Sure, you can’t hug or cuddle your turtle, like you can your pet cat or dog.
Yet, turtles do make fantastic pets.
They are fun to care for and fascinating to observe.
Not to mention, turtles are relatively low maintenance considering that you simply have to make sure that they stick to a healthy diet and provide them with clean habitats.
When it comes to turtles, these aquatic creatures can be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores, depending on their species.
Nonetheless, most turtles are omnivores, meaning that they can eat vegetables as well as keep to a protein diet. Perhaps, that is why you often find pet parents wondering about the kind of vegetables that turtles can have.
Many pet guardians wonder can turtles eat potatoes? After all, humans do love their tatters.
In short – turtles can have potatoes.
But, whether or not they should is the question of epic importance.
So, continue to read on to find out more about turtles and potatoes.
Here’s what you’re going to discover in this article
- Can turtles eat cooked potatoes?
- Can turtles eat french fries?
- Can a box turtle eat potatoes?
- What foods you shouldn’t give your turtle
So if you’re interested in knowing about pretty much everything that’s got do with turtles and potatoes then you’re going to love this article
Sound good?
Let’s get started
Can Tortoise Eat Cooked Potatoes?
Yes, most chelonians can eat cooked potatoes.
However, potatoes are high in carbohydrates and high in fat.
Cooking potatoes like boiling or steaming does help with minimizing some of the fat content.
But, you have to consider that your turtle is a tiny fellow with a delicate digestive system.
Feeding your turtle a cooked potato would mean you are giving your pet a starchy vegetable that is quite filling and invariably will make your pet obese.
And, obesity in turtles or tortoises can mean a whole series of health issues, starting with kidney problems.
That’s why it’s best you don’t feed your little buddy potatoes
Yes, they may enjoy it but you have to look at the bigger picture
The last thing you want is your turtle to suffer from any obesity
There are many other treats you can give your turtle
Your turtle would love watermelons!
You can actually check out my article – Can turtles eat watermelons?
Can Turtles Eat French Fries?
You have to realize that there’s nothing french about fries.
Potatoes, even when boiled, are a starchy vegetable that will lead to your turtle gaining weight in the long run.
But, when you speak of french fries, that’s fried potatoes.
Oily human foods are a definite no-no for your turtle as excessive oil can cause your turtle to have an upset stomach.
And, french fries mean that you are feeding your turtle potato with sodium.
Now, salt isn’t something you’d want your chelonian to have, as salt leads to water retention, dehydration, and kidney problems in turtles.
Indeed, your turtle may quite relish the taste of french fries.
But, you should know that salt always makes it to the list of foods that shouldn’t be fed to most pets, including turtles, so, while your turtles don’t know any better and may enjoy a snack of french fries.
It isn’t the kind of food you should be feeding your turtle if you want your little friend to have a long and healthy life.
Can Box Turtles Eat Potatoes?
Box turtles are no different from other kinds of omnivores. They are supposed to eat a 50% plant-based diet and 50% low protein diet, such as insects or feeder fish.
So, if you want to feed your box turtle a wholesome meal, you can include vegetables and some fruits.
But, potatoes don’t fall into the list of veggies you should feed your turtle.
You see, even in the wild, turtles eat leafy vegetables like lettuce, mustard greens, kale, collard beans.
You’ll never find a turtle munching away on a potato.
Considering the constitution of your turtle, potatoes, with its high caloric and fat content, is a vegetable that should never be a part of your chelonian’s meal.
Human snacks such as french fries laden with oil and salt or even a boiled potato aren’t recommended for turtles as they are prone to obesity.
Okay so potatoes are a no go for my turtle
What else can they not eat?
Good question!
Let’s find out..
What Foods Can’t My Turtle Have?
So, most pets, be it cats, dogs, or even pet hamsters, can’t have human food.
Their bodies aren’t made to digest such things as salt or sugar.
But, surely aquatic creatures have different digestive systems?
True, aquatic pets like the turtle have different digestive systems.
But here’s the thing
They don’t have the capacity to handle too much sugar or salt in their bodies either.
Turtles can’t have salty processed foods, sugary foods like donuts, or oil-based foods.
They can’t have avocados, tomato leaves, rhubarb leaves, or anything even remotely dairy.
Moreover, chocolates are also a part of the list of food items that your turtle can’t eat.
Wrapping Up
As mentioned earlier, chelonians, be they turtle, tortoise, or terrapins, are low-maintenance creatures that need only a healthy diet and clean habitats to live long and prosperous lives.
So, your job is to ensure that you feed your turtle leafy green vegetables, some fruits like berries, bananas, or apples, and some insects like crickets, mealworms, or wax worms.
An occasional treat of feeder fish will add variety to the life of your pet turtle.
But, like the turtle, never get too adventurous when it comes to the diet of your pet turtle.
Your happy and healthy turtle may not thank you for your judicious choice when it comes to its meals.
But you’ll undoubtedly have your turtle around a lot longer that way.
And I’m sure that’s what every turtle parent wants
A healthy happy turtle!
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