Bananas!

[Mootworm]

I haven't found much info on what a good feeding schedule for bananas looks like. I've read that they should be fed in moderation, but is once a week too often? My girl got her first taste of them today, and she loooves them. She had probably around a tablespoon, along with some grapes, strawberries, squash, ASF, scallops and salmon. I think her stomach's about to explode!

She's fat and happy, basking away now, but I'm worried about overdoing it on the 'bad' fruits. How often do you feed bananas? Or any other item that is to be fed in moderation?

 

[Al914]

I'd be curious as to why "too much" banana would be bad...or any fruit for that matter

 

[Mootworm]

Fruits have a lot of sugar and are generally recommended in moderation to omnivorous and vegetarian animals. Too much fruit can lead to obesity and a host of other issues. Sugar is a rare commodity in nature, and many animal brains are programmed to reward acquisition of those sugary items... basically they become addicted, it's difficult to encourage healthier options.

At least you that's how it works in most animals. I'm not sure if that's the same case for tegus, but I'm sure the answer is floating out there somewhere

Anyway lol, the banana thing came from here: http://www.tegutalk.com/threads/tegu-food-list.6446/
I'm curious as well if there's something inherently 'wrong' with bananas.

 

[zazzmomma]

Bananas are really high in potassium and they can't have a lot of that in their diet.

 

[zazzmomma]

I also read the potassium and calcium hav to balance out each other. Potassium takes the calcium the reptile isn't using, then without calcium they get MBD:/

 

[Mootworm]

If I'm confident she's getting plenty of calcium, should bananas be of any concern? Molly gets 2-3 whole prey items per meal, either ASF or rats (depending on what I have ln hand), and everything else gets a generous helping of calcium powder. I definitely don't want to put her at risk for MBD, but I also don't want to blow the whole banana thing out of proportion.

 

[zazzmomma]

I wouldn't get too crazy with the bananas:/ I'm just like that and wouldn't want the risk there but idk really how often u should...like the max amount u could give and still b safe. Since I've had mine and he's about 8-9 weeks, I've givin him bananas once..