Oranges are deemed to be one of the healthiest fruits around. They have a lot of vitamin C, making oranges popular among both people and animals. For centuries, they have been used as feeder fruits for domestic and wild animals in some parts of the world.
Many animals like to eat oranges, including:
- Birds
- Monkeys
- Squirrels
- Possums
- Rats
- Raccoons
- Turtles
- Lizards
- Pets
- Caterpillars and other pests
Not only do oranges have a lot of vitamins, but they’re also highly nutritious and good for your body. Some animals that eat oranges like to pick out the fruits that hang close to the ground, while others attack them from the sky.
What Eats Oranges?
These are the most common animals that eat oranges.
1. Birds
| Scientific Name | Sialia sialis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | eastern North America and south as far as Nicaragua |
Birds are some of the most common eaters of oranges in the wild. They like to peck away at the skin of the orange which contains a lot of juices. Thanks to their sharp beaks, most birds have no problem cutting through the skin of the orange, which leaves the fruit itself exposed to other animals.
You might have already seen documentaries where large birds attack orange trees and eat the fruits. This goes particularly for larger birds such as parrots, and toucans, as well as other smaller birds that you might find around your home, such as woodpeckers, and even northern mockingbirds.
2. Monkeys
| Scientific Name | Cercopithecidae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Many monkeys that live in the wild will collect a variety of different fruits and eat them. While we might connect monkeys with bananas, many of the monkey breeds and species like to eat other fruits that they can find around them. In more tropical areas of the world where monkeys live, this also includes oranges.
Some monkeys rely solely on fruits and vegetables for survival, so they will eat a variety of fruits. Others like to eat a combination of fruits, vegetables, and meat. Some monkeys that eat oranges include chimpanzees, golden monkeys, gorillas, and other monkey breeds found around the world.
Related Article: 29 Animals Like Monkeys
3. Squirrels
| Scientific Name | Sciuridae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Australia and Antarctica |
So far, we’ve only seen larger animals that eat oranges, but there are also many smaller animals that like this fruit, too. One of the animals that eat oranges is the squirrel. These small rodents like to eat roots and nuts primarily, but will also happily venture into your garden and eat your fruits and veggies.
In the wild, squirrels need to be extra resourceful, so they will not hesitate to eat easily available fruits like oranges. They’re great climbers, which means they can easily reach the higher ends of an orange tree. From there, they will slowly chew away at the oranges they have readily available.
4. Possums
| Scientific Name | Didelphis virginiana |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North American |
Possums mainly live in North and South America, where they might sometimes wander close to the human-inhabited areas. They prefer heavily forested habitats, so in many tropical parts of the world such as South America, they will have easy access to many fruit trees, including orange trees.
Opossums will mainly eat smaller fruits because they’re small themselves, but they also have surprisingly sharp teeth that allow them to cut into the fruit and eat it. Mainly, they enjoy the juice that is located in the orange.
Related Article: 13 Animals that Look Like Possums
5. Rats
| Scientific Name | Mus musculus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
Yes, even rats might occasionally enjoy an orange or two. This goes especially for black rats, which are located in the Indian subcontinent. This animal is an omnivore, as it will enjoy a variety of different foods. It might eat some insects and smaller animals of prey, but it will mostly rely on fruits and vegetables.
Like squirrels, black rats also have quite sharp teeth, which allows them to cut into the flesh of the orange and eat it.
6. Raccoons
| Scientific Name | Procyon lotor |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America |
Even though raccoons are primarily wild animals, some people like to keep them as pets. Raccoons don’t have access to oranges very often in the wild, but as pets, they might receive a meal that contains oranges now and then. And they will eat the oranges quite happily, too.
7. Turtles
| Scientific Name | Testudines |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Turtles are slow-moving organisms that like to feed on grass and algae. They’re not good hunters and they’re decent swimmers, but on land, they might struggle to find the right foods for them. The diet of a turtle will also depend on the species of turtle.
Turtles that are kept in zoos or as pets will enjoy oranges. They are herbivores primarily, so they like to eat fruits and vegetables.
8. Lizards
| Scientific Name | Lacertilia |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Worldwide |
Yes, even lizards might eat oranges occasionally. You might ask yourself how do they do it since they’re so small? The truth is that lizards will mostly eat oranges that are easily available, which means oranges that have already been cut by other animals. They don’t have sharp teeth, so they need to find fruits that are more easily eaten without sharp teeth.
9. Dogs
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
Did you know that some dogs or even cats might enjoy eating oranges? While you might have tried feeding your cat or dog an orange – this likely didn’t end successfully since most pets don’t like to eat these types of food. For cats especially, oranges are a bit too strong, so they won’t eat them.
Dogs, on the other hand, might be more readily open to eating oranges. Not all dogs will eat oranges, but many dog owners report that their dog likes oranges.
10. Caterpillars and Other Pests
| Scientific Name | Larva |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Herbivore |
The orange tree is full of smaller organisms such as caterpillars, bugs, and other insects. These small animals will take advantage of the readily available fruits and will eat them, too. One of the more common animals that eat oranges is the caterpillar, which is often considered a pest.
There are also other bugs that are considered pests. For example, scales, thrips, mites, and other smaller animals will slowly chew away the oranges and consume them. This will also result in diseases in orange trees, which are hard to get rid of.
Conclusion
The orange is a fruit that is highly preferred by humans. But even some animals enjoy the fresh taste that it offers as well as the many health benefits it brings.
I am the founder and owner of Fauna Facts. My mission is to write valuable and entertaining information about animals and pets for my audience. I hope you enjoy the site!