Puréed "salad"

[Jsw]

Is there any reason Scaley can't have puréed squash as his main portion of "salad"? He seems to really like baby food butternut squash, which is just squash and water puréed.

I know squash is on the okay for daily diet list, but all I can find about baby food is "occasionally." But I can't figure out why since it's 100% squash.

 

[Seagarbage]

I always say that fresh is better, but I think the baby food should be fine to use regularly as long as you are alternating calcium and vitamins with it. I'd also double check for preservatives, but it sounds like you already have. No worries from me!

 

[Taterbug]

If you can get fresh squash and make you own it would probably be better than baby food, you could also blend in other foods so it is a bit more well rounded. Baby food is an 'occasionally' I think since it is not a balanced diet and can, long term, lead to nutritional issue. Crested geckos, when first popular were fed exclusively baby food - this resulted in lots of sick and MBD geckos.

 

[Jsw]

Thanks! He gets more than just butternut squash (finely chopped collard greens, bok choy when available, and finely chopped acorn squash), but he likes the puréed butternut best. Actually, he likes strawberries, orange bell pepper, and peas best but I know those aren't on the "okay for daily diet" list.

Making my own is definitely cheaper, if I can freeze it in portions. I liked the baby food because so much of the fresh stuff goes bad before I can use it (I don't like squash and collard greens myself).

 

[Taterbug]

I freeze the veggie portion of peppers salads in 1x1" ice cube trays, it usually gets used up in a month or two so i don't worry too much about freezer damage. If you have enough greens/squash/dalies foods even using the non-dailies you like frequently is ok. Just treat them more like garnishes/toppings/mix ins for the salad. I chop it all up and mix it together (so he cant pick out his favorites) and when he has a bigger appetite will put the mix on greens.

I just made another batch yesterday: Mustard Greens, Acorn Squash, Sugar Snap Peas, Cucumber, Carrots, Green Pepper and vitamin supplement with a mango+cactus pear puree on top.

 

[Jsw]

Excellent! I have a foodsaver, so I can even vacuum seal anything I'll be keeping longer than a week. I'll try adding some orange pepper to his squash and greens since it has a strong taste. Maybe he'll eat more if it's mixed in.

Thanks!

 

[Rankins]

I use to make up about 20 lbs of food for my iguanas and I would freeze it all. Fresh is always better, but its more convenient to use frozen. I don't have iguanas anymore, so the Rankins get fresh stuff since they don't eat much.

 

[SBarney]

I freeze the veggie portion of peppers salads in 1x1" ice cube trays, it usually gets used up in a month or two so i don't worry too much about freezer damage. If you have enough greens/squash/dalies foods even using the non-dailies you like frequently is ok. Just treat them more like garnishes/toppings/mix ins for the salad. I chop it all up and mix it together (so he cant pick out his favorites) and when he has a bigger appetite will put the mix on greens.

I just made another batch yesterday: Mustard Greens, Acorn Squash, Sugar Snap Peas, Cucumber, Carrots, Green Pepper and vitamin supplement with a mango+cactus pear puree on top.

That looks delicious! What do you do, take it out the night before to defrost? Is it all mushy once its defrosted?

 

[AlsMom]

That looks delicious! What do you do, take it out the night before to defrost? Is it all mushy once its defrosted?

I have been freezing greens for Alduin and I just take them out of the freezer and place in his habitat in a bowl. They defrost quickly for me. I only put out what he will eat in a short time because mine do get mushy if they are still uneaten at end of day.

 

[Jsw]

I just made a gallon of slightly chunky smoothie out of collard greens, mustard greens, endive, butternut squash, acorn squash, orange bell pepper, and reptical vitamins. Scooped some into ice cube trays and topped with chopped pepper and strawberry.

He better eat this because it was a lot of blending in my small blender! ?