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Rotationals)
Staples
Staple greens are greens that can be fed regularly as the basic food for the uromastyx; you should pay attention to what combinations you feed your lizard so as to keep the nutrients well-balanced. Terms like oxalates and goitrogens are explained more in the section on what not to feed, at the bottom of this page. Staple greens include:
Endive (Chicorium endivia) - moderate oxalates, high calcium
variant Frisée salad (Crispum endivia)
variant Escarole (Latifolia endivia)
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| Dandelion greens (Taraxacum officinale) - high in calcium and vitamin A (140 IU/g), moderate oxalates. Be cautious of pesticides in wild greens.
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| Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) - plant, not sprouts
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| Cactus pad/leaf (various varieties) - high calcium
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| Cactus pear aka prickly pear (e.g., O. ficus-indica) - high calcium
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Squash (marrow)
| Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo)
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| Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) - high fibre, high vitamin A (78 IU/g)
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| Hubbard squash (Cucurbita maxima) - high fibre, high vitamin A (54 IU/g)
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| Scallop squash (Cucurbita pepo)
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| Spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) - high calcium and fibre
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| Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) - e.g., zucchini/courgette
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Rotationals
Rotationals are food that is given once or twice per week or per fortnight; it is important to use your own judgement when doing so. Rotationals include the following:
| Collard greens (Brassica oleracea) - high calcium, moderate oxalates
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| Raddichio/Italian Chicory (Chicorium intybus)
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| Rucola/rocket/arugula (Eruca sativa)
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| Watercress greens (Nasturtium officinale) - high vitamin C (4%), high vitamin A (47 IU/g), high oxalates (6:1 ox:ca)
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| Bok Choy/Bok Choi (certain forms of Brassica rapa; see what not to feed, below) - high vitamin C, high vitamin A (30 IU/g), goitrogens
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| Soaked Lentils (Lens culinaris)
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| Shredded carrots (Daucas carota) - high vitamin A (150 IU/g), moderate oxalates
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| Zucchini - high phosphorus
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| Romaine lettuce (Latuca sativa or longfolia) - red and green; mainly consists of water, contains little nutritional value for uros but very good for hydration.
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| Coriander/cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) - high vitamin A (40 IU/g), moderate oxalates (50 ppm)
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Bell peppers
| Green Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) - moderate oxalates (1171 ppm)
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| Red Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) - high vitamin C (19%), high vitamin A (57 IU/g), moderate oxalates (1171 ppm)
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| Yellow Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum)
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Occasionals
Occasional greens that can be added to spice up your uromastyx' diet can include the items on this page. It is recommended to give occasional items not more than once or twice a month.
When feeding edible flowers, be 100% sure that the flowers are free of all pesticides and fertiliser. If you are unsure of the origin of any flowers, do not feed them to your lizard.
| Shredded green beans (many types, often Phaseolus vulgaris) - canned, moderate oxalates (312 ppm)
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| Shredded green beans (many types, often Phaseolus vulgaris) - raw
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| Green peas (Pisum sativum) (raw)
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| Sugar snap peas (Pisum sativum) (pea and pod) - moderate oxalates (60 ppm)
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| Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) - high vitamin C (7%), high vitamin A (53 IU/g), moderate oxalates (1287 ppm), goitrogens. Should only be fed very sparingly, and infrequently.
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| Turnip greens (Brassica rapa; leaves only) - high vitamin C (6%), high vitamin A (76 IU/g), moderate oxalates. Should only be fed very sparingly, and infrequently.
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Flowers
As a general rule, uromastyx can safely eat any flowers which are also human-edible, which includes (but is by no means limited to) the following:
| Pansies (Viola tricolor)
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| Violets (Viola)
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| Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum)
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| Dahlia (Dahlia)
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| Hibiscus (Hibiscus)
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| Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)
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| Rose petals (Rosa)
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| Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) - a great treat and an excellent source of vitamins
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| Roselle leaves (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
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Fruits
| Apple peel (all varieties)
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| Apricot (Prunus armeniaca, also sometimes Armeniaca vulgaris) fresh - high vitamin A (26 IU/g)
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| Blackberries (e.g., Rubus fruticosus) - fresh, moderate oxalates, vitamin C (2%), high fibre.
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| Blueberries (various of the genus Vaccinium) - fresh, moderate oxalates
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| Cherries (e.g., Prunus avium) - good source of potassium
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| Cranberries (Vaccinium Oxycoccos) - fresh, high fibre
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| Figs (of the genus Moraceae) - raw, high calcium and fibre. moderate oxalates
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| Grapes (of the genus Vitis) - red and green; moderate oxalates (34 ppm)
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| Guava (of the genus Psidium) - high fibre and vitamin C. moderate oxalates (140 ppm)
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| Mango (of the genus Mangifera) - fresh, high vitamin A (39 IU/g), moderate oxalates (300 ppm)
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| Nectarine (a variety of Prunus persica)
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| Papaya (Carica papaya) - high calcium. high vitamin C (6%)
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| Peach (Prunus persica) - fresh, low oxalates. goitrogens
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| Pear (Asian, Pyrus pyrifolia) - fresh, high oxalates
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| Pear (of the genus Pyrus) - high oxalates
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| Raisins (of the genus Vitis) - seedless, high fibre, high sugar
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| Strawberries (e.g., Fragaria Rosaceae) - high vitamin C, moderate oxalates
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Melon
| Cantaloupe melon (European C. melo cantalupensis, or North American C. melo reticulatus) - high vitamin A (32 IU/g)
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| Honeydew melon (C. melo inodorus)
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| Watermelon (Citrullus)
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Seeds
Uromastyx are generally fond of seeds. Although some keepers use seeds as substrate, it is generally recommended for health reasons to restrict the use of seeds to food items. The following seeds can be fed to an uromastyx:
| White millet (Panicum miliaceum)
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| Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)
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| Clover (Trifolium)
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| Sesame (Sesamum indicum; but only a small amount)
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What not to feed
As a general rule, you should avoid feeding your lizard any of the following items:
- Insects
- Sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus) - these are high in fat and unhealthy for the lizard
Aviod foods with high levels of the following:
- Oxalic acid - this binds calcium, removing it from other foods so it won't be digested. Foods high in oxalates include:
- Beets (Beta vulgaris)
- Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa )
- Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa or Lactuca longifolia)
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
- Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
- Carambola/starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)
- Chard (Beta vulgaris)
- Goitrogens - this induces hypothyroidism, and depresses thyroid function, by interfering with absorption of iodine. Restriction of iodine causes the thyroid to increase its size as it tries to filter more blood to get more iodine. The worst offenders include:
- Soy beans (Glycine max)
- Broccoli (Brassica oleracea Italica)
- Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera)
- Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
- Cauliflower (variety of Brassica oleracea)
- Rutabaga/Swede (Brassica napobrassica or Brassica napus)
- Vitamin C - high levels can cause diarrhoea (5000g+ per day in humans); low levels are said to help reptiles cope with stress and disease.
- Acids - concerns with causing diarrhoea and toxicity
- Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum, also Lycopersicon lycopersicum and Lycopersicon esculentum)
- Oranges (Citrus sinensis or Citrus aurantium)
- Grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi)
- Phosphorus - high levels can be dangerous
- Bananas (of the genus Musa)
- Corn (Zea mays)
- Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
Freezing greens
When freezing green vegetables, especially leafy greens, thiamine (vitamin B1) will leach out. When uromastyx are fed over a long period of time with no extra thiamine added to their diet, a deficiency - hypothiaminosis - will occur. This causes tremors and twitches, which resembles the symptoms for MBD.
