The Diet of Reptiles

The reptile category includes snakes, tuataras, crocodiles, alligators, turtles and lizards. Some of these are carnivores and eat meat, some are insectivores and eat insects, some are herbivores and eat plants, and a few are omnivores, eating meat and plants.

  1. Carnivores

    • Carnivorous reptiles, such as snakes and some lizards, eat small mammals such as mice or rats. Carnivorous reptiles swallow their prey whole. Large reptiles, such as alligators, eat a variety of prey including fish, birds, turtles, other alligators and deer.

    Insectivores

    • Insectivores are a branch of carnivores. These smaller lizards and snakes eat insects such as crickets or roaches and invertebrates such as worms.

    Herbivores

    • Herbivores eat plants and include some turtles and lizards. Their diet consists of vegetables, fruit and leafy greens.

    Omnivores

    • Some reptiles, such as the painted turtle, switch from a carnivorous diet to eating plants when prey is scarce. They are therefore omnivores, eating both plants and meat.