Last updated on February 5th, 2022
Aloe vera is a common plant that we find in many households. It is often touted to be a healthy supplement for both the skin and aids smooth and good body functioning.
While we humans think that we are the only health-conscious people, you’d be shocked to hear that these animals have a fetish for healthy and natural foods like aloe vera. Strange, isn’t it?
These animals rely a lot on aloe vera, maybe not as their primary source of food but often choose it for a hefty meal, and like you’d expect, most animals on this list are calm and quite well sorted with themselves.
Animals that eat aloe vera:
- Squirrels
- Beetles
- Deer
- Tortoises
- Raccoons
- Gophers
- Kangaroos
Seems like organic food does affect living beings, and humans share the same sort of food absorption properties as many other animals. So here is a list of animals who like to have some aloe vera from time to time.
1. Squirrels
While squirrels may seem sweet and a little naughty, these furry little creatures can run havoc in your garden. They are particularly fond of vegetable flower beds.
They have a special liking for sunflower seeds, vegetables, and berries. They love to try succulents once in a while.
Although they aren’t great fans of Aloe Vera, they will run riot in a garden of these plants if they feel the urge. Sometimes you might find only a few chunks or parts of a leaf missing from your precious plants.
However, your plants may not be so lucky at times, and they may be completely uprooted or even torn apart.
In addition, squirrels leave behind bite marks on aloe leaves, which other pest infestations do not leave. A few bites off your aloe plants are warning enough that squirrels won’t leave your garden be.
2. Beetles
There are several beetles, like the ladybird and snout beetle, for example, that have made them enter this list of animals that eat aloe plants.
They have made it to the list because they are one of the worst enemies that your Aloe Vera garden can ever have.
Therefore, it is critically urgent that you take immediate action to relieve your garden of these pests. They will just ravage your garden indiscriminately otherwise.
If not dealt with, these very same beetles will mate and leave their eggs at the base of an aloe leaf.
On hatching, the new larvae will bore their way into this leaf and remain there for the rest of their cycle. What finally kills the plant is the rot and destruction caused by these larvae.
3. Deer
Although deer aren’t hardcore fans of Aloe Vera or any succulents for that matter, they wouldn’t mind a bite here and there every once in a while.
However, if they find Aloe in plenty, that’s a different story altogether. They will always love to feast on these plants especially if they are unable to find other food sources.
Moreover, if they don’t like the flavor or the taste, they will uproot the plants and leave them lying there.
So prized plants, Aloe inclusive, must be planted with great care, and great precaution must be taken to keep them protected.
Otherwise, you will be too late to find out that Bambi isn’t as sweet as you thought her to be.
4. Tortoises
Tortoises aren’t just fans of Aloe Vera. These plants act as a cure for all the dehydration that tortoises suffer from.
Unfortunately, tortoises’ constant bathing and humidity needs are often not as well understood by owners either.
So, to rehydrate a tortoise with nutritional value as well, it is always good to think of something with high water content.
Enter the Aloe Vera and a way to the rescue of these creatures.
Not only does the water in the leaves help rehydrate the tortoise, but the plant also holds ample nutritional diet for these Testudines. And your tortoise will love you for providing such a tasty and juicy solution for grub.
5. Raccoons
Raccoons are omnivores, so they pretty much eat anything from crayfish to grubs and from vegetables to fruits like pineapples and so on.
Medicinal plants are a great delicacy for them. So your garden is no exception to what they like to eat. And Aloe Vera is a favorite with them at times.
During autumn especially, raccoons find a greater liking for vegetables and greens, apart from various fruits.
Although raccoons inhabited areas with lots of trees and easy access to water, they seem to have taken a new liking to gardens as these seem like the best places to ravage for a variety of food and water.
And they love these gardens even more because of the variety of tastes they get there.
6. Gophers
Gophers are like deer. They will just eat almost anything. If they like it, you can say goodbye to whatever you may have planted.
And if they don’t like the taste or flavor, like with aloes, they will either leave these be or simply uproot them and leave them lying about.
Apart from being troublesome pests, gophers just will get on your nerves once too often.
However, shoving a hose down the hole and flushing it with water may make the water pout out in some other part of your garden, or maybe even in your neighbor’s garden.
To save your aloes, always opt for some form of protection for them.
7. Kangaroos
Kangaroos are game to almost all succulents. And they will always prefer opting for the tender leaves that grow in the middle.
Aloe is one of their second choices, though. However, they do detest citronella, rosemary, and lavender because of the smell – or what we humans know as a fragrance.
Give them a chance to feed on your aloes, and you will find them to pay regular visits to your garden as if it were a very popular local diner.
The best way to keep them away from your plants is by building really strong fences around your garden.
Joeys aren’t particularly fond of Aloe Vera, but they wouldn’t mind having some as a snack. Please remember that their appetites can be a cumbersome thing to handle.
Conclusion
The animals that eat aloe vera are squirrels, beetles, deer, tortoises, raccoons, gophers, and kangaroos. However, animals like deer and kangaroos will only consume aloe vera when other food sources are scarce.
