Box turtles are omnivorous animals. When foraging in the wild, they consume earthworms, snails, grubs, berries, plants and flowers as food sources; as feeder insects such as nightcrawlers or red wigglers they also accept.
Plant foods should comprise at least 80% of your pet’s diet. This should include dark leafy greens, carrots and other vibrantly colored veggies and fruits such as peppers or bell peppers – avoid lighter leaves such as iceberg lettuce and celery that provide little nutrition.
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Vegetables
Box turtles can be fed nearly any type of vegetable, though dark leafy green vegetables should make up most of their diet. Rich in minerals and vitamins, dark leafy green vegetables provide essential nutrition to the gut health of turtles. Some recommended veggies include: dandelion greens, collard greens, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, wheat grass and Swiss chard – avoid light leafy vegetables such as iceberg lettuce as they offer little nutritional benefit.
As captive turtle owners, we cannot provide our chelonian companions with all of the foods found in their natural habitat. Therefore, their diet must contain all necessary vitamins and nutrients.
Fruit
As adults, box turtles are omnivorous animals and will consume both plants and animals; young turtles prefer animal protein over plant-derived foods. It is essential that fresh food always be available to your turtle to prevent malnourishment; cut up fruits and vegetables so they are easily consumed by your turtle. Large pieces may cause them choking or digestion difficulties.
Regularly serve dark leafy greens such as collards, mustard greens, kale and turnip greens to your pet to promote optimal health and prevent goitrogens from building up in their system. Also provide romaine lettuce and wheat grass.
Meat
Box turtles require a balanced diet of animal-based foods to thrive, particularly for hatchlings and juveniles who tend to be carnivorous. A balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio is also vital.
Cooked meats are preferred since they contain less bacteria and germs, and digest more easily by reptiles.
A balanced diet for turtles should consist of vegetables, fruits, insects, fish and meats; adequate water should also be provided on an ongoing basis; multivitamin sprays or other supplements could supplement their diet as needed.
Fish
Box turtles should only receive fish occasionally as wild varieties may contain harmful bacteria that could harm them. Feeder fish such as killifish, mosquitofish, guppies and platies may be offered, though their diet should not exceed 20%.
Box turtle diets should contain an abundance of vegetables such as collard greens, turnip greens, alfalfa hay, bok choy, Swiss chard, watercress kale and dandelion greens – dark leafy veggies are rich sources of vitamin A, folate, potassium and calcium while light leafy ones contain oxalates which bind with other essential minerals preventing absorption.
Fruits should be given in small amounts and should include apples, pears, bananas (with peel), mango and star fruit. Cooked meat should also be given instead of raw because this could pose a bacterial risk to their health.
Insects
Box turtles are omnivorous animals in their natural environment and will consume everything from earthworms, snails, grubs, beetles caterpillars carrion and grass to fruit berries and mushrooms as food sources. As pet owners it is our responsibility to provide as much variety in diet as possible in order to ensure adequate nutrition for these penned pets.
As well as fresh foods, commercial turtle diets high in Vitamin A may also be suitable for box turtles to avoid vitamin A deficiency which could result in eye infections and upper respiratory ailments.
As a general guideline, adult turtles should receive one full meal every two days and subadults and babies daily.
Flowers
Box turtles are omnivorous animals, meaning that they need both plants and meat in their diet, in addition to minerals, vitamins, and water in sufficient amounts.
One way of providing nutrients for yourself and your family is through gardening your own vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a sunny garden or outdoor enclosure. Homegrown plants tend to be safer than those purchased at stores which may have been treated with pesticides.
Avoid feeding your box turtle any plants containing toxic chemicals, including azaleas, periwinkle, foxglove and hollyhock as these contain high concentrations of oxalates which could prove toxic for it. Instead focus on providing it with plenty of dark leafy greens and fruits in its diet.
