Its also
best to feed them in a separate container from their tank. Turtles poop and eat at the same time, and
this is where most of their mess comes from (waste and dissolved food).
So feeding them in a separate container will help keep your tank water
clean.
Leave them
in their feeding container for about 30 minutes. This allows them time to finish eating and to
digest (poop/pee). Feed them the amount of
food that would fit inside their head, or (for adult turtles) let them eat
until they lose interest in the food.
Can I Feed My Turtle Human Food, or Cat Food ?
No.
The only exception is maybe some of the foods listed below, in small
quantities, once in a while. And only for adults, not babies. But
otherwise, you should never feed your turtle any other human food, or
any other pet food . This can cause them to get very sick.
Most aquatic
turtles are omnivores (eating both meat and vegetation). But try not to feed it too much meat, as this
can cause rapid growth and deformities.
It is really
best to feed your turtle store-bought turtle food. These foods are balanced in proteins, fibers
and nutrients. They are formulated with
dried components that turtles naturally eat in the wild, and turn soft in the water
making them easy to eat. They are also
fairly cheap, and take the guess work out of feeding. Special treats and snacks are available, but
only give treats once or twice a week—otherwise your turtle could develop a
finicky taste, and not want to eat anything else. If they eat nothing but treats, their
nutrition balance will be off, and they could develop deformities or health
problems.
Turtle food
brands sold in stores include:
Mazuri and ReptoMin, Reptile/Pond 10, Cichlid Sticks, feeder fish,
feeder crickets, earthworms, krill, blood worms, occasional crayfish &
ghost shrimp.
But its best to stick mostly with the dried pellets and
sticks.
Sometimes they will nibble on aquatic plants (such as Water
Lilies, Water Hyacinth, Duckweed , Anacharis,
Water Lettuce, Water Fern, Pondweed, Water starwort,
Hornwort, Water milfoil, and Frogbit).
Once in a while, you can let them have some fresh vegetables, cut very thin (such as
Zucchini, Squash, Collard Greens, Beet Leaves, Endive, Romaine, Red Leaf
Lettuce, Kale, Escarole, Mustard Greens & Dandelions) and some fruits (i.e.
Banana). But again, not too often.
What If My Turtle Won’t Eat?
Turtles actually can go days, weeks, and even MONTHS (in the case of hibernation) without any food. So don't worry too much if your turtle is not eating right now. But there are a few reasons why a healthy turtle won't eat:
1. The water they are eating in is too different from the water they live in (temperature, bacteria, smell taste, etc.) You can try scooping out some of their tank water to feed them in. Then just re-filling that amount in the tank with clean, dechlorinated water.
2. Their water is too cold. Some turtles won't eat, and cannot digest properly, if the water is cooler than 70-75 degrees.
3. They are uncomfortable in a different place. Even though feeding them in a different container keeps the tank A LOT cleaner-- some turtles will not eat outside their tank, because moving them stresses them out.
4. They are nervous because they feel "watched" or "on display". My little baby turtles simply will not eat if I am standing too close to their feeding bowl, or watching them. Its just because they are new. That might change after they get to know me better and get used to me. But for now, I just put there container in a slightly out-of-view spot, and I walk away. When I peek around the corner, I see them eating. But when I approach them, they stop! lol. This is normal.
5. Try live earth worms, most (adult) turtles can't resist that.
6. They have not yet adjusted to their new home. This is very common. In this case, they may just need some time to settle in. Be patient, they will come around.
Hey Thanks for sharing informative and useful blog over here.
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