Turtles Love Fruit, but Can Turtles Eat Strawberries? Find Out!
If you’ve ever wanted to feed your pet turtle some fruit, you probably wonder whether it’s safe to do so or not. Or maybe you saw a wild turtle near a pond and wished you could feed it something healthy and tasty. But can turtles eat strawberries? Yes, I can tell you they actually love the taste of this deep red, juicy fruit. Read on to find out more about turtles eating strawberries.
So, can turtles eat strawberries? The answer is crystal clear
Yes! Turtles absolutely love strawberries. These amazing reptiles will fill their mouths with this succulent, mouthwatering sweet fruit. When I see a turtle eat strawberries, I assume they’ve left earth and gone to heaven. I feel this way because they seem to relish every yummy morsel of strawberry that’s on their plate. Not only can this be great news for those who love turtles, but watching a turtle chomp on this fruit can make them all the more lovable to pet owners.
Feeding turtles strawberries in moderation is better for their health
You know when you eat too much of one food and then you have a stomachache afterward? Well, this is how I imagine turtles must feel when they consume too many strawberries. In fact, turtles that eat excessive amounts of fruit such as strawberries can actually suffer from digestive issues or even long-term medical problems like diabetes. But you can take steps to prevent your pet from enduring these problems.
For one, commit to only feeding him or her strawberries and other fruits in moderation. Of course, it’s important to understand what your turtle should consume based on his particular species. For this reason, you might want to ask a veterinarian. For example, a box turtle’s diet should consist of 10% fruit, 30% vegetables, and 60% meat. Besides this, pellets aren’t usually as nutritious for box turtles as they’re advertised to be. But you can add mineral and vitamin supplements to your pet’s food on a regular basis to make sure she gets everything she needs.
Strawberries are highly nutritious and exceptionally delicious for many turtle species
Feeding strawberries in moderation to a turtle can make him happier and healthier. For one thing, turtles can gain vitamin C and vitamin A, folic acid, potassium, and fiber from the fruit. Plus, these sluggish but cute reptiles can benefit from a strawberry’s calcium content, since calcium is good for their muscular function, shell, bones, and more. But the main problem with strawberries is that they contain plenty of sugar.
This makes it necessary to make sure your turtle doesn’t eat too much of the fruit. On the bright side, if you try giving your turtle a whole strawberry, you’ll notice he probably won’t be able to put the entire fruit in his mouth. This is because a turtle’s mouth is small. On the other hand, one turtle species with a strong bite is the snapping turtle. But feeding this species some strawberries isn’t such a great idea because this fruit simply isn’t good for them from a nutritional standpoint.
Fun fact: Strawberries and some turtle species come from North America
When I realized that strawberries and a large handful of turtle species originated from North America, I was excited. After all, I love fun facts that involve history and animals. For example, since strawberries are native to North America, Indigenous peoples would cook with these fine fruits. By 1600, the first American colonists sent the larger native strawberry plants to Europe by shipping them. Moreover, there are numerous turtle species from North America, including the common box turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, hawksbill, alligator snapping turtle, snapping turtle, and plenty of others.
How many strawberries can turtles safely eat?
Strawberries should be fed in moderation in small amounts. You can cut strawberries into bite-size pieces and give them to your turtle.
What other fruits can turtles eat?
As long as you feed fruit sparingly, you can give your turtle grapes, pears, peaches, tomato, kiwis, raisins, and others.
What plants are toxic to turtles?
Firethorn, calla lily, Boston ivy, and arrowhead vine are only some plants that are unsafe for turtles.
With all this in mind, I think it’s safe to say that turtles can eat strawberries and enjoy every bite! Further, you can benefit from feeding your pet this appetizing fruit because you’ll get to watch him grab a few mouthfuls each time you give it to him. Other than this, every turtle needs a lot of love, so try to care about him each and every day.
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