Can Tortoises Eat Peaches?

Peaches are one of my favourite fruits, they are perfect for a hot day as they are hydrating and juicy enough to cool you down, all while being a healthy treat as a better alternative to ice-cream. The sweet taste to them gives away one of the big downsides – they are high in natural sugars so are they safe for our tort’s to eat? Let’s find out.

Can tortoises eat peaches? Tortoises can eat peaches if they are part of the fruit eating species that can handle the disruption to the digestive system. A lot of tortoise species have trouble coping with the high sugar in most fruits however for those who can peaches provide a lot of vitamins and nutrients like vitamin A,C,K, fiber, potassium and manganese.

In this article we are going to explain the benefits of peaches, can tortoises the stone and some other things you need to be aware of so read on!

Are Peaches Safe For Tortoises?

Benefits Of Peaches For Tortoises

One raw medium peach (147 grams) contains the following nutrients :

Calories50
Carbohydrates15g
Sugars13g
Fat0.5g
Protein1g
Fiber2g

Vitamin A

Peaches are a healthy source of vitamin A, a vitamin important for healthy mucous membranes like the gut, lungs and mouth.

Vitamin A is also known to support bone health meaning a less chance your tortoises fractures or breaks something. It’s also needed for the reproductive system.

Vitamin C

Tortoises need vitamin C to protect and boost their immune system, luckily there’s an abundance available in peaches. Not getting enough vitamin in their diet leaves them open to more diseases as the immune system can’t fight them off.

Tortoises naturally use up a lot of vitamin C so it’s important to replenish it through a well balanced diet.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a group of fat soluble vitamins and it’s needed to produce prothrombin, a protein that helps with blood clotting. If your tortoise was to injure themselves and get a cut, vitamin K is what works to heal the wound and prevent bleeding.

Prothrombin is also needed for bone metabolism – meaning it protects bones and leads to a smaller chance they break or fracture one.

High In Fiber

Fiber can act as a great weight maintainer if you are trying to watch your tortoises size. This is due to foods high in fiber typically being more filling than foods without it. The more full your tort feels the less likely they are going to overeat.

It’s also needed for :

  • Overall bowel health
  • Can lower cholesterol
  • Regulates blood sugar levels
  • Smoother bowel movements

There’s such thing as too much fiber in a diet which can lead to things like diarrhea, so try not to feed them too much fiber.

Potassium

Potassium aids in the clotting of blood and the proper formation of bones and muscles. Potassium, like vitamin K, slows blood flow and prevents anaemia. This mineral regulates nerve impulses and muscle contractions in conjunction with sodium. It is also in charge of fluid balance.

Risks Of Feeding Your Tortoise Peaches

High In Natural Sugars

As healthy as peaches are they aren’t a perfect food so you should only feed them to your tortoise in moderation. One medium sized peach contains 13 grams of sugar, even though it’s natural sugar and not processed it’s still not healthy for tortoises.

Too much sugar in your torts diet can cause digestive problems as well as weight gain, increased chance of heart disease, cellular aging and increased inflammation.

Can Tortoises Eat The Stone/Pit?

Before serving a peach to your tortoise you need to make sure the stone is removed from the middle. This is because it contains a compound called amygdalin, which the body then further breaks down into hydrogen cyanide once it’s ingested.

Cyanide poisoning is very serious and can cause problems like nausea, vomiting, damaged nerves, a drop in blood pressure and even death in some cases.

If you are preparing peaches for your tortoise to eat then you need to discard the stone immediately after, you don’t want your reptile to accidentally eat it and harm themselves.

It’s unlikely that any harm would come to your tortoise after eating just one stone however I would recommend you take them to the vet just to be cautious.

Can Tortoises Eat Canned Peaches?

Canned peaches are arguably better than the fresh kind, this is due to canned peaches containing more folate and vitamin C compared to the fresh organic peach.

Just check the labelling and ensure the sugar content isn’t too high – if you can find canned peaches that have no added sugar then that’s the best option.

Can Tortoises Drink Peach Juice?

The deciding factor upon determining if your tortoise can drink peach juice is where it comes from. Peach juice that you’ll find in stores are typically full of preservatives and high in sugar that make them a bad choice for your tort.

If you have a fruit eating tortoise whose digestive system can handle the high sugar in peaches then it’s best to go with a fresh, organic peach. Remove the stone then throw it into a blender and your tortoise now has some refreshing peach juice to drink – perfect for a hot summers day.

Peaches For Tortoises – Summary

If your tortoise if one that is a fruit eating kind then peaches can be given as a snack now and again, they provide some health benefits as they have an array of nutrients packed inside the delicious fruit. Due to the high sugar content it’s not advised you give them peaches too regularly and fruit shouldn’t be involved too much in their diet.

I hope you’ve found this article useful and your tortoise enjoys a juicy new snack!