BTS Diet

[splashy07]

Because that is what's available. Opportunistic omnivores. Captive pets do not have to eat that junk.

[Susann]

Thing is GrupPie and Bluey BUffet are designed for lizards , as is Woobaroo Wombaroo Reptile Supplement and VetaFarm lizard food (pellets) and RepCal bearded dragon food (pellets) . Can't say the same for dog and cat food.

Here is my 2 cents on the Dog food vs Rep cal pelleted diet.

According to Pedigrees website and the formula I typically use this is the ingredient list:
Sufficient water for processing, Chicken By-products, Chicken, Meat By-products, Beef, Liver, Brewers Rice, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Vegetable Oil (source of Linoleic Acid), Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Carrageenan, Added Color, Dried Yam, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Vitamins (Vitamin E, A & D3 Supplements, D-calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Biotin), Natural Flavor Blend, Onion Powder, Bay Leaves, Garlic Powder, Sodium Nitrite (for color retention).

Now lets take a look at the Rep-cal Bearded dragon diet's ingredient list:
Ground Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Byproduct Meal, Soybean Meal, Apple Fiber, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Vitamin C, Choline Chloride, Bee Pollen, Dried Beet Pulp, Vegetable Oil, Methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, Spirulina, Iron Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Sulfate, Manganese Oxide, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, D-Calcium Panthothenate, D-Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pridioxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Activated Animal Sterol (Source of vitamin D3), Hesperidin, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (Source of Vitamin K), Cobalt Carbonate, Inositol, Ethyle-nediamine Dihydroiodide, Folic Acid, Artificial Color, Natural Flavor.

Now as we can see, Pedigree dog food actually has MORE meat products than Rep-Cal BD diet. Rep-cal BD's protein sources are composed primarily of veggie proteins.

Meat MEAL is actually much BETTER than whole meats when listed on the ingredient list. When they state that it is in meal form, the water content is extracted thus forming the meal. So if you compared two foods that the first ingredient on one was Chicken and the second food had Chicken Meal as a second ingredient, the second food will probably be composed of more meat than the first. Reason is because the ingredients are listed by weight and was we all know, water is rather heavy.

Secondly, we have mentioned about feeding whole prey items to skinks. The reason is because they get the bones (calcium) and organ meats (Liver, kidneys, brain, heart, etc). How is that much different than feeding a dog food that has meat by products? Of course you may not want to eat that stuff, but I think skinks would greatly benefit from it.

[mb606587]

I personally advise against including cat or dog food in a skink's diet except in dire emergencies.

If you want long life food that's easy to prepare , consider Repashi GrubPie (as a possible standby protein staple) , or Bluey Buffet.

1) irrespective of how high the "quality" of even premium wet cat or dog foods are claimed to be , you have no idea what exactly is in the tin or package (for mega "sausages") and they are ALL full of taste enhancers and emulsifiers and bonding jells and preservatives , I am particularly not keen on feeding preservatives and emulsifiers and unknown taste enhancers to my pet skinks as these have not been properly tested for reptiles

The thing is, both Repashy Grubpie and Bluey Buffet contain Locust Bean gum, which is a food additive used as a thickening and gelling agent. Or what I'd refer to as an "emulsifier" for a gel like product.