Last updated on February 5th, 2022
Kiwi is a fruit found primarily in New Zealand. This is another reason many associate kiwi with people living in New Zealand. It is a fruit with immense benefits and is loved by most people because of its particular taste and texture.
Kiwis are now cultivated and eaten worldwide, but this is comparatively a new and lesser-known fruit for most people.
Kiwi is an interesting fruit that is pumped up with loads of vitamins and minerals. The most prominent nutrient is Vitamin C, which aids immunity and is essential for the body’s healthy functioning.
But did you know that there are animals too that might just be bothered about their immunity, or do they eat the kiwi fruit just out of their natural food habits? While that may be something to debate on, some animals do eat the kiwi fruit.
Animals that eat kiwifruit:
- Tortoises
- Budgies
- Squirrels
- Bearded dragons
- Leaf roller caterpillars
- Possums
- Chickens
Here are 7 animals that eat kiwifruit
1. Tortoises
Tortoises eat a variety of things, including some types of fruits also. However, feeding them fruit regularly is not recommended, though small amounts never hurt.
However, a lot will depend on the species of tortoise you have and a lot on what environment the tortoise is in. Although they do eat plants and plant parts, some of these food sources can also be harmful.
So the kiwi fruit, although very healthy otherwise, may not be an apt choice for regular feeding. But, of course, you will fall in love to see how a tortoise enjoys scrunching and munching through a raw kiwi fruit.
Tortoises can have some kiwi fruit in small quantities every now and then but never make it a part of their regular diet.
2. Budgies
Budgerigars, better and more affectionately known as budgies, feed mostly on grass and seeds, along with their main bulk being grasses and grains.
Along with these, they will always relish a healthy dose of various fruits like apples, strawberries, bananas, and more.
They also love to eat many tropical fruits as well. So naturally, one of their more favorites is kiwi fruit.
With the dense nutrition content in these Chinese gooseberries, which we know more popularly as kiwi fruit, it stands out as one of the choicest fruits for budgies.
A small helping of kiwi fruit now and then will not harm a budgie. Rather, it will make the sweet little parrot-like birdie happier than ever.
So go ahead and give the little one some kiwi right away in small quantities. Only, remember to de-seed the fruit before serving.
3. Squirrels
There is a great variety of squirrels spread across the globe. Irrespective of the variety, every squirrel eats many things. They aren’t too fussy when it comes to food.
Although they prefer a plethora of flowers, nuts, trees, plants, fungi, vegetables, fruits, grubs of all sorts, and more, they hardly have any limits and will try almost anything that comes their way.
The kiwi fruit is no exception to this. Squirrels will love to munch at a kiwi fruit more often than we can imagine. They love the fruit for its taste and juiciness.
And squirrels are pretty open-minded and adventurous when it comes to foods, which has made them fond of a diverse set of foods.
So if you have some squirrels around your house, make sure to keep those kiwis away from their sight.
4. Bearded Dragons
Bearded dragons can be fed kiwis without any ill effects if they’re given this fruit just one to three times per month.
Calcium and vitamin C are the two most essential nutrients that are good for these little creatures.
Also, the water content and potassium in this fruit make it a great supplementary food when added to their diet occasionally.
Abundant antioxidants in kiwi fruit are another reason your little lizard should be fed this fruit.
Additionally, the fiber that this fruit contains will help in aiding the digestion of these animals.
So make it a point to add a little kiwi fruit to the diet of your bearded pet dragon a couple of times a month.
Furthermore, be sure that this fruit is ripe when feeding your pet.
5. Leaf roller Caterpillars
Leaf roller caterpillars are extremely fond of various plants such as the fern plants, their leaves, and their fruits. Kiwi fruit is one such fruit that they have on their menu as well
Although they have a life span of only about a year, they can become mild pests to the fruits and the plants.
At times they can become serious infestations in your garden of kiwi fruit. However, we cannot blame them completely for being such pests.
They get all the nutrition, water, and fiber from the fruit, which makes it a popular delicacy among leaf roller caterpillars.
So, either take ample precautions against these caterpillars infesting your garden or simply plant vegetation that these caterpillars cannot affect.
6. Possums
Although possums usually prefer simple plant-based food, it is amusing that they eat kiwis – both the bird and the fruit alike.
They are particularly fond of the fruit and can feed on it all day. So having possums in the wild is quite acceptable, but not when we talk about a garden.
They are pretty ruthless when it comes to damaging gardens. This is not because they eat kiwi fruit, but more so because they are voracious eaters of other plants and lawn grubs.
7. Chickens
Kiwi fruits are a great source of key nutritional content, like minerals, vitamins, water, and fiber. Chickens can eat the kiwi fruit as it is also safe for them to have.
The skin and seeds are of major value for chickens to feed on, although they may be a little difficult to digest if a big chunk is swallowed.
However, the skin and seeds have awesome nutrition that is highly beneficial for chickens at any time.
These fruits provide immense health benefits and are uniquely good in many ways, not only for chickens but also for us humans.
So if you find a chicken that doesn’t touch kiwis, remember that it is only a matter of personal preference, nothing to worry about.
Conclusion
The animals that eat kiwi fruit are tortoises, budgies, squirrels, bearded dragons, leafroller caterpillars, possums, chickens, and sugar gliders.