Before you bring home a reptile or amphibian, consider the kind of food you're willing to feed it. The food preferences of reptiles and amphibians fall into three general groups: carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. So if you'd feel squeamish about feeding a rabbit to a snake, then don't get a python.
Foods for Herbivorous Herps
Alfalfa |
Escarole |
Papaya |
Apple |
Grated root crops (such as carrots and beets) |
Peaches |
Avocado |
Grated or chopped yellow or zucchini squash |
Pear |
Berries |
Greens (turnip, collard, mustard, beet) |
Romaine lettuce |
Bok choy |
Hibiscus blooms and leaves |
Rose petals |
Broccoli stems and leaves |
Melons |
Squash (chopped) |
Cabbage (dark green) |
Nasturtium |
Tofu |
Dandelions |
Okra |
Tomato |
Foods for Carnivorous Herps
Chicken (bite-sized cooked cubes) |
Mealworms |
Cockroaches (giant or hissing) |
Mice or rats |
Crickets |
Prepared reptile carnivore diet (canned or frozen) |
Earthworms |
Rats |
Locusts |
Waxworms |