Baby turtles require an increased protein diet in order to become healthy adults, with commercial turtle food commonly available at pet stores as a supplement; some owners also choose to add fresh vegetables and fruits to their turtle’s daily meal plan.
Leafy greens such as kale and collard greens provide excellent sources of calcium for turtles. Other nutritious vegetables include carrots, squash and romaine lettuce. Beware any foods high in oxalates which could prevent your turtle from absorbing enough of the necessary calcium for optimal health.
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Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Sun turtles will feed on any vegetable, but their favorite is leafy green vegetables like kale, collards and mustard greens. Carrots and squash should only be fed occasionally due to being high in sugar content.
As part of a balanced diet for your reptile, offer both fresh foods and commercial turtle pellets for their diet. However, avoid giving chocolate, milk or fried foods, which could cause digestive upset in turtles.
Canned Fruit and Vegetables
Omnivorous turtles feed on both fruits and vegetables, as well as occasionally nibbling at small bits of meat.
Kale, collard greens, mustard greens and spinach are nutritious choices for turtles. As spinach contains oxalate crystals that should only be fed occasionally in cooked form (and only as part of an animal’s regular diet), its consumption should be limited accordingly.
Other safe foods for turtles to eat include apples, bananas, blueberries, watermelons and corn – just remember to remove the seeds as these can be difficult for turtles to digest.
Meat
Baby turtles consume various foods, from insects and fish to fruits and vegetables found in nature, such as dandelion greens, mustard greens, romaine lettuce collard greens turnips swiss chard endive kale wheatgrass etc.
Meat should make up no more than 5-7% of your turtle’s diet; dog food, monkey chow, and canned meat products such as lunchmeat should all be avoided. Furthermore, no more than 10% of their food should come from fried sources.
Fish
Map turtles are omnivorous when in the wild, feeding on both animal and plant foods. Their favorite snacks include edible aquatic plants as well as leafy green vegetables such as romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, collard greens, Romanian lettuce, and mustard greens.
To satisfy their nutritional needs, provide fish or meat products, along with turtle pellets containing balanced blends of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh fruit and vegetables should only be provided occasionally as treats.
Chicken
If your turtle is carnivorous, chicken makes for an excellent source of protein. Just remember that any uncooked or raw pieces could harbor salmonella which is potentially hazardous for its health.
As turtles have difficulty digesting processed sugar or dairy, try not to feed your turtle any foods containing processed sugar or dairy, nor any lunch meats with salt and preservatives added as these could harm their digestive systems.
Beef
Although turtles enjoy eating meat, too much may deprive them of essential vitamins and nutrients found in greens, fruits, and vegetables.
Good quality turtle food should contain high amounts of proteins and calcium/phosphorus content for optimal growth in any given species of turtle you own.
Beef provides turtles with essential protein, as well as providing many vitamins and minerals. To prepare beef properly for their turtle diets, it should be cooked thoroughly then cut into smaller pieces for consumption.
Pasta
Turtles enjoy eating an assortment of fruits and vegetables, as well as meats high in protein.
As turtles cannot digest fried foods, it is wise to avoid feeding them these. Additionally, dairy products cannot be shared due to being harmful for their health.
Offer them leafy vegetable foods like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens and romaine lettuce as part of a balanced diet.
Dessert
Turtle dessert recipes make an impressive treat for special events or as gifts, featuring chocolate, caramel and pecans all combined into one delicious treat! Try this turtle treat recipe today to bring joy and delight to someone special in your life.
Fruit can make an ideal treat for your turtle, but should not form the primary component of their diet. Only small pieces should be given.
Little bits of meat make an excellent treat for your turtle, such as beef hearts, chicken or fish. Just be sure to cut up into smaller pieces for safety’s sake to prevent your reptile from choking on it!
