Oranges are known to have high amounts of vitamin C and are enjoyed by a lot of people all over the world. Although oranges can be found in a gecko’s habitat. Is it a fruit that you should feed to a gecko?
Can crested geckos eat oranges? Like with most fruits, some can be eaten and others should be avoided.
Oranges are one of those fruits that should be avoided. Here’s why you shouldn’t feed oranges to your crested gecko.
Can Crested Geckos Eat Oranges?
Yes, crested geckos can eat oranges. Although oranges are rich in vitamin C. We don’t recommend giving oranges to geckos because of the high acid content.
What About Mandarin Oranges?
Crested geckos can also eat mandarin oranges. But, feeding them to your gecko will cause health problems. It’s best to avoid oranges if you want your crested gecko to be in good health condition.
Is It A Good Idea To Feed Crested Geckos Oranges?
No, it’s not a good idea to feed crested geckos oranges. Although citrus fruits have high amounts of vitamin C.
They shouldn’t be given to crested geckos due to the high amount of citrus and oxalic acid. These are detrimental to a gecko’s health and large quantities can cause health problems.
Why You Shouldn’t Feed Crested Geckos Oranges?
High Oxalic Acid Levels
Oxalic acid is not a nutrient or essential dietary component and it is not required for normal growth or health. When oxalic acid is consumed, it binds to the calcium and magnesium in the body and prevents them from being absorbed.
This can lead to calcium deficiency which can be harmful to your pet. Crested geckos are strict insectivores and may not benefit from the oxalic acid in the food and may not be able to digest it.
Some people recommend soaking and rinsing fruits or vegetables to get rid of the oxalic acid. However, this is not proven to be effective. Oranges have medium to high levels of oxalic acid.
Orange peels contain high levels of oxalic acid and the edible part contain medium levels of oxalic acid. An orange contains 29mg of oxalic acid which is quite high.
Oxalic acids are anti-nutrients that prevent the absorption of calcium and magnesium. This alone is the biggest reason why oranges shouldn’t be fed to crested geckos.
Sour Taste
Oranges have a sour taste due to the acid content. Geckos are known to prefer overripe fruits due to their sweet taste.
They don’t like sour food or fruits and will avoid them when they smell or taste them. Therefore, feeding oranges or citrus foods to geckos will not be eaten and therefore wasted.
5 Alternatives To Oranges
Oranges are not good for crested geckos. The good news is that there are so many alternatives that can be fed to your crestie. Here are 5 of them.
Honeydew Melon
Honeydew melons are packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals. The fruit also contains little to no oxalic acid making it a safe fruit for your crested gecko.
Pears
Pears are packed with a lot of vitamin C and K that boost your crested gecko’s immunity. Pears also have low oxalic acid and lack toxins that can be harmful to your crested gecko.
Overripe pears are highly recommended by us because they develop a sweet taste that geckos can’t get enough of.
Crickets
Crickets are one of the most popular feeder insects to give your crested gecko. They are rich in protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
Moreover, they are to obtain from shops. Live, dead, canned, wild, and dried crickets can be fed to geckos.
Crickets can be live-fed or blended into a paste. Just before feeding crickets to your gecko make sure to dust them with supplements.
Calci Worms
Calci worms or black soldier fly larvae are one of the best larvae to feed your crested gecko. They are rich in protein, fat, and especially calcium. Hence the name calci worm.
By providing your crested gecko calci worms you prevent them from getting a metabolic bone disease and promote healthy bone growth.
We recommend dusting or gut loading the calci worms before feeding them to your crestie.
Summary
High oxalic acid and the sour taste of oranges are the two biggest reasons why you shouldn’t feed oranges to your crested gecko. Although citrus fruits are known to have high amounts of vitamin C.
Feeding this to your gecko is not a good idea and will cause health problems. We, humans, can handle it, however, our digestive system is different from geckos.
The good news is that there are so many healthy alternatives that can be eaten by crested geckos.
