Kan Uromastyx äta tomater?

Uromastyx är växtätare och äter alla sorters grönsaker, gröna och frukter, inklusive tomater. Det anses allmänt att tomater kan matas till uromatyx-ödlor då och då, men denna mat bör inte vara en konstant i sin kost eftersom, om det konsumeras i stora mängder, det kan leda till hälsokomplikationer.

Tomater är rika på vitamin C, A, antioxidanter och fibrer, men de saknar kalcium, are very acidic and have a high oxalate content, which in large quantities can bind to calcium and further prevent its absorption, which is a major problem for reptiles.

It is therefore recommended that tomatoes be given to uromatyx only in moderation. As a general rule, leguaner bör inte ha mer än 20 percent of their diet consist of fruits, and tomatoes are one of them.

Why you should not feed tomatoes to uramastyx too often:

Tomatoes have low levels of calcium, which is essential for bone health and development. This means that feeding uromatyx with too many tomatoes can lead to a calcium deficiency that is not good for the animal.

Tomatoes have an undesirable ratio of calcium to phosphorus, such that the presence of phosphorus in tomatoes prevents calcium absorption in the body. This leads to calcium deficiency in the lizard or, i de mest extrema fallen, metabolisk skelettsjukdom.

Tomato plants and leaves

It is not recommended that iguanas be given tomato leaves or any other part of the plant. Tomatoes are part of the umbelliferae family, which is known to contain high levels of alkaloids in the stems, löv, blommor och vinstockar.

These are generally considered toxic and should not be given to reptiles, även om leguaner har observerats äta tomatplantor i naturen.