What do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat?

Blue-tongued lizards, also known as blue-tongued skinks, are omnivores, meaning they feed on both plant and animal matter. Their diet primarily consists of:

Fruit: Blue-tongued lizards enjoy eating a variety of fruits, including berries, melons, and peaches.
Vegetables: They also feed on leafy greens such as lettuce and kale, as well as carrots, squash, and other vegetables.
Insects: Blue-tongued lizards feed on insects such as crickets, mealworms, and snails, which provide them with essential protein and vitamins.
Meat: They occasionally feed on small mice, snails, and other small mammals.

It is important for blue-tongued lizards to have a balanced diet that includes both plant and animal matter to ensure optimal health and nutrition.

They are also known to feed on carrion (dead animals) when food is scarce. In captive settings, it is important to provide a varied diet that mirrors their natural eating habits to maintain their health.

What Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat In The Wild?

In the wild, blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and feed on a variety of prey items. Their diet includes:

Insects: crickets, roaches, beetles, moths, caterpillars
Snails: slugs, garden snails, escargot
Small mammals: mice, shrews, voles

Fruits and vegetables: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, carrots, kale, pumpkin, sweet potato, lettuce, collard greens

It’s important to note that blue-tongued lizards are native to Australia and the surrounding islands, so the availability of specific prey items will vary depending on the specific environment they inhabit.

In general, blue-tongued lizards will eat a diverse range of food items and will adapt their diet as necessary to meet their nutritional needs.

What Fruit Can Blue Tongue Lizards Eat?

Blue tongue lizards are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Some fruits that can be included in a balanced diet for blue tongue lizards include:

Apples
Grapes
Melons
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Strawberries

It’s important to remember that while fruit can be a healthy snack for blue tongue lizards, they should not be the only food source and should be offered in moderation as a supplement to their primary diet of vegetables, leafy greens, and protein sources such as insects and snails.

What Can You Not Feed a Blue Tongue Lizard?

Blue tongue lizards have a varied diet, but there are certain foods that should be avoided in their diet to ensure their health and well-being. Some of the items that should not be fed to blue tongue lizards include:

Processed Foods: Foods that are high in sugar, salt, and artificial additives should be avoided.

Avocado: Avocado contains persin, which can be toxic to reptiles.

Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to reptiles and can cause serious health problems.

Rhubarb: Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which can be toxic to reptiles and cause kidney damage.

Nightshade Vegetables: Nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, contain solanine, which can be toxic to reptiles and cause digestive problems.

It’s important to ensure that the diet of blue tongue lizards is balanced and consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, and proteins to meet their nutritional needs. Feeding them a varied diet helps to prevent malnutrition and ensures that they remain healthy and strong.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Mice?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards are known to eat small mammals, including mice, in the wild. As omnivores, blue-tongued lizards have a diverse diet and will eat a variety of prey items depending on what is available in their environment.

While they are capable of hunting and eating small mammals, it is not a staple of their diet and should be given to them in moderation as part of a balanced diet. In captivity, blue-tongued lizards are often fed a diet consisting mainly of insects and vegetables.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Snakes?

Blue-tongued lizards are not known to eat snakes as part of their normal diet. They are omnivores and primarily feed on insects, snails, small mammals, and fruits and vegetables.

While blue-tongued lizards are capable of defending themselves against predators and will use their bright blue tongue as a warning, they are not typically seen as predators themselves and do not actively hunt or eat snakes.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Dandelions?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards can eat dandelions as part of their diet. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores, which means they eat both plant and animal matter.

Dandelions, being a type of plant, can be part of their diet. Blue-tongued lizards in the wild will eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, including dandelions, as well as insects, snails, and small mammals.

In captivity, a balanced diet for blue-tongued lizards should include a variety of foods, including vegetables such as dandelions, in addition to insects and other sources of protein.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Frogs?

Blue-tongued lizards are not known to eat frogs as part of their normal diet. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and primarily feed on insects, snails, small mammals, and fruits and vegetables.

While blue-tongued lizards are capable of eating a variety of prey items, including some amphibians, they do not typically eat frogs in the wild.

It is important to provide a balanced and varied diet for blue-tongued lizards in captivity, including both animal and plant matter, to ensure their overall health and well-being.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Cockroaches?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards can eat cockroaches as part of their diet. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and feed on both plant and animal matter, including insects like cockroaches.

Cockroaches are a good source of protein and can be an important part of a balanced diet for blue-tongued lizards in captivity. In the wild, blue-tongued lizards will eat a variety of insects and other prey items, as well as fruits and vegetables, to maintain their health and nutrition.

It is important to provide a varied diet for captive blue-tongued lizards, including both animal and plant matter, to ensure their overall well-being.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Birds?

No, blue-tongued lizards do not typically eat birds. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter, but they are not known to eat birds. They primarily feed on insects and other invertebrates, as well as fruits and vegetables.

In the wild, they may also consume small mammals, snails, and other prey items. It is important to provide a varied diet for captive blue-tongued lizards, including both animal and plant matter, to ensure their overall well-being.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Meat?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and they do eat meat. Blue-tongued lizards are known to feed on insects, snails, and other invertebrates as well as fruits and vegetables.

In the wild, they may also consume small mammals, and other prey items. Captive blue-tongued lizards should be provided with a varied diet that includes both animal and plant matter to ensure their overall health and well-being.

It is important to ensure that the meat provided to blue-tongued lizards is fresh and appropriately prepared to minimize the risk of disease or parasite transmission.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Bananas?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards can eat bananas as part of a balanced diet. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores, meaning that they eat both animal and plant matter.

Bananas are a good source of carbohydrates and other nutrients for blue-tongued lizards. However, it is important to keep in mind that fruits and vegetables should only be offered in small amounts as part of a varied diet that also includes protein sources like insects, snails, and other invertebrates.

Overfeeding fruits and vegetables can lead to digestive issues and an unbalanced diet, so it is important to offer them in moderation.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Slugs?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards can eat slugs as part of a balanced diet. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and consume both animal and plant matter.

Slugs are a good source of protein and moisture for blue-tongued lizards, and they are often readily available in the wild. However, it is important to ensure that the slugs are not contaminated with chemicals or other harmful substances before feeding them to your blue-tongued lizard.

Additionally, it is essential to provide a varied diet that includes a range of different protein sources, as well as fruits and vegetables, to ensure that your blue-tongued lizard receives all of the necessary nutrients for optimal health.

Do Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Worms?

Yes, blue-tongued lizards can eat worms as part of their diet. Blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and consume both animal and plant matter. Worms are a good source of protein and moisture for blue-tongued lizards, and they are often readily available in the wild.

It is important to provide a varied diet that includes a range of different protein sources, as well as fruits and vegetables, to ensure that your blue-tongued lizard receives all of the necessary nutrients for optimal health.

Additionally, it is essential to ensure that the worms are not contaminated with chemicals or other harmful substances before feeding them to your blue-tongued lizard.

Can Blue Tongue Lizards Eat Blueberries?

Blue tongue lizards are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Blueberries are a type of fruit and can be part of a balanced diet for blue tongue lizards.

It is important to note that while blueberries can be a healthy snack for blue tongue lizards, they should not be the only food source and should be offered in moderation as a supplement to their primary diet of vegetables, fruits, and protein sources such as insects and snails.