Sulcatas are not a tortoise species that requires fruits as a part of their diet. Although sulcatas love to eat fruit, they do not need to eat fruit. Sulcatas require mostly grass and weeds, as fiber is very important to their diet. However a little bit of fruit once in a blue moon will not hurt a sulcata tortoise. That said, blueberries are a safe fruit. Sulcata tortoises can eat blueberries.
Health Benefits of Blueberries
Blueberries are considered a superfood. Blueberries are packed with vitamin C and can help boost the immune system. They’re are also a good source of fiber, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K1 and manganese.
Although blueberries do contain fiber it’s not a huge component. One cup of blueberries containers about 4 grams of fiber.
Sulcata tortoises can eat blueberries, but it’s not ideal to make them a daily part of your tortoise’s diet.
Safe Fruits for Sulcatas
Not all fruits are safe for sulcatas. If you offer your sulcata tortoise fruits, make sure that it’s on the safe list. Safe fruits will be low in phosphorus, fat and protein.
- Apples
- Apricot
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Grapes
- Honey dew
- Mangoes
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
Avoid fruits that contain Persin, as it is an antifungal that can cause organ failure and death in tortoises. Avocados is a common fruit that contains Persin.
Also avoid feeding fruits that have been sprayed with any pesticides. If you aren’t sure whether the fruits have been sprayed. You can soak them in a vinegar solution to clean fruit. Soak fruits in 1 cup vinegar and 2 cups water for about 15 minutes. Then rinse with water.
If you want to offer your tortoise fruits as an occasional snack, you may want to consider other snacks that are healthier.
Consider flowers and cactus as healthy snacks for tortoises.
