Owners often struggle with finding appropriate food sources for aquatic turtles. Bread contains sugar and dairy products which may prove hard for turtles to digest.
Instead, try feeding your turtle vegetables such as carrots, collard greens, berries, romaine lettuce and bananas as a healthier diet and adding calcium and vitamin supplements for extra support.
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Vegetables
Most species of turtles are omnivorous and require both plant and animal sources of nutrition in their diets. While their specific preferences will differ between individuals, all turtles require plenty of vegetables and fruits in their daily meals.
Vegetables should make up the bulk of a turtle’s diet. Leafy greens and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals such as carrots, squash, bell peppers, broccoli, and peas are good options; avoid iceberg lettuce as it provides few essential vitamins.
Vegetables can be served raw or cooked. When choosing to boil them, be careful not to overdo it as excessive heat will destroy some beneficial nutrients. Cruciferous vegetables like collard greens, kale or bok choy should be avoided because they contain high levels of oxalates which block calcium absorption; additionally they should also be avoided by turtles with Metabolic Bone Disease or calcium deficiencies; it would be best if these vegetables were combined with lower-oxalate vegetables instead.
Meat
Wild turtles are generally both omnivorous and carnivorous depending on the species they belong to, with young turtles needing high amounts of protein-rich foods like drained sardines, cooked chicken and fish as staples for proper development. Too much meat consumption could lead to pyramiding disease where triangular growths form on its shell surface causing it to bulge out of place causing pain during shell-barking behavior.
Vegetables are an integral component of their diet and should compose approximately 80-90% of their food source. Leafy green vegetables such as kale, collard greens and dandelions make excellent options; other good options for them may include okra, turnips and squash varieties as well as fruits such as berries, bananas and apples.
Avoid feeding them fruits and vegetables grown or sourced with pesticides and artificial additives, as these chemicals may accumulate in their bodies and adversely impact them. Be sure to carefully rinse conventional produce prior to giving it to your turtles!
Pellets
Turtles need food pellets that contain all of the essential vitamins and nutrients for good health, particularly young turtles who require additional protein for growth and development. A diet consisting of pellets should make up no more than 25% of a turtle’s food consumption but can be offered alongside other sources.
Many pet stores stock commercial turtle foods. Look for high protein foods containing ingredients such as kale, shrimp, earthworms and other animal or plant products like the Zoo Med ReptiSticks floating food line as an example of one nutritious choice that includes all these components in an easy-to-feed pellet form.
Herbivorous turtles may occasionally enjoy low-sugar fruits like strawberries and bananas as a special treat; however, fruit should not form the basis of an herbivorous turtle’s diet due to lacking essential vitamins and minerals for proper development. If feeding too much fruit to your herbie, ensure they receive other sources of protein such as meat to ensure optimal growth.
Live Food
Though pellets are nutritious, turtles still benefit from receiving fresh foods. A general rule suggests that 80-90% of their diet should consist of vegetables and fruit with only small amounts of meat being offered as sustenance. All fruits and vegetables should be cut into bite-sized pieces so the turtle can enjoy nibbling on items like grated carrots, zucchini squash, peas, apples bananas berries tropical fruits such as guava or pawpaw.
Avoid foods that are fried, fatty, high in salt content or include added sugars; these could prove hazardous for your turtle’s wellbeing. Iceberg lettuce alone does not provide the nutrients your turtle requires – instead try providing leafy greens like collard or mustard greens, bok choy or romaine lettuce instead as the primary diet component; other great choices could include dandelion greens and kale as well as vegetables rich in calcium such as parsley celery or broccoli as alternative diet options.
