Feeding Your Insect Loving Reptile ¨C Cricket Alternatives

Feeding Your Insect Loving Reptile ¨C Cricket Alternatives

Many reptiles survive and thrive on a diet of insects. For most, this means crickets. But sometimes, having a diet of just one type of insect gets a little tiresome and may even be nutritionally deficient. Spice up your reptile¡¯s diet by adding a variety of insects and other creatures.

You may have the time and inclination to collect insects or worms in your yard with the use of butterfly nets and spades. The biggest concern associated with wild-caught insects is the potential for pollution and pesticides to affect your reptile. If these are not prevalent in your area, spend some time outdoors and catch a few bugs. Bees, wasps and lightening bugs should be avoided. Don¡¯t feed anything you cannot identify. Smooth caterpillars, spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, crane flies, aphids and even maggots can all be fed to your insect-loving reptile. If your reptile can eat slugs, snails and earthworms, you should place these wild-caught tidbits in clean moss for a couple of days to allow their guts to be cleaned. Feed them lettuce and other vegetables with added calcium to help cleanse their body.

Swimming can keep your snake in shape. A molded plastic kiddie pool will do just fine. Just fill it with enough warm water so your snake can keep its head above water and slither off the pounds. A 15 to 20 minute session several times a week should be sufficient. Here are some tips:

Allow only one snake at a time to swim.

Make sure your snake is supervised to prevent escape.

Change the water and disinfect the pool after each snake swims. Use one cup of bleach per gallon of water.

Make sure the water doesn't get too cold.

It's best not to swim your snake in the family bathtub. If you must, make sure you thoroughly disinfect the tub before you let the humans use it again. Again, use one cup of bleach per gallon of water.

Section: Exercising Your Reptile

Take your snake for a swim. Take your lizard for a walk. Let that tortoise stretch its legs. It does a cold-blooded body good.

Perhaps your pet green iguana won't catch a Frisbee and you can't go jogging with your pet turtle, but exercise is very important for some pet reptiles care. While the average pet snake, lizard, tortoise, turtle or frog gets enough exercise just walking around its cage, some reptiles benefit greatly from additional exercise.

Whether you catch your own or pick them up at the pet store, offering a variety of food, all properly gut loaded or dusted, will keep your reptile healthy and happy. The more natural an environment you can offer your herp, the more content he will be.

More info about reptile care, please visit Pet Place.