Feeding young turtles should include a range of foods to provide them with essential nutrition. This should include animal products (drained sardines, trout chow, or any processed pet food), fruit and vegetables as well as some meat for complete growth.
Insects such as earthworms, mealworms, crickets, moths, snails, slugs and wax worms provide an excellent source of protein.
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Carrots
Infant turtles face unique nutritional needs during their critical early months. High-quality pellet food specifically made for turtles is widely available from pet stores and can be combined with other foods for feeding purposes.
Fresh food should also be added to a young turtle’s diet in order to stimulate its appetite and maintain an enjoyable feeding experience. Carrots provide important vitamin A sources, and deficiencies of this nutrient may lead to xerophthalmia (an eye disease which causes night blindness) as well as other issues.
Feeding turtles fresh food should be done in increments of 20 minutes to prevent overfeeding and keep their aquarium water clear. Most adult turtles are omnivorous, and therefore should incorporate both animal products and vegetables in their diet, while many juveniles tend to be carnivorous with greater proportions of meat than vegetables in their daily meals.
Spinach
Turtles can be finicky eaters, so providing them with a range of foods in their tank may encourage them to consume what’s available. On average, their diet should consist of 25% protein from fish (like comet goldfish), 50% vegetables such as dark leafy greens, carrot tops boiled in water or squash and shredded kale and 10% fruits to provide vitamins and minerals.
Assuring your turtle receives the essential nutrition it needs is essential for their wellbeing, meaning avoiding foods containing preservatives, artificial flavors and additives which could potentially do irreparable damage in time.
Fluker’s Treat Medley for Turtles includes freeze-dried shrimp, mealworms and crickets to provide your turtle with some of the protein it requires in its diet, along with fresh vegetables like spinach, carrot tops and kale. Although not intended to replace an entire diet for your turtles, use this food sparingly as snacks or occasional treats and use this opportunity to introduce your turtles to new things such as fresh veggies!
Apples
Though turtles can eat apples, it is wise to give them as treats instead of making it part of their regular diet. Apples can have an adverse impact on turtle digestive systems and may lead to bloat. Furthermore, apples contain too much sugar for turtles’ digestive systems to handle; thus serving it only occasionally as treats is best. Finally, be mindful not to leave out seeds which contain potentially poisonous cyanide that could pose dangers.
Apples are an excellent source of Vitamin A, an essential nutrient for turtle health. Vitamin A helps them remain reproductively viable and respiratory sound, improves their vision and supports overall growth.
Apples are also an excellent source of calcium, the primary element found in turtle shells. A deficiency can result in numerous health complications; to combat this risk, make sure your turtle’s diet provides an ample supply of this mineral.
Eggs
Eggs provide an excellent source of protein for juvenile turtle food. Packed full of essential vitamins and minerals as well as water content, eggs should only make up 25% of a juvenile turtle diet.
Reptile veterinarians advise feeding baby turtles a varied diet that includes commercially produced turtle pellets, live food and vegetables to promote good health and ensure longevity for your turtle. A varied diet will promote optimal health in your turtle.
If your turtle is refusing to eat, consult with a reptile vet immediately and have it fully examined and treated for vitamin deficiencies such as calcium deficiency or UVB ray deficiency. A common cause may include low calcium, Vitamin D3 or UVB levels which could prevent him/her from eating normally.
Your turtle’s long-term health should be of primary importance when selecting his diet. A variety of food can ensure he gets all of his essential nutrients. Furthermore, choosing appropriate food will prevent shell pyramiding; an irreversible condition whereby too quickly growing scutes cause them to mishapen and result in shell pyramiding.
