As with any pet, aquatic turtles require a diet rich in essential vitamins and nutrients for proper development. This can be accomplished through providing them with insects or fish as sources of protein; plants and vegetables as sources of vital vitamins; or by purchasing commercially produced pellets with such balanced nutritional profiles.
Pellets should make up about one-third of your turtle’s diet, supplemented by leafy greens (such as Red-leaf lettuce or Romaine) as well as ghost shrimp, krill and feeder fish treats as treats.
Contents
Protein
Many aquatic turtle food products utilize fish as the main source of protein. Certain models include colored pellets to entice finicky turtles to consume the food. Some of the best products feature natural sources that contain high levels of fish fat and Omega-3’s, helping improve overall health while decreasing the likelihood of disease and other conditions.
Mazuri (r) floating foods contain three types of pellets that offer optimal nutrition to turtles. Plus, they’re free from artificial colors & flavors for maximum natural eating experiences!
Protein is the cornerstone of any turtle diet; meat-based sources should make up 60-80%. Vegetables should also play an integral part in its nutrition; but only small portions should be offered, and be avoided as buffet items; certain plants contain phytochemicals that interfere with absorption (for instance spinach which contains oxalic acid).
Vegetables
Turtles require various nutrients found in vegetables and fruit for proper functioning, which can be obtained through commercial diets for turtles like Hikari Tropical Algae Wafers which provides both herbivorous and omnivorous options.
Your turtle should eat an abundance of vegetables, particularly leafy greens like collard greens or dandelions that are high in vitamin A and calcium content. Incorporating fruits such as apples or berries may also supplement this diet – just avoid citrus varieties!
Carrots and squash should also be provided. You should avoid giving your turtle any foods high in oxalates that could interfere with calcium absorption and cause serious issues; bread and pasta provide no nutritional value and could even lead to serious digestive problems in young turtles. Eggs contain high amounts of cholesterol so should also be avoided as sources of food.
Fruits
Wild turtles eat a wide range of fruits, and pet turtles should receive similar diets. Fruits contain vitamins and minerals – particularly vitamin C – as well as essential fats; however, too much fruit consumption could lead to an excess amount of phosphorus being ingested by your turtle, so only offer them occasionally or feed only small quantities at one time.
Watermelons provide aquatic turtles with an ideal treat that’s both tasty and hydrating, making it safe to snack on occasionally. Many pet stores sell unsweetened melon cocktails, which includes various fruits to meet all their nutrient requirements.
Turtles enjoy eating leafy green vegetables like kale, collard greens, iceberg lettuce, spinach and parsley as well as carrots squash and other root vegetables. Avoid providing turtles with food that has been deep-fried as this can be difficult for their digestion as well as provide essential nutrition. In general it’s wise not to overfeed your turtle; only give as much food as they can consume within several minutes.
Fish
Aquatic turtles enjoy treats beyond commercial turtle pellets, such as goldfish and fathead minnows as well as chicken pieces. In addition, aquatic turtles often enjoy snacks such as fish (particularly goldfish and fathead minnows), vegetables such as collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, romaine lettuce escarole squash apples bananas melons as well as insects such as mealworms or waxworms given in small quantities as treats.
But too much fish may cause a vitamin E deficiency and should be limited; oily varieties like smelt and mackerel should be avoided as much as possible. Furthermore, too much fresh meat could result in upset stomachs in turtles.
Bottom line, turtles require a diet composed of both meat- and plant-based foods to remain healthy. Most species only need commercial turtle pellets; additional protein sources come from live prey such as brine shrimp, sardines, earthworms or bloodworms. Powdered supplements used in commercial foods also help prevent metabolic disorders or mineral deficiencies that might otherwise arise from overfeeding.
