About yogurt

[Morke]

Hello there.
I've been seeing lots of threads with recipies that include Yogurt.
So.. I was wondering myself. How's that good for a reptile?
I mean, reptiles can't digest lactose, and yogurt has it.

 

[Hilde]

They must have some way to deal with it. What about reptiles who eat up a whole litter of nursing mice? All that the babies have ever eaten is milk, so there's bound to be a lot of lactose in that meal for the reptile to digest.

By Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D.
Food Science and Human Nutrition Specialist
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

The claim most substantiated is yogurt's beneficial effect on digestion in some individuals.
People who are lactose intolerant have a hard time digesting milk products because they lack the
enzyme that breaks down the main carbohydrate in milk. Yogurt is a unique dairy food because the
starter cultures actually produce that enzyme during fermentation. Thus, the milk sugar in
yogurt is more easily digested, even for lactose-intolerant individuals. Many people who
commonly experience gas, bloating or discomfort from dairy foods can digest yogurt more easily,
thanks to the starter cultures. This is especially true if the yogurt contains live cultures.

The same goes for reptiles - the enzyme is in the yogurt, so they can make use of it.
I've added yogurt to fruit mash for fruit eating geckos for over 15 years now, never had a problem. I'll even use it for slurry to feed sick or rescues, and those given medications that might mess with their digestive systems.

 

[jpmarcel]

Hello there.
I've been seeing lots of threads with recipies that include Yogurt.
So.. I was wondering myself. How's that good for a reptile?
I mean, reptiles can't digest lactose, and yogurt has it.

I've always fed my phelsuma and other geckos the yogurt mix with out any visible side effects. If there was a digestion issue with the yogurt I would expect the geckos to have runny stool or develop nutritional deficites, but I've yet to see this. In fact they seem to thrive on the stuff.

Jason Pierce

 

[Lordoftheswarms]

Hello there.
I've been seeing lots of threads with recipies that include Yogurt.
So.. I was wondering myself. How's that good for a reptile?
I mean, reptiles can't digest lactose, and yogurt has it.

Yogurt does not have lactose. While lactose is present in milk, the bacteria used to make yogurt consume the lactose.

 

[kelli's zoo]

are fat tail geckos one that can have yogurt or fruit? what kind?

 

[Lordoftheswarms]

are fat tail geckos one that can have yogurt or fruit? what kind?

Many geckos are opportunistic feeders. If something is available to eat, they will eat it. If you think about it, there isn't anything special about yogurt. Add calcium to water, a little sugar, fat and protein, and you have pretty much the same thing. As most geckos require most or all of these things, I don't think offering yogurt would result in a catastrophe.

Apparently leopard gecko diet has been shown to include some variety of plants (don't remember specifics) in the wild.

Traditionally though, Fat tails, along with all eyelid geckos have been considered insectivores.

 

[Hilde]

During breeding season I'll offer my leopards and fatties some of the fruit and yogurt mash that I use as treats for Rhacs. Most of the girls seem to like it, some just take the odd lick. It seems they take it more readily while they're actively producing eggs and lose interest in it a few weeks after their last clutch. I only give it to them once or twice a month, first time when I know they're graivd and a couple days after each clutch.
I offer the mixture as a treat, not a replacement for their regular insects. It's more of a "here it is, eat if you want it, leave it if you don't" kind of thing. It's a rare male who will touch it, but it has happened.