{"id":1170,"date":"2019-09-05T18:13:04","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T18:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/reptilefollower.com\/?p=1170"},"modified":"2019-09-23T18:49:16","modified_gmt":"2019-09-23T18:49:16","slug":"can-crested-geckos-eat-strawberries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reptilefollower.com\/can-crested-geckos-eat-strawberries\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Crested Geckos Eat Strawberries?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are considering what you can feed your Crested Gecko (Click here to see why I love this Gecko feeder, on Amazon<\/a>) you may have wondered about Strawberries. But, is a good idea or not? Let me explain…<\/p>\n

Can crested geckos eat strawberries? Yes, crested geckos can definitely eat strawberries. They can be consumed on their own or you can mix them with other fruits. However, due to their lack of nutritional value, in particular, their Calcium to Phosphorus ratio, best to mix them with other fruits<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Now that you know that they can be consumed, let me go on to explain where strawberries come from, their calcium to phosphorus level, why this is something you should be looking out for and so much more. Keep reading.<\/p>\n

Where do strawberries come from?<\/h2>\n

Before we delve into crested geckos consuming strawberries, let’s do a bit of background on strawberries themselves. According to Wikipedia<\/a>, Strawberries were first introduced, in particular, the garden strawberries, in Brittany, France.<\/p>\n

This was a long time ago way back in the 1750s. This was originally done by cross-pollination of two other variations (one from North America, the other from Chile).<\/p>\n

Now strawberries are a well-known part of our day-to-day diet and consumed by us as well as lizards.<\/p>\n

Do strawberries have a good Calcium to phosphorus ratio?<\/h2>\n

If you are familiar with the science of strawberries, I am going to explain their Calcium to phosphorus ratio. If not, don’t worry, I’m going to explain what this is in detail later in this article.<\/p>\n

To cut a long story short, strawberries have an “OK” Calcium to phosphorus ratio. But, not great.<\/p>\n

For your info, the ideal ratio is 2:1.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

However, strawberries have an even ratio (1:1). This is not really bad. But, to put this into perspective, let’s compare this to a tomato. This has an inverse ratio of 1:2. Meaning it has more phosphorus than calcium. Basically, in contrast, they are not ideal for a Crested Geckos.<\/p>\n

Calcium, What now?<\/h2>\n

With all this talk of calcium and phosphorus, you may be wondering what is it and why is this even relevant to Cresties eating strawberries, right?<\/p>\n

Don’t worry, in this section, I’m going to break down what it is so you know what to look out for. This is not only relevant for strawberries. But, also for other fruit that you may consider for your Crested Gecko.<\/p>\n

The importance of Calcium & Phosphate<\/h3>\n

Phosphate is is a mineral which bonds with calcium. Together they are very important. Why? because, together, they are the lifeblood your bones and teeth. This is a key component to keeping them strong.<\/p>\n

For this to be effective, you need the ideal balance. Meaning, there has to be a certain ratio of Calcium to Phosphorus. And, this is where this ratio comes from.<\/p>\n

Hence the reason why it is important to look out for this ideal balance in the foods that you give to our Crestie. They consume this stuff through the food they eat.<\/p>\n

What is the ideal Ratio for a Crested Gecko’s?<\/h2>\n

As discussed briefly earlier the ideal ratio is 2:1. And, the important things to consider here is, even if a fruit or vegetable has a low ratio, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not possible to be given to a Crested Gecko. It depends.<\/p>\n

In some cases, you can still give him the fruit or vegetable. You will just have to mix it with other fruit to balance is more evenly, are you with me?<\/p>\n

But, aren’t strawberries citrus?<\/h2>\n

There is often a misconception about strawberries being citric. The reality is, they are not citric. Even though they may have a weird acidic taste.<\/p>\n

The dangers of Lizards and Citrus<\/h3>\n

For those that do not know, it is not a good idea to feed citrus-based fruit to your lizard (What fruits do lizards eat? Click here)<\/a> Why? because they can upset their stomach and cause too much acidic balance.<\/p>\n

Example of fruits to avoid includes:<\/p>\n