Can Tortoises Eat Raspberries?

As a tortoise owner it’s important to feed them a well balanced full of plants, flowers, leaves, vegetables and the occasional snack thrown in to treat them. A question I get asked often from other tortoise parents is if fruit is good for them or not. My answer is always “it depends” there are so many different factors that go into answering – one fruit that comes up often is raspberries, let’s find out.

Can tortoises eat raspberries? Tortoises can eat raspberries if they belong to a fruit eating species like the red or yellow footed tortoise. This is due to raspberries and fruit in general containing a lot of sugar, which will damage your tortoises digestive system if they don’t belong to the fruit eating species. You should feed them in moderation and avoid giving them the leaves as they contain tannins.

In this article we are going to cover the various nutrients in raspberries, if tortoises can drink raspberry juice and some other important information you should know before giving them to your tort.

Raspberry Benefits For Tortoises

100 grams of raspberries contain the following nutrients :

Calories53
Fiber7g
Carbohydrates12g
Protein1.2g
Sugar4.4g
Fat0.7g

High In Vitamin C

A normal cup of raw blackberries has roughly 26.2 mg. Vitamin C is required for the following functions:

  • Immune system enhancement
  • Blood pressure reduction
  • Cholesterol management
  • Wound healing properties
  • Preventing the formation of cancerous and harmful cells
  • Blood sugar control
  • Kidney disease prevention

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

Vitamin K

Raspberries contain vitamin K, which can strengthen your tortoises bones to reduce the risk of breaks and fractures.

Vitamin K is also needed to produce prothrombin, a protein that helps with clotting wounds to prevent bleeding and help stop haemorrhages within the body.

Potassium

Raspberries also contain potassium, a mineral needed to keep their muscles strong and functioning. Potassium is also needed for cardiovascular health.

Fiber

Fiber can be a great way to control your tortoises weight, this is because foods that have fiber are more satiating than foods without. This means the more fiber in your torts diet, the less likely they will be to overeat because they are full due to the fiber.

It’s also needed to flush toxins from their system, reduce constipation and regulate blood sugar levels.

Antioxidants

Among all types of berries, raspberries have the most antioxidants present which make them a favourite. Antioxidants work within the body to help cells fight oxidative stress.

This is caused by harmful atoms called free radicals, they work to do damage to cells causing age related illness like cardiovascular disease or cancer. Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals to eliminate harm.

Can Raspberries Be Harmful To Tortoises?

Luckily raspberries as a whole aren’t toxic enough to seriously injure your reptile, however there are some things you need to be aware of before you feed them.

High In Sugar

Your tortoises digestive system can struggle with the demand foods high in sugar like raspberries will create. This is why it’s suggested that species like Yellow-footed and Red-footed tortoises eat raspberries as they have a digestive system that’s strong enough to cope with the sugar.

Even then it’s recommended that they have only have fruit in moderation.

How To Serve Raspberries To Your Tortoise

First you need to wash the raspberries before serving to tortoise. This is due to them being sprayed with pesticides and herbicides while they are being grown to keep away insects and harmful bacteria.

Pesticides won’t seriously injure your reptile but it’s not something you want them ingesting often as it will make them ill.

My tortoise won’t eat raspberries by themselves, however if I make a berry mix full of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries then he devours them! Make sure you remove all leaves before feeding them.

Can Tortoises Eat Raspberry Leaves?

While they aren’t exactly to tortoises, the leaves of raspberries should be avoided as they contain tannins and other astringent compounds. These molecules bind to nutrients in your tortoises body making them anti-nutrients. What this means is they prevent your tortoise from making good use of nutrients.

In particular they prevent your tortoise from absorbing iron which can lead to an array of health problems.

Can Tortoises Drink Raspberry Juice?

Turning the fruit into some juice can be an excellent way to hydrate your tortoise and give them the nutrients that are packed inside raspberries at the same time. It’s recommended to avoid store-bought raspberry juice as it will contain added sugar and preservatives that can harm your tortoise.

If you want to give your reptile some raspberry juice you should do so by making it at home. Simply throw some berries into a blender, add water and you have a much healthier alternative as you know what’s going into it.

You need to add water as the sugar concentration will be too high without it, which will cause stomach issues for your reptile.

Raspberries For Tortoises – Summary

Fruits should make up around 5-10% of your tortoises diet, but only if they belong to a fruit eating species. Raspberries are a great addition due to them being high in vitamins and nutrients with melon, grapes and other berries being good alternatives.

Be sure to feed them in moderation due to the high sugar and avoid giving them the leaves as they can stop them from absorbing nutrients.

Related Reading :

Can Tortoises Eat Strawberries?

Can Tortoises Eat Blueberries?

Can Tortoises Eat Blackberries?