should know how many times you can feed them.
As in we see that pineapples are nutritious and they are good for iguanas but the reason that you should feed them in a limited amount is that they are acidic and contain a high amount of oxalic acid.
Oxalic acid present in the pineapple prevent absorption of minerals and due to this reason we see that it might have some calcium deficiency.
Also, pineapple contains 13mg of calcium per 100 g and this is low for iguanas. The fruit also has high amounts of sugar that are 9.85/100 grams and this is enough to be a reason for controlling the consumption. So, if you want to control the negative impacts of pineapple, you can feed your pet small pieces once a week.
Can Pineapple skin be fed?
As with other lizards, we see that iguanas need to be fed the iguana flesh and not the skin. You can even remove the core before feeding. So, while you feed the pineapple to the pet remove every content that is present in it except the flesh.
The skin of pineapple is nutritious as like the other flesh parts and this is tough for the iguanas. The texture is rough and therefore the skin can have impaction.
The iguanas might come in contact with some fungicides and therefore there can be some disorders as well.
The core is hard and there is a common thing that you will see in iguanas that they do not chew the food but swallow them. This is because there can be some impaction hazards as well. When you are peeling the pineapple you have to make sure that you take out every other part except the flesh.
Can pineapple tops be fed?
If you wonder that tops can be fed to the iguana then you need to note that these are not suitable and you should take them off before you feed these to the iguanas. These are edible to most domestic animals but in this case, it is different.
The tops have a rough texture and are the same as that of skin therefore the iguanas cannot digest it and can even lead to impaction.
If you are finding vegetables or greens that you can feed your iguana then you can choose from zucchini, collards, radish, pumpkin leaves, etc. It is preferred that iguanas be fed greens and fresh veggies but you can even feed frozen ones to the pets.
Preparing pineapple for iguanas?
You should know how to serve pineapple and other foods to iguanas and avoid making mistakes,
- Feed organic pineapples as they are free from pesticides and are the best choices for your pet.
- Do was the pineapple that you are bringing home. Do it with clean water and remove all the dirt, and cut it after it is dry.
- Remove pineapple skin and remove the core too. Chop the fruit and give it to your lizard.
- Your iguana will eat only a few pieces so, you can give it as a part of the diet and feed them pineapple once a week and not very often.
Conclusion:
In the end, we see that the iguanas can be fed pineapple but it should be given only in limited amounts.
This is due to the reason that they are acidic and they bind minerals and do not let them absorb. The iguanas should be fed with only flesh part and skin and core should be avoided.
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