What animals eat avocados?

Humans love to eat avocados. They offer healthy minerals and vitamins. However, avocados’ appearance is not appetizing to many animals.

Animals love feasting on fruits, but not all can eat an avocado. Let’s review a list of them. But first, a little more about avocados.

All About The Avocado

Avocado is a berry fruit. It is a tree of a single-seeded berry, which grows in warmer climates. Its skin has a dark leathery-look while its inside reveals a bright green flesh with a large pit. 

The flesh or meat of the avocado looks solid when opened. But it is soft and smooth once you cut into it . This fruit also contains minerals and vitamins such as potassium, folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.

Avocados have very little sugar.  Fibers are more prominent in avocados, which could make you feel full for the next three hours. 

List of Animals That Eat Avocados

Alligators

Alligators are famous for eating meat. Surprisingly, they are not pure carnivores. They snack on fruits too, including avocados. 

Some alligators, especially in the wild, hunt avocados while they are still in trees. They consume large quantities of this green fruit which poses no risk to their health. Aside from avocados, they also eat berries, 

Jaguars

Like alligators and crocodiles, jaguars eat meat. Big jaguars can eat and snack on a whole avocado including its seed. They find this fruit visually attractive and tasty.

Mice

Rodents also eat avocados. Mice love tender fruits and veggies. In fact, they prefer rotten foods to fresh ones. 

Mice that live in the wild can eat different fruits. Aside from berries, they love eating avocados. Even though the avocado is rich in fat, eating it does not affect their health.

Mice are a challenge to homeowners who have avocado trees in their yards.

Squirrels

Squirrels are one of the most common animals that eat avocados. They provide Vitamin C, micronutrients, and fiber to squirrels. Truth be told, the fatty acid found on avocados is essential in keeping their fur, skin, and vision healthy.

These rodents love avocado meat the most. Like rats, they also love munching the outter leathery skin, but not the seed.

Monkeys

Monkeys, like humans, consume a different variety of fruits. They also eat large fruits like avocados. Although monkeys are known to be banana addicts, they also love this bright green fruit.

Snails

Like most animals, snails will eat whatever is in front of them. Typically, snails linger on streets and in the wild. They are not picky eaters and they like avocados.

Although avocados are low in protein, their vitamins provide many benefits to snails.

Are Avocados Healthy for Animals?

Avocados are as beneficial to animals as they are to humans. They are rich sources of dietary proteins although they have less sugar than any other fruit.

Avocados are reputed to contain fats not ideal for animals. However, these fats are actually heart-friendly. Avocados have monounsaturated fats which is essential for animals’ healthy fur and skin.

Avocados also have carotenoids. These are antioxidants that protect animals from cell damage. It is also essential for strengthening their cardiovascular and immune system.

Here’s a detailed list of vitamins and minerals found in avocados.

• Vitamin K for the liver.
• Folate for cell growth.
• Vitamin C for a stronger immune system.
• Potassium for nerves, heart, and muscles.
• Vitamin B5 for energy.
• Vitamin B6 for metabolizing amino acids and carbohydrates.
• Vitamin E for the reproductive, nervous, and muscular systems.

Although avocados are indeed rich in nutrition, not all animals eat them do do your research before feeding them this fruit.

Why Avocados Can Be Harmful to Some Animals

Although avocados delight our stomachs, it’s still harmful to some animals for the following reasons.

• The fruit, leaves, and seeds of the avocado contain persin. It is a fungicidal toxin that can lead to diarrhea and vomiting in most animals. Some animals that are highly sensitive to avocado toxicity are cats, dogs, horses, and birds.

• Animals don’t know how to limit their food intake. As long as they feel like eating, they will munch anything in front of them.  When animals overeat avocados, it can lead to serious digestive issues.

• The avocado pit is a choking hazard for most animals. It can block or obstruct an animals’ throat, stomach, and intestinal tract.

More About Persin Toxicity in Animals

Persin is a toxin that animals should not take. When an animal eats avocados or any fruit that contains persin, it might experience the following symptoms.

• Difficulty breathing
• Presence of fluid around their lungs and heart
• Failure of kidneys and liver
• Heart rhythm issues
• Mammary gland inflammation
• Death

If you have animals that are not listed above, you might want to keep them away from avocados. Avocados are indeed delicious but they can ruin an animal’s health. Moreover, wild animals know by their instinct whether or not they can eat avocados.