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Best reptile and amphibian food

Which reptile and amphibian Food is best?

If you have a new pet turtle or frog, you must find the right reptile and amphibian food to ensure that they have a complete, healthy diet. You might also need to feed them nutritional supplements to augment their diet and keep them looking and feeling healthy. The Tetra ReptoMin Floating Sticks are perfect for frogs and turtles and come at a reasonable price.

What to know before you buy reptile and amphibian food

Problem feeders

Even if you have the right food for your pet amphibian or reptile, some of these pets refuse to eat in captivity. Some species of lizards and other reptiles don’t eat mealworms or crickets in the wild, so they might refuse to eat these insects in the home. 

Do your research

Research your pet’s specific species and find out the times of day they usually eat. If you try to feed a nocturnal species in the morning, they probably won’t eat, and on the flip side, if you try to feed a diurnal lizard at night, they probably won’t eat either. Set up a hiding area for your pet so they feel a sense of safety and security. Or entice your pet to eat by making their food smell like the prey they would eat in the wild.

Nutritional advancements

Much research has been done and advancements have been made in the reptile and amphibian nutrition world over the past 10 to 15 years. New dietary supplements have been developed, plenty of new feeder insects have been discovered and experts have a better understanding of calcium metabolism and vitamin D synthesis for reptiles and amphibians. The field of reptile and amphibian nutrition will only continue to advance in the future so that these pets can see better health and longer lifespans.

What to look for in quality reptile and amphibian food

Formula

Most reptile and amphibian food come in pellet form, but some food comes with freeze-dried insects, such as mealworms and crickets.

Size

Many of the top reptile and amphibian foods come with multiple size options, so you can buy the container size that works best for your pet. Keep a large container of pellets at home and a smaller container if you’re taking your pet elsewhere to be watched by someone else for a few days.

Nutritional value

Depending on your pet’s natural diet, ensure that the food or pellets you give them have enough vitamins and minerals. Many of the top foods include top-quality plant sources and are enriched with vitamins.

How much you can expect to spend on reptile and amphibian food

Reptile and amphibian food ranges from $5-$30, depending on the pet food's quantity, quality, features and ingredients.

Reptile and amphibian food FAQ

What foods do lizards eat?

A. Smaller lizards mostly eat insects, but other species of lizards are either herbivorous, which means they consume a vegetarian diet, or omnivorous, which means they eat both vegetables and meat. 

Most large lizards are predators and eat large mammals, but these lizards aren’t common household pets. Insect-eating lizards are the most common lizards to keep as pets, and most people feed these lizards waxworms, mealworms or crickets. 

What foods do tortoises and turtles eat?

A. Most pet tortoises and turtles don’t consume any insects or meat. Since they’re fairly slow-moving, they prefer eating things that can’t move or run away, including flowers, lettuce, beet greens, other leafy greens, apples, melons, mangoes, other fruits and a wide variety of other vegetables. 

Some aquatic turtles do eat insects or fish. Tortoises and turtles evolved to eat various foods, so they have complex nutritional needs and might need pellets or supplements to augment their fresh foods.

Does your pet reptile need to take supplements?

A. Most pet reptiles eat less varied food in homes than what they would consume in the wild, so they often don’t get all the nutrients they need. These nutritional deficiencies can cause vulnerability to disease, weak bones and a shorter life span for your pet reptile. Feeding them pellets is an excellent way to augment their diet, particularly for omnivores and herbivores. 

That said, even with a good mix of fresh food and pellets, many pet reptiles still need to take supplements. You can sprinkle supplement powder on their food or add supplements to water for some pet reptiles.

What’s the best reptile and amphibian food to buy?

Top reptile and amphibian food

Tetra ReptoMin Floating Sticks

What you need to know: This value-packed, healthy product is perfect for frogs and turtles and comes at a reasonable price.

What you’ll love: This pet food is high in protein, fortified with minerals and vitamins and ideal for newts, frogs and turtles. It also comes in multiple size options, provides complete nutrition for turtles and promotes strong shell growth.

What you should consider: These food pellets don’t come with a very pleasant smell.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top reptile and amphibian food for the money

Zoo Med Aquatic Frog and Tadpole Food

What you need to know: The product provides the ideal meal for the average amphibian since it’s developed to imitate a frog’s natural diet.

What you’ll love: This pet food boasts a huge amount of pellets in each jar, and the pellets are high in protein since they’re made with natural fish protein. The pellets won’t cloud your aquarium water and don’t smell bad.

What you should consider: This food is hard for frogs to find if the pellets fall between substrate or gravel.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Wardley Premium Amphibian and Reptile Sticks

What you need to know: These nutrition-rich pellets are simple for aquatic frogs and turtles to hunt down at the surface of the water.

What you’ll love: This product is made for newts, frogs and aquatic turtles and fortified with minerals and vitamins with no artificial colors. The pellets float and don’t make the water murky, and there’s a large amount of pellets in each jar.

What you should consider: These amphibian and reptile food pellets have a very unpleasant odor.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

 

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Alex Kilpatrick writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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