Can tortoises eat celery? I’m glad you asked. Many humans will munch a stick of celery as a healthy and low-calorie snack. So you’d be forgiven for wondering if the same benefits transfer to our reptilian friends. So can tortoises eat celery? is it good for them? What about celery leaves and sticks? Read to find out.
Can Tortoises Eat Celery?
The short answer is yes. Tortoises can eat celery, but not really. Before you start feeding celery to your tortoise, there are some important things you should consider first. Keep reading to find out what’s good and bad about feeding these veggies to your tortoises.
Is Celery Good for Tortoises?
The answer is yes. All celery parts are good and safe for tortoises to eat in moderate amounts, including the leaves and sticks. However, you need to prepare them properly to avoid their related risks.
Celery contains a considerable amount of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that can serve the health of your tortoise. in addition to a high water content that makes it a perfect snack for a summer day as it can help to keep your tortoise hydrated.
Below, we’ve put together some of the health benefits of feeding celery to your tortoises.
Minerals
Tortoise needs several minerals in their diet for proper development Below are several minerals that tortoise can get from celery.
- Calcium: The calcium in celery can help tortoises build and maintain healthy, strong bones, teeth and shells. The reptilian’s heart, muscles and nerves also need calcium to function properly.
- Magnesium: The Magnesium content of celery helps the tortoise’s body to have healthy blood sugar levels. It also helps your reptilian friend to maintain a healthy heart.
- Phosphorus: The phosphorus in celery help’s your tortoise body filter and remove waste from the kidneys. It also helps your reptilian friend in repairing cells and tissues.
- Selenium: Celery also contains selenium that helps your tortoise curb cell damage caused by free radicals. Furthermore, it helps to keep the reptilian’s immune system active by fighting off threats from bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Vitamins
Tortoise needs vitamins to maintain their bodily functions. Below are some vitamins that tortoises can get from celery.
- Vitamin A is essential for your tortoise buddy to maintain healthy organs. As well as keeping your pet’s eyes healthy.
- Vitamin K, which is hard to get from any other food than celery helps your tortoise’s blood’s ability to clot normally.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Keeps your reptilian’s nervous system in check, and its lack can cause your pet to lose appetite and have occasional seizures and even death in severe cases.
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) helps protein metabolism in the tortoise’s body, impacting your pet’s overall well-being from growing and repairing muscles to healthy skin. Its lack makes egg production harder.
Fiber
Fiber helps keep your tortoise’s digestion system in good condition, but too much of it can cause diarrhea.
Nutritionists recommend that the fiber intake of tortoise should be around 10-40% of its food to avoid loose feces and poor health.
Is Celery Bad for Tortoises?
No, celery is neither bad nor poisonous to tortoises. However, it should be fed sparingly and with a varied diet full of nutritious veggies and fruits.
Eating large quantities can cause some severe side effects due to the low content of carbohydrates and the high content of sodium and oxalates, which reduce calcium absorption and may cause kidney stones.
Celery seeds and leaves also have a diuretic property. Therefore, while an occasional consumption does not harm them, a regular intake may be toxic.
You can mix celery with other greens, weeds, flowers, grasses, or high-quality tortoise pellets from amazon to form a balanced diet.
Another issue with celery is that it can be hard to chew, especially for small tortoises. This can also be a choking hazard, so make sure to learn below how to prepare it correctly before feeding it.
Do Tortoises Like Celery?
Yes, tortoises do like celery. They are very flexible in their diet and will eat whatever you offer them. However, they also like variety in their food. They are known to eat up to 200 different species of plants and vegetables, and celery, being a green vegetable, is favored by them.
How Much Celery Can Tortoises Eat?
Like other types of food, there is no exact rule about how much celery tortoises can eat. However, celery or any other treat should never make up more than 10% of your tortoise’s total daily food intake. Celery should be considered as a treat, not as a replacement for their primary food. If you give your tortoise celery, it should be a part of a well-balanced diet.
Tortoise owners should always be cautious of introducing any new foods to their pet’s diet.
How to Feed Celery to Tortoises?
Here is how you can offer this food to your tortoise.
- It is best to seek out organic celery whenever possible.
- Wash the celery thoroughly to remove any potential pesticides from the skin that are used when growing it.
- Remove the outer skin altogether if your tortoise does not like it or if you want to eliminate the risk of pesticide poisoning.
- Boil the celery in to make it easier for the tortoise to eat. You don’t have to do this to the leaves and soft parts of the vegetable.
- Cut the celery up into small pieces that your tortoise can easily eat.
- Mix the celery with other fruits and vegetables that your tortoise enjoys.
- Start with a small amount the first time you feed celery to your tortoise to see if they show any negative signs. It’s wise to do this with any new food.
Conclusion: Can Tortoises Eat Celery?
Yes, tortoises can eat celery, including the leaves and sticks, in moderation. It is safe. However, it’s not sufficiently nutrient-dense and can cause issues if consumed in excess.
And with so many healthier options available. It’s best served up with other fruits and veggies that your tortoise usually enjoys.
Keep celery as a special treat, and don’t replace it with their main meal.
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