Can tortoises eat sweet potatoes? If you can give a tortoise sweet potato at treat time, just how much should you offer? These are questions that we will answer in this post.
The good news is that it’s perfectly fine to feed sweet potato to your tortoise – but there are definitely some things to keep in mind before you offer them this crunchy, satisfying snack.
Stick with us: In just a few minutes, you’ll know all about sweet potatoes for tortoises.
Quick Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts
Sweet potatoes are delicious: No wonder you want to share them with your tortoise!
A big 1 cup serving of baked or mashed sweet potatoes without toppings gives around:
- 180 calories
- 0.3 g fat
- 4 g protein
- 41.4 g carbohydrates
- 6.6 g fiber
- Sweet Potato Nutrients
You and your tortoise will get lots of benefits from the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in sweet potatoes. That same one-cup serving of baked or mashed sweet potato gives you approximately:
- 38433 IU vitamin A
- 2 mg vitamin C
- 4 mg vitamin E
- 6 mcg vitamin K
- 0 mg niacin
- 6 mg vitamin B6
- 0 mcg folate
- 2 mcg choline
- 76 mg calcium
- 54 mg magnesium
- 4 mg iron
- 108 mg phosphorus
- 950 mg potassium
- 6 mg zinc
- 1 mg manganese
- 0.3 mg copper
Can Tortoises Eat Sweet Potatoes?
The good news is that, yes, a tortoise can eat sweet potatoes, and it’s safe to say that your tortoise should enjoy every moment spent munching on this tasty treat. When preparing sweet potato for your tortoise, be sure to give it a good scrub before cutting it up.
It’s recommended to offer raw sweet potato rather than cooked varieties, although it’s fine to give your tortoise baked or steamed sweet potato if that’s what you happen to have on hand. If you’re offering your tortoise cooked sweet potato, make sure that it’s completely plain, without butter, sugar, marshmallows, or seasonings of any kind. Also, be sure that it’s completely cool.
Are Sweet Potatoes Good For Tortoises?
Since they’re such an excellent source of nutrition, sweet potatoes are very good for tortoises.
How Much Sweet Potato Can A Tortoise Eat?
So, is there such a thing as feeding too much when it comes to sweet potatoes? That’s a yes—although your hungry tortoise may disagree.
How Often Can A Tortoise Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Your tortoise might like to eat sweet potatoes every day if they had it their way, however, a balanced diet is very important, so it should be fine to feed it to them once a week as a treat.
The Correct Diet Is Important
A tortoise’s natural diet can be quite extensive for new owners.
Since you want to aim for more than a mere survival diet, it’s best to offer your tortoise a diet that makes life more interesting while supporting excellent health. Besides your tortoise’s daily serving of their normal diet, you’ll also want to give them the following:
Tortoises like a variety of plant-based foods.
Produce
Depending on the species of your tortoise, around 80% of your tortoise’s daily diet should contain fresh vegetables like kale, dandelions, collard greens and mustard.
Fruit
Fruits such as berries, melon, kiwi, oranges should make up 5-10% of a tortoise’s diet. You can offer your tortoise fruit every third or fourth feeding.
Other
You can also feed your tortoise timothy and alfalfa hay or commercial tortoise food, which can be offered at all times.
What Are Other Healthy Alternatives For Tortoises?
Tortoises eat all sorts of things in their natural habitats. They appreciate a wide variety of veggies and fruits, which is easy for their owners to find new items to offer at treat time.
Here Are Some Other Veggie’s That Most Tortoises Enjoy:
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Red cabbage
- Bell peppers
- Kale
- Pumpkin
- Iceberg lettuce
If this list contains some of your favorite veggies, then you’re on to something, as many foods that are good for you also happen to be great for your tortoise! However, at the same time, some foods that are healthy for humans can be toxic to tortoises. It’s important to research each new food that you want to feed to make sure that it’s safe and to find your tortoises serving size.
For now, how about some fun? Give your tortoise some sweet potatoes as a treat and watch them enjoy it!
