The correct diet for blue tongue skink consists of vegetables, insects, and fruits. Pet blue tongue skinks can eat different types of fruits, vegetables, and fruits. In this article, we are going to talk about what fruits can blue tongue skinks eat. All the fruits mentioned in our report are safe to eat but only in moderation. Skink being not so picky eaters seems to love fruits and berries. However, it would help if you were sure to offer a good amount as often as possible. If you don’t know then let me tell you their diet should consist of only 10% of fruits.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Fruit?
Yes, blue tongue skinks love fruits and berries. Fruits are only healthy when fed in moderation. You should know what a good amount to offer skinks. Fruits like strawberries, apples, figs, and raspberries can be fed safely. Field research in the wild and the breeding center has shown that fruits are a large part of a blue tongue skink natural diet. However, Most Of It Comes From The Berry Itself.
Even though they like fruits, they tend to have a prolonged metabolism which means they don’t need as much food as the mammal. Most of the time, you will notice them not eating even the recommended amount. So, keeping the berry theme in their diet would be the best option. It is also essential to do your proper research before feeding any fruit. Some fruits can be poisonous to your blue tongue skink. Fruit like avocado contains a toxin called persin, which is harmful to their health.
How Many Fruits Can Blue Tongue Skink Eat?
An adult blue tongue skink can be fed fruits once in two weeks. Give them 10% fruit-based, 40% protein-based, and 50% vegetable-based food once a week. As they have slow metabolism, they don’t need to be fed every day. Some owners can also feed their blue tongue skinks once in two or three days, depending upon their lizard personality, behavior, habit, and varying conditions.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Bananas?
Yes. Being omnivorous, blue tongue skink can be fed varieties of fruits including bananas. Banana should be fed to the skinks occasionally only as a treat. It generally contains 1% of protein and 0.5% of fat. Adding banana treats to your skink diet will boost their health and add a great taste to their meal.
Only feed bananas occasionally to the skinks as a treat because it tends to be high in phosphorus to calcium ratio posing nutrient imbalance to their health.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Grapes?
Yes. Bluetongue skinks can eat grapes when chopped in the right size to fit their mouth. Adult skink can have their salad mixed with chopped grapes in it. Grapes should be fed occasionally as a treat as well. I would recommend you to crush it completely.
Grapes tend to be high in oxalates. Feeding grapes once in two or three months is a good idea for your blue tongue skink health. It is packed with nutrients and is high in antioxidants.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Raspberries?
Yes. Bluetongue skink can not only eat raspberries but also strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and wild berries. In the wild, blue tongue skink get their 10% diet from berries. Berries are great to taste to blue tongue skink. It is widespread to notice a bunch of blue tongue lizards in the Australian mainland wild feeding all over berries occasionally.
Baby blue tongue skinks should not be fed berries for the first few months at least. Baby skinks need more plants and animal-based protein every day to support their growth and wellbeing.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Pineapple?
Yes, blue tongue skink can eat pineapple but only in moderation. Pineapple is not calcium-rich, so your lizard can also develop serious health issues if he eats pineapple every other day or even every week. Instead, you should save pineapple as an occasional treat for your skink.
Avoid feeding pineapple to your skink more than once a month. Feeding pineapple more than once a month can lead to health issues like metabolic bone disease or obesity. Avoid overfeeding baby skink with pineapple. I would highly recommend you avoid feeding even a slice of pineapple to your baby skink.
Overfeeding impacts adult and baby blue tongue skink differently. Feeding pineapple to baby skinks can lead to constipation and other dietary issues. It can also get more severe if not treated.
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Apples?
Yes. Bluetongue skink can safely eat crushed, smashed & chopped apples as a treat once in 2-3 months. Like mealworms, you should feed apples in moderation only as they are not widely available in their natural habitat.
Apple tends to be very high in sugar, and a few pieces once a month will be a nutritious treat for them. Other than apples, you can feed peaches, plums, kiwi, papaya, and figs.
Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Strawberries?
Yes. Bluetongue lizards mostly eat berries fruits in the wild. They love berries. However, it would help if you avoided feeding strawberries mainly due to its calcium to Phosphorus ratio. Although they’re allowed to feed on strawberries, it is still best to provide good and avoid evil for your pet. Finely chopped or stem of strawberries being high in goitrogen and oxalates helps your blue tongue lizard health and well-being.
FAQ
Can Blue Tongue Skinks Eat Cucumber?
Yes. Blue tongue skinks can safely eat cucumber as a water source. However, only feed them in moderation or in case of dehydration. Cucumber tends to be very poor in nutrients which is why it should be avoided. Even it can be provided technically; your skink will not get anything other than water from it.
Can Blue-Tailed Skinks Eat Fruit?
Yes. Blue-tailed skins diet should consist 50% of vegetables and 10% fruits while others are protein-based. Blue-tailed skink prefers insects, but mostly they survive on a vegetarian diet. You can feed fruits to your blue-tailed skink like Kale, banana, and more.
Can Skinks Eat Citrus?
No. Citrus like lemon or Orange should be avoided as feeding it to your blue tongue skinks can upset their tummy. Citrus fruits cause stomach problems for reptiles and lizards, including skink.
Other Best Fruits For Blue Tongue Skink
- Apricot
- Blackberrys
- Cranberries
- Cherries
- Guava
- Mango
- Kiwi
- Honeydew
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pear
- Cantaloupe
- Blueberry
- Plums
- Watermelon
- Star Fruit
- Pomegranate
- Nectarines
- Fig
How To Feed Fruits To Blue Tongue Skinks?
Here are the following steps for feeding fruits to blue tongue skinks.
- Wash the fruits thoroughly.
- Scramble, smash, cut or chop it into a manageable size so that they can fit it into their mouth all over to the guts.
- Avoid adding any seasoning or preservatives.
- Mix the chopped fruits with the vegetables.
- Feed the diet to your skink and clean the uneaten fruits.
Final Thought
As of now, you get to know many fruits that your pet skinks can safely eat. As long as you follow these simple guidelines mentioned in our article, you can let your blue tongue skink enjoy fruit with a clear conscience. Do read our other article in which we have discussed the best vegetables for skinks. I hope I have given you all the information needed on what fruits can blue tongue skinks eat.
I Suppose you find this post helpful &consider sharing it with other fellows petting skink in their home. Make sure to read our comprehensive guide on how to care for blue tongue skinks.
94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day. In 2007, I realized that I was made for saving Animals. My father is a Vet, and I think every pet deserves one. I started this blog, “InPetCare”, in 2019 with my father to enlighten a wider audience.
