Yes, Turtles can safely eat strawberries, so long as you do not make it a regular part of their diet. Turtles can safely eat many berries such as raspberries, bananas, guavas, and many others! These fruits are healthy and safe for a turtle because they contain many vital nutrients for a turtle’s wellbeing. It may be best to consult a vet about feeding fruits to your turtle if you are uncertain if your specific type of turtle can eat them.
Further Reading: “Can Turtles Eat Tomatoes?“
Table of Contents
Are Strawberries Safe For Turtles?
Strawberries, like many other types of berries and fruit, are safe for turtles to eat. Fruits like strawberries, however, also contain as much sugar as they do nutrients. For this reason, it is best only to feed your turtle strawberries as a now and again treat. If you choose to keep them on strawberries, be sure you are mixing up their diet by adding aquatic plants, leafy greens, and other less sugar-filled foods. These foods can help balance out your turtle’s health and make strawberries much safer.
However, many turtles will enjoy this delicious fruit and mostly remain safe from its raw health effects. There may not be many, but it is still possible to harm your turtle with this fruit if it is provided too frequently. Therefore, it is essential to remember; moderation is key. These beautiful creatures can thrive like no other when provided a healthy and regular diet. Otherwise, they are going to be challenging to take care of and understand. Always be sure when feeding strawberries to your turtle that they first enjoy it, then begin to cut the strawberry into smaller pieces to make it easier to digest for the turtle.
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Strawberries Nutrition & Benefits For Turtles
Strawberries are rich in iron, copper, phosphorus, vitamins C, B6, K, and E. All these nutrients make strawberries one of the healthiest fruits humans can consume. So, what about turtles? Many would assume that they should be suitable for turtles because they are good for us, also, right? Well, the many are correct in this instance because adding strawberries to your turtle diet is undoubtedly one of the most beneficial things you can do for your turtle.
Strawberries are not only tasty to a turtle when they are used to plain leafy greens. However, they can also help to improve their wellbeing over time significantly. Ways this will happen are by strengthening your turtle’s immune system and providing them with a multitude of healthy vitamins for their tiny figures.
However, it is essential to mix their diet with foods that will supply them with vitamin A, and vitamin D. Strawberries are relatively absent of these crucial vitamins for turtles. An increased deficiency of these can lead to extensive health issues for your turtle. So, while the many vitamins and nutrients that come in strawberries are healthy for them, you must mix their diet with other sources of vitamins; otherwise, you may need to turn to vitamin supplements to balance your turtle’s health.
Extended health issues a lack of vitamin A and D can have on your turtle are ear and hearing issues, respiratory disease, and vision problems. Consult a vet if you notice any unusual behavior in your turtles, such as a loss of appetite, runny nose, peeling skin, and respiratory infection. However, if strawberries are provided to your turtle in moderation, they will be fine.
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Can Water Turtles Eat Strawberries?
Just as your common box turtle, aquatic turtles will also benefit significantly from a strawberry here and there. Again, it is not meant to be part of a regular diet, but it will provide the same benefits as it would to a standard box turtle. Strawberries are made up of a lot of water and nutrients, so this fact should come as no surprise. Aquatic turtles are not too much different in terms of eating fruits and plant-based foods. Many of these will provide the same benefits; it is just a matter of the turtle itself enjoying it and wanting to eat it.
Strawberries are not only tasty to a turtle when they are used to plain leafy greens. However, they can also help to improve their wellbeing over time significantly. Ways this will happen are by strengthening your turtle’s immune system and providing them with a multitude of healthy vitamins for their tiny figures.
Further Reading: “Can Turtles Eat Corn?“
Can Red Earned Slider Turtles Eat Strawberries?
Unlike box and aquatic turtles, red-eared sliders do not typically eat the fruit in the wild. This can be an issue if you are feeding strawberries to them, and they begin to feel ill. According to The Turtle Hub, a red-earned sliders diet should always consist of 25% live protein, 25% commercial food, and 50% vegetables. This makes it so that fruits should only be provided to red-earned sliders as a treat, if at all. They most likely will not eat anyways as they are not used to it, so it could be best to steer clear.
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Final Thoughts
If you ever think of feeding your turtle strawberries, you can rest easy knowing it is entirely safe. Not only are strawberries a delicious treat, but they also contain a variety of healthy nutrients and vitamins that could significantly improve a turtle’s health when provided adequately. However, moderation is essential with this fruit because, like all fruits, they do contain an amount of sugar that could be unsuitable for your turtle if they overeat.
Aquatic turtles are just the same; however, red-earned sliders are more of a strict diet type of turtle. This means they should likely be kept away since they do not often come in contact with fruit in the wild. However, when you are to cut the strawberry into smaller pieces before feeding and only occasionally treat this treat. In that case, they will reap the benefits and enjoy a tasty fruit in the process.
