Baby turtles require a varied diet in order to thrive and flourish, such as boiled meat, two types of leafy greens and thawed frozen vegetables for sufficient protein sources. A daily salad-mix will provide your turtle with enough nourishment to stay healthy!
Vegetables such as kale, mustard greens and dandelion greens are good food sources for box turtles. Iceberg lettuce does not provide many essential vitamins.
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Canned Dog Food
Many owners mistakenly feed their turtles dog food, especially canned or pelleted varieties. This poses a problem because dog food contains too much protein for turtles to digest effectively, leading to digestive difficulties or even choking incidents. Also, fiber-rich foods must be consumed for efficient protein digestion which may not be possible with dog food alone.
Buy special turtle food that is nutritionally complete. This can usually be found at most reptile stores. Also try including fresh fruits and vegetables – apples, bananas (ideally with their skins still intact), berries, tomatoes, cucumbers and melons are safe choices.
Avoid giving your turtles food that contains excessive salt and preservatives. Remember that turtles aren’t used to eating cooked foods, making it more of a challenge to get them used to new items like green beans or kohlrabi; however, eventually they may find their enjoyment! It could take several weeks before they adjust.
Raw Meat
Dog food should only be given as part of an occasional treat to your turtle; regular use could actually reduce vital nutrition to their bodies. Dog food has too much protein which may deprive them of necessary vitamins.
As a treat for their turtle, try feeding canned whole fish such as sardines, anchovies and salmon as this provides both calcium and phosphorous – essential components to their bones’ health. Just avoid anything fried that may contain harmful bacteria or fats that could harm them.
As turtles are not capable of digesting dairy products, owners should avoid feeding their turtle any dairy-rich foods such as cheese or yogurt. Also be wary when providing vegetables high in oxalates which block calcium absorption – such as bok choy, rhubarb Swiss chard collard greens; alternative options can include kale mustard greens steamed carrots squash green beans etc.
Lettuce
Box turtles require a diet rich in leafy vegetables, flowers, fruits and berries. Plant material should form the bulk of their diet; offer various colors, textures and shapes of foods like leaf lettuce or celery as these have high water and fiber contents but few nutrients.
Other vegetable options to include as part of a balanced diet are carrots (both orange and sweet varieties), radishes, turnips, collard greens, turnip greens, kale, spinach, dandelion greens and mustard greens – each providing essential calcium and fiber content.
Additionally, these foods contain moderate levels of protein for turtles of all ages and diet preferences. As excess amounts can lead to obesity and health issues in young turtles or those inclined to prefer veggies over meat, excessive quantities should not be fed in excessive quantities as this may lead to pyramiding, in which fat accumulates around their base legs making walking and swimming difficult for these turtles.
Fruits
Turtles enjoy snacking on fruit in moderation as it contains high levels of sugar, though cutting it into small pieces to enable digestion is recommended for optimal performance. Popular choices among turtles are bananas, pears and apples.
Though turtles will occasionally consume dog food as treats, this should only happen occasionally due to its excessive protein levels that could potentially lead to obesity in them. Obesity makes it hard for turtles to access food and water sources.
Turtles can consume foods similar to that found in dog food, such as raw meats, fish, insects, algae, moss and plant leaves as well as hornworth azolla (fairy moss). Worms should be avoided as they contain parasites and bacteria which could make your turtle sick; you should also refrain from giving dairy products, chives, fried foods baked goods or snacks that contain high amounts of fat and sugar and could contribute to weight gain in their bodies.
