There is not a lot of evidence of what happens if you feed avocado to a tegu, but general consensus is that you should NOT do it.
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 getting rid of. This comes with a variety of health implications.
Health hazards of feeding avocado to reptiles
Avocados are high in calories and fat, which can increase the risk of obesity in your pet. But even feeding in moderation is discouraged due to other potential health risks:
The high oxalate content in avocados can 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.
In addition to that, avocados contain a compound called persin which is known to be toxic to birds and some reptiles. Other lizards such as the bearded dragon are known to get ill and potentially die merely hours after eating avocado. Therefore no, it’s best not to feed avocado to a tegu. Do not risk it!
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 160 |
| Fat | 14.66 |
| Carbohydrates | 8g |
| Calcium | 12mg |
| Phosphorus | 52mg |
| Folates | 81µg (very high) |
TEGU QUICK LINKS
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.
