Is It Safe to Feed Your Crested Gecko Raspberries?
Last Updated: January 25, 2023
Being a good pet lizard person includes feeding your pet a nutritious diet, which might allow for fresh fruit. There are a lot of fruits people want to feed to crested geckos, but some are dangerous. What about raspberries? Can crested geckos eat raspberries safely, or should you avoid them?
Crested geckos should not eat raspberries. Raspberries contain a compound that is dangerous for crested geckos. They are not a safe part of their diet.
Wait, what? What makes them different from other berries? And why do I see people feeding them to their pet lizards? Are there other fruits I should choose instead?
These are crucial things to understand to be an informed pet lizard person. Keep reading to learn more!
Do Crested Geckos Eat Raspberries in The Wild?
We learn what an animal eats in their natural habitat so we can better give them a healthy, proper diet in captivity.
Raspberries are native to both Europe and North America. Humans have enjoyed them for thousands of years.
Raspberries show up in art and literature across ages and cultures. The ancient Romans loved them! They used them for food and medicine and carried them as they spread their empire.
Many indigenous people in North America used the whole raspberry bush. They used the roots, bark, and leaves to cure various illnesses. The berry was enjoyed fresh or cooked in soups, with meat, or in cakes.
Did you know there are over 200 different varieties of raspberries? They come in red, black, purple, or yellow. All share the same basic shape.
Today, raspberries are grown in all temperate regions of the world. They grow best in places with cool summers, mild winters, and a dry harvesting season.
None of those things describe “home” for crested geckos.
Wild crested geckos live in New Caledonia, a tropical island with frequent rainfall. While there are many native fruits on these islands, raspberries are not among them.
There are many fruits that a wild crested gecko has never tasted. That doesn’t make them unsafe for your pet.
Let’s look more closely at raspberries to learn more.
Nutritional Value
Raspberries have many helpful nutrients that may benefit health.
The nutrients in raw raspberries, calculated by a standard serving of 3.5 ounces (or 100 grams), are:
- Calories: 57
- Water: 86%
- Protein: 1.01 grams
- Carbohydrates: 12.9 grams
- Sugar: 2.68 grams
- Fat: 0.19 grams
- Calcium (Ca): 16 milligrams
- Phosphorous (P): 27 milligrams
- Iron (Fe): 0.45 milligrams
- Magnesium (Mg): 19.2 milligrams
- Potassium (K): 156 milligrams
- Sodium (Na): <2.5 milligrams
- Zinc (Zn): 0.22 milligrams
- Copper (Cu): 0.053 milligrams
- Vitamin C (total ascorbic acid): 23 milligrams
Raspberries are a good source of Vitamin C, manganese, and fiber. Manganese is a trace mineral that helps the body function.
Because of their shape, raspberries have one of the highest percentages of fiber by weight of any whole food. We hear a lot about fiber. A high-fiber diet aids bacteria in the GI tract, leading to other health benefits.
They may reduce disease risks, help the blood, and prevent certain types of cancer. Ongoing research bodes well.
In moderation, raspberries are healthy for humans.
So Why Are Raspberries Bad for Crested Geckos?
Unfortunately, there aren’t lots of studies on the health impact of feeding raspberries to crested geckos.
So how do we know they are unhealthy for cresties?
What Is the Calcium-Phosphorous Ratio?
All reptiles, including crested geckos, need calcium (Ca).
Calcium is essential for healthy bones and helps the heart, nerves, and blood function.
A body gets calcium either from its food or by removing it from its bones. In this way, bones serve as a “savings account.” Frequent withdrawals will leave the body without enough calcium to function.
Many pet reptiles do not get enough calcium from their diet, which leads to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
Another factor for MBD is phosphorous. Phosphorous (P) stops the body from using calcium. When the body can’t get all the calcium in the food, it has to take it from its bones.
Unfortunately, both Ca and P are present in many fruits and vegetables. Getting the right amounts of each isn’t easy.
Raspberries have 16 milligrams of calcium and 27 milligrams of phosphorous.
Based on this, raspberries are not healthy for crested geckos. They are likely harmful in large quantities.
Calcium-to-Phosphorous Ratio
Raspberries have a 0.6:1 Ca:P ratio, which is moderately poor.
Oxalic Acid Content
Oxalic acid is another compound that also interferes with calcium. Unfortunately, there is no ideal ratio for oxalic acid. We want to keep the oxalic acid content as low as possible.
Raspberries are very high in oxalates. They are the highest fruit source of oxalates.
What does this mean?
Eating raspberries makes it harder for the body to absorb calcium from food. To get enough, it has to pull it from the bones.
Crested geckos already have a difficult time getting enough calcium. Most foods we feed cresties are low in calcium. Giving them raspberries only makes that worse.
So, Are They Good or Bad?
Raspberries are bad for crested geckos.
What Would Happen If You Fed a Crested Gecko A Raspberry?
Raspberries are not toxic. They don’t have a poison that will make you sick right away.
The problem is slower and can create long-term problems.
If a keeper were feeding a crested gecko this fruit often, we wouldn’t expect to see anything right away. Their pet would probably look happy and healthy for a while. They might even love the taste and want more!
Over time, signs of calcium deficiency would develop. Early indicators include low energy level, lack of appetite, and not being to lift themselves. Their bones would weaken, and other symptoms of MBD would develop. MBD can cause death in pet reptiles.
When caught early, treatment for MBD is possible.
Reptiles are very good at hiding signs of illness. Contact your veterinarian right away if you notice changes in behavior.
Why Do Some People Feed Their Crested Geckos Raspberries?
There are several possible answers.
First, other berries are fair as a treat. It is reasonable to think that raspberries are the same as blueberries and strawberries. The most common food warnings for pet lizard owners focus on citrus fruits, not berries.
Next, oxalic acid is not a nutritional concern for most healthy people. Many of us have never even heard of it. The bigger problem is that oxalate values can be hard to find and are often different for the same foods. Some tables even show raspberries as having a much lower oxalic acid value.
Another reason is that feeding a crested gecko a raspberry shouldn’t cause an immediate problem. Why is this an issue? The delay would make it harder for people to see the connection. And most geckos probably love the sweet, juicy taste. A keeper could feed their pet these berries for months and likely not realize they were doing any harm.
Finally, many of us learn pet care from watching others and reading posts by well-intentioned hobbyists. If you saw someone else who cared deeply for their pet making a choice, it would be easy to make the same choice yourself.
With all this, it makes sense why it happens.
We all want the same thing- for our pets to live long, happy lives.
Given the potential harm that could come from feeding crested gecko raspberries, the risk doesn’t seem worth it. There are many better options out there.
Conclusion
Crested geckos should not eat raspberries.
Raspberries are very high in oxalates. This compound blocks the absorption of calcium. Pet lizards already have trouble getting enough calcium. Eating raspberries makes that worse.
A crested gecko would likely not have an immediate bad reaction to eating a raspberry. Over time, the odds of getting MBD would go up.
There are lots of much healthier fruits to offer to your crested gecko instead. Read about blueberries and the amazing Ca-P ratio of papaya to get started.
What about other fruits? Can Crested Geckos Eat Strawberries?