Blue tongue skinks should NEVER be fed avocado, for a variety of reasons. Avocados contain a compound called persin which is known to be toxic to birds and some reptiles, and other lizards have been obserbed getting sick and dying merely hours after eating avocado.
Moreover, avocados are filled with considerable amounts of oxalic acid which is known to bind itself to minerals and vitamins to form oxalates, which reptiles often have issues expelling from their bodies.
This may lead to the formation of kidney stones and have a negative effect on your tegu’s ability to absorb calcium, eventually leading to metabolic bone disease.
Even if skinks were able to digest the nutrients in avocado, the large amount of calories and fat in it would make them prone to obesity. In conclusion: no – blue tongue skinks cannot have avocado, under any circumstances.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 160 |
| Fat | 14.66 |
| Carbohydrates | 8g |
| Calcium | 12mg |
| Phosphorus | 52mg |
| Folates | 81µg (very high) |
PetsWithScales.com is an informational website about big lizard pet care. We collect and provide information from different sources across the web on how to keep and care for reptiles as pets. The species we mainly deal with are tegus, monitor lizards, skinks and geckos. Our aim is to provide high quality information to help pet owners make better, more informed decisions about their animal’s diets, health and life.
