Can Iguanas eat oranges? You have to remember something vital for the well-being of your pet iguana. A balanced diet for your pet iguana should consist of:

  • 80% to 90% dark green leaves from different legumes, vegetables, weeds, herbs, and flowers.
  • 10 to 20% of several types of vegetables and fruits on a weekly basis. Only 5% should be fruits.
  • Don’t forget to add some vitamins and minerals. Ask your veterinarian, before buying any vitamins.

So only 5% of your pet iguana’s diet should consist of fruits. This is for sure, even if there is still much to learn and discover about a captivity iguana’s diet.

But can iguanas eat oranges? Can oranges be part of the 5% part of an iguana’s diet?

NO, iguanas cannot eat oranges. Oranges are NOT included in the types of fruits you could treat your iguana with.

Oranges are acidic fruits. And iguanas cannot break down the acid with their digestive system.

Read more on how oranges can harm your iguana and what other types of foods are forbidden in an iguana’s diet.

Why can’t iguanas eat oranges?

  1. Their digestive system is not used to break down acidic foods. And your pet iguana will not be able to properly break down a slice of orange.
  2. Because in the wild they don’t eat fruits so often, iguanas are also not used for digesting sugar. This is another problem that may affect your pet iguana if feeding it too many fruits. The majority of fruits have a high level of sugar. The intestinal bacteria that produce the most vital nutrients for an iguana don’t respond well when there’s an increase of sugar.
  3. Oranges have a high amount of vitamin C. This is another component that cannot be digested by your iguana.

Oranges are not a natural choice of food for an iguana. In the wild, iguanas eat what’s available in their territory. And they never leave their territory looking around for specific types of foods. Especially, not for fruits. And oranges or other acidic fruits are not in the proximity of the natural habitat of an iguana.

Some specialists say that occasionally it’s safe to feed your pet iguana oranges. But only if your iguana responds well the first couple of times. Iguanas are different and, like humans, they have different food preferences.

It is very important to observe the eating habits of your iguana. And from time to time, you can treat your iguana with fruits.

But I can’t state enough how important it is to AVOID acidic fruits such as oranges. Some iguanas may like eating oranges, but it’s important for you not to get tempted. Your iguana’s diet depends only on your decisions. And a poor diet may cause kidney failure and even death.

Fruits that iguanas cannot eat

Fruits should consist of only 5% of your pet iguana’s diet. Remember this! Most of the fruits are harmful to the digestive system of an iguana. They have a high amount of sugar and many of the fruits are acidic.

These are the fruits that iguanas cannot eat:

  • oranges
  • lemons
  • limes
  • blue plumps
  • grapes
  • pomegranates
  • grapefruits
  • kiwi
  • tomatoes
  • avocados
  • pineapple
  • eggplants (yes, eggplants or aubergine are fruits)

Can iguanas eat kiwi fruit?

No, kiwi fruit is very acidic and can be harmful to your iguana. It can be very hard to digest for an iguana. You should NOT feed your iguana kiwi.

Can iguanas eat avocados?

No, absolutely not! Avocados are toxic for iguanas and for many other animals. The steam, pit, and skin are toxic for iguanas. Never feed your iguana with avocado

Can iguanas eat pineapple?

No, pineapples are very acidic for an iguana. It can affect the digestive system. It’s better to avoid pineapple when preparing a meal for your iguana.

Remember that only 5% of your iguana’s diet should consist of fruits. You should first focus on the variety of leaves, weeds, greens, flowers and vegetables. These are the 80-90% of the foods you must feed your iguana.

It’s really best to avoid feeding your iguana any fruits in general. Especially the acidic and citric ones. You should focus mostly on weeds, leaves, greens, and flowers.

Fruits that iguanas can eat

Fruits don’t have a high nutritional value for your pet iguanas. But, they will eat whatever you feed them. And fruits are sweet and tempting for an iguana.  You have to consider fruits more like a treat than as a basic food.

Also, in general, fruits have a low amount of minerals and don’t bring any valuable intake. 

You should rarely feed your iguana with fruits. Once a week should be fine. And fruits should never consist of a one-full-meal.

You should serve bits of fruits mixed with the basic weeds, leaves and greens.

Iguanas need a 2:1 calcium-phosphorus ratio. Some fruits are high in calcium and you should focus on those.

Some of the best fruits you can feed your iguana include:

  • Figs (they are rich in calcium)
  • Mangos
  • Papayas
  • Bananas (including the skin)
  • Melons
  • Apples (without the seeds that are toxic for an iguana)
  • Pears
  • Guavas
  • Raisins
  • Dates
  • Apricots
  • Strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries (occasionally)
  • Cherries (occasionally)

AVOID frozen fruits or vegetables sold in supermarkets. Fresh food has more nutritional value.

Remember that iguanas don’t chew their food, they swallow it. All ingredients should be chopped, shredded or grated before mixing them together. This way, your iguana will eat easier and will not pick only what it likes.

Focus on providing the best greens, leaves, weeds, and flowers to your iguana. An iguana can live a long life if taken care of with attention. And the diet is an important thing to be careful about.

Always, observe your iguanas eating habits.

Avoid fruits as much as possible. But offer a steady variety of dark green plants.

Be in contact with an experienced veterinarian.