Green beans, broccoli?

[Gizmo]

So as gut load goes, spinach is out (oxalic acid), collard is in.. I never see mention of green beans -- or any other legumes for that matter. I almost always have fresh beans in the house -- good stuff or not so good for chameleons?
Also, one of my panthers will do somersaults for steamed broccoli even when he is refusing everything with legs. The fist time he saw/smelled it on a dinner plate he made his interest absolutely clear. Now when he sees/smells it he marches right to the door of the cage and takes it from my fingers, sometimes trying to gulp down my thumb as well. I think this enthusiasm for a vitamin-dense veggie is terrific, but someone please tell me if there's another shoe? Ie, broccoli has too much of "Vitamin X" or needs to be dusted with powdered 18 year old boysenberry juice or...the usual stuff. Thanks so much

 

[wslinky]

Looks like Broccoli is also high in oxates, here is a site that list some nutritional information about many fruits/veggies. http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm It is a Iguana site by the nutritional info shouldn't change. I have also read else where to avoid broccoli, however according to the above site green beans look like they could be a good choice.

Will

 

[Jordan]

I would not feed the broccoli at all to your chameleon especially directly. I honestly can not say I know exactly what it will do to a reptile but I do know what it will do to a human.

All members of the Brassica family contain goitrogen. Goitrogen suppressed thyroid functions. Members of this family include: Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, mustard, kale, turnips, rape seeds (used in canola oil). Other things that may contain it would be soy, pine nuts, millet and peanuts. This by itself is bad enough.

Broccoli also contains high sulphur. Sulphur, Iron and copper all work closely together in the body for various functions. With high sulphur it will deplete the copper and iron.

Sulphur is also very hard on the digestive tract in some cases. You will commonly hear peoples say broccoli gives me gas, garlic gives me gas, cabbage gives me gas this is all attributed to the high sulphur. This is also what gives it that pleasent smell upon exiting the body. In some cases with humans and eating alot of high sulphur foods may result in a hospital visit in severe cases. As I am sure you have had a sore, or gasey belly before it can get worse depending on the person who has ingested it. Again a hospital visit would have to be a severe case but is possible and does happen.

The oxcalate content would probably be the less worring since you are cooking the broccoli. To diminish this even further it would be preferable to boil over steaming but I still would not feed this to your chameleon.

I do find it interesting that your chameleon is going for it like that but I would not press your luck with it.

 

[Will Hayward]

Scenting is something very commonly used with snakes, ie. rubbing mice that one individual might relish so, onto a rabbit or similar that contains different nutrients that the snake might be lacking. It's possible that you could put other more healthier food in a steamer above the broccoli to have it retain some of the smell?

 

[Gizmo]

Wslinky and Jordan, thanks for the site and the deconstruction -- very helpful. Will -- that's a brilliant suggestion and I'll let you know how it pans out!!

 

[Jordan]

Will has a very good point there. The smell of broccoli should over power alot of stuff.

 

[sruli]

Garlic?

Regarding garlic... this came up personally a few days ago, as I wished to give my chameleons a little garlic. I have been concerned about some infection in the nursery, and garlic is anti-bacterial, antiviral. Could not find any food lists recommending against it. Then I noticed that there actually is a product (by SeaReach) aimed at reptiles (and apparently, including chameleons) that consists of pure garlic in a spray form. They ascribe various health benefits (its antimicrobial and antifungal properties), and also advocate as an apatite stimulant. (I know I used to used to sprinkle it on my cats' food - they would eat just about anything with garlic on it, and I am told that it works the same for dogs.) Actually, I have not yet found a report of garlic being dangerous for any vertebrate (it does contain a substance with theoretical dangers, but apparently not enough of it to cause harm). You may consider that I acted foolishly, but I felt that my back was against the wall, and tried it. I can report no toxicity to date. Some of the chameleons actually did like it direct (very small amounts - smaller than a fruit fly). As far as I could see, the only effect was tonic (I imagine it cleared their sinuses etc...)I think that I am going to plant some garlic in the enclosure, and give it to some of the feeders. If anybody else has anything to add, I would like to hear it... I know that I have used garlic as an antibiotic on myself until I could get real antibiotics... I kept an oral infection in check for a very long time with large amounts of garlic supplements, and apparently surgeons in World War I employed it to similar effect. And yes, it does repeat on them, just like it does on people. I doubt that it would have that effect fed indirectly through feeder.

I would not feed the broccoli at all to your chameleon especially directly. I honestly can not say I know exactly what it will do to a reptile but I do know what it will do to a human.

All members of the Brassica family contain goitrogen. Goitrogen suppressed thyroid functions. Members of this family include: Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, mustard, kale, turnips, rape seeds (used in canola oil). Other things that may contain it would be soy, pine nuts, millet and peanuts. This by itself is bad enough.

Broccoli also contains high sulphur. Sulphur, Iron and copper all work closely together in the body for various functions. With high sulphur it will deplete the copper and iron.

Sulphur is also very hard on the digestive tract in some cases. You will commonly hear peoples say broccoli gives me gas, garlic gives me gas, cabbage gives me gas this is all attributed to the high sulphur. This is also what gives it that pleasent smell upon exiting the body. In some cases with humans and eating alot of high sulphur foods may result in a hospital visit in severe cases. As I am sure you have had a sore, or gasey belly before it can get worse depending on the person who has ingested it. Again a hospital visit would have to be a severe case but is possible and does happen.

The oxcalate content would probably be the less worring since you are cooking the broccoli. To diminish this even further it would be preferable to boil over steaming but I still would not feed this to your chameleon.

I do find it interesting that your chameleon is going for it like that but I would not press your luck with it.