🥬 What plants should you choose for your herbivorous reptiles?
Nutritional comparison: calcium, phosphorus, oxalates and fibers
The diet of herbivorous reptiles (tortoises, uromastyx, green iguanas, omnivorous skinks...) is largely based on fresh foliage. But not all plants are adapted: some are too rich in phosphorus, others loaded with oxalates that block the absorption of calcium.
In the long term, a poor choice of plants can lead to deficiencies, digestive disorders, or even bone malformations.
Here is a Clear nutritional comparison on common commercial plants, to compose a varied, balanced diet adapted to the needs of your herbivorous reptiles.
📊 Nutritional comparison table (common plants)
| Végétal | Rapport Ca/P | Oxalates | Fibres | Usage recommandé |
| Chicorée / Endive | ~2.1:1 | ❌ Faible | ✅ Bon | 🟢 Base régulière |
| Roquette | ~3:1 | ⚠️ Présents | ✅ Bon | 🟢 Base/rotation |
| Cresson | ~2:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ✅ Bon | 🟢 Rotation |
| Radis (feuilles) | ~2.5:1 | ❌ Faible | ✅ Bon | 🟢 Base/rotation |
| Feuille de navet | ~4.5:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ✅ Bon | 🟡 Complément |
| Blette (feuilles) | ~2.2:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ✅ Bon | 🟡 Complément |
| Carotte (râpée) | ~0.9:1 | ⚠️ Moyen | ❌ Faible | 🔴 Friandise |
| Courgette | ~0.4:1 | ❌ Faible | ❌ Faible | 🔴 Friandise |
| Laitue romaine | ~1.9:1 | ❌ Faible | ⚠️ Moyenne | 🟡 Occasionnel |
| Épinard | ~2:1 | ❌ Très riche | ✅ Bon | ❌ À éviter |
| Laitue iceberg | ~0.5:1 | ❌ Faible | ❌ Nul | ❌ Inutile |
🍓 Complementary fruits and vegetables: what are they really worth?
Some “colored” or less common fruits and vegetables can be used in small quantities, for Stimulate appetite, provide antioxidants, or vary the textures. However, pay attention to their Sugar content, In phosphorus, or their Ca/P ratio sometimes unbalanced.
| Aliment | Rapport Ca/P | Sucres | Oxalates | Remarques | Usage |
| Myrtille | ~0.5:1 | ⚠️ Élevé | ❌ Faible | Antioxydants, très sucrée | 🔴 Friandise |
| Mangue | ~0.8:1 | ⚠️ Élevé | ❌ Faible | Appétente, riche en vitamine A | 🔴 Friandise |
| Papaye | ~2.5:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ❌ Faible | Très digeste, bon rapport Ca/P | 🟡 Occasionnel |
| Mûre | ~1.3:1 | ⚠️ Moyen | ❌ Faible | Moins sucrée que d’autres fruits | 🟡 Rotation |
| Poivron rouge | ~0.5:1 | ✅ Moyen | ❌ Faible | Riche en vitamine C, pauvre en Ca | 🟡 Variation |
✅ Especially recommended fruits
The best fruits for herbivorous reptiles are those low to moderate in sugars, low in oxalates, and with a correct Ca/P ratio.
✅ To be preferred
| Fruit | Rapport Ca/P | Sucres | Oxalates | Avantage principal |
| Papaye | ~2.5:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ❌ Faible | Digeste, riche en enzymes |
| Mûre | ~1.3:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ❌ Faible | Bonne source de fibres |
| Framboise | ~1:1 | ⚠️ Modéré | ❌ Faible | Bien tolérée, antioxydante |
| Figue fraîche | ~1.5:1 | ⚠️ Élevé | ❌ Faible | Riche en minéraux |
| Pastèque | ~1:1 | ⚠️ Élevé | ❌ Faible | Très hydratante |
🟡 To be given in rotation
| Fruit | Rapport Ca/P | Sucres | Oxalates | Commentaire |
| Mangue | ~0.8:1 | ⚠️ Élevé | ❌ Faible | Appétente mais sucrée |
| Kiwi | ~1:1 | ⚠️ Moyen | ⚠️ Présents | Vitamine C, légèrement acide |
| Banane | ~0.3:1 | ⚠️ Élevé | ❌ Faible | Très sucrée, riche en potassium |
❌ To avoid
| Fruit | Problèmes principaux |
| Avocat | Toxique pour les reptiles |
| Agrumes | Trop acides pour leur système digestif |
| Raisin | Très sucré, peu intéressant |
| Fruits secs | Trop concentrés en sucres, irritants |
✅ Practical recommendations
- 🌀 Vary at least 5 to 8 plants per week
- 🌿 Base = rich, fibrous leaves : chicory, radish, arugula, watercress
- ⚖️ Avoid diets based only on poor vegetables (zucchini, carrot)
- 🧂 Supplement with pure calcium without phosphorus, 2—3 times per week
- 💧 A clean water bowl is still essential, even if the plants are rich in water
- 🍉 Fruit: max 10—15% of the diet, adapted to the species, given in rotation
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