Can Turtles Eat Cucumbers?

cucumberIf you are a turtle owner, can your pet eat cucumbers?

Yes it can. You can feed cucumber to your aquatic turtles as long as they are in good health and not overweight.

Here’s why feeding cucumbers is fine for turtles:

  • The only real danger with amphibians is rough handling and sudden temperature changes – neither applies when feeding them vegetables like a feisty terrapin or snappy salamander. A reptile can enjoy this nutritious side dish without guilt!
  • If you’re still worried about feeding a vegetable to your turtle, try offering him algae-covered cucumber slices. Turtles do like the taste of algae!
  • While turtles can eat cucumbers raw, you can steam them to soften before serving.

You can feed turtles cucumbers in the shell or peeled. As long as your pet eats a healthy diet full of animal protein (like Rep-Cal), he should be able to handle most nutrients in veggies and fruit.

Water turtles can consume cucumbers just like land-based turtles can. You might want to slice or cut the cucumber into pieces small enough for your turtle to swallow, but he can eat them whole as well if he can manage it!

While turtles can get a bit of extra nutrition from vegetables such as cucumbers, it’s really no substitute for meat and fish, so don’t worry if he doesn’t seem too interested by the ‘salad bar.’ If you’re still worried about diet balance you can always add some Rep-Cal powder to his food once a week or so.

People can’t always be sure when can turtles eat cucumbers. It’s more of a rule that has evolved over time than anything else – if it looks like it wouldn’t harm you or your pet, then why not try it out?

But keep these points in mind while feeding this nutritious side dish to your aquatic turtle:

  • Different species have different nutritional needs and dietary requirements. For example, red-eared sliders are primarily carnivores since their diet consists mainly of insects. Even if some can turtles can occasionally eat cucumbers, that doesn’t mean your tortoise should rely on veggies for healthy nutrition—but if you can sneak a few of them into the diet now and then, it can’t hurt!
  • Cucumber is just one of many common foods that can turtles can enjoy. If you’re worried about development, consult with a vet who can help you figure out what is best for your pet.