Canned dog food poses a choking hazard for turtles, as its high protein content isn’t beneficial to their diets. Furthermore, its limited source of fiber makes this an unhealthy diet choice.
Purchase high-quality turtle food designed specifically to feed the species of your turtle. An option such as Tetra ReptoMin food sticks could work wonders in helping promote growth for smaller aquatic species, while helping your reptile stay happy and healthy!
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What Should I Do?
General guidelines recommend feeding turtles a varied diet that contains high vegetable content. As turtles are opportunistic feeders, it may become pickier on certain days; therefore it’s wise to feed as much food as your turtle can consume within 15-20 minutes.
Make sure that your food doesn’t contain fillers such as wheat and corn; select a pellet that features whole proteins, such as salmon or herring, as the first ingredient and include food with vegetables such as kale and kelp in its composition.
Calcium powder and cuttlebone should be sprinkled on turtle food on a regular basis to provide extra vitamins and minerals. This will supplement their diet.
However, turtle owners should avoid feeding their turtle any form of dog kibble even as an occasional treat; its high proteins and fat content could potentially lead to obesity and liver disease in turtles.
Call the Vet
Turtles that live in water can carry salmonella bacteria that can make dogs very sick. Most cases, however, only show diarrhea and vomiting symptoms; most recover quickly with proper care.
Food for your turtle is of critical importance to its long-term wellbeing, so only feed it high-quality reptile pellets and freshly-caught fish or shrimp from reliable sources. Though commercial turtle flakes may exist, these may lack essential minerals and proteins needed by your pet.
Be wary of feeding your turtle food that contains high levels of fat, salt, and sugar – these items will lead to mineral buildup that could result in serious health issues for their shell. Furthermore, any fruits like bananas, melons, or some berries can be dangerous; only use these as treats! A veterinarian that specializes in reptile care can assist in selecting suitable diet options for your turtle.
See the Vet Again
Turtles may not be as adorable or playful as dogs and cats, but they still need special care as pets. Feeding fruits and vegetables to your turtle can be dangerous without proper research on which are safe. Many foods contain various levels of phosphorous which could weaken his or her shell. Raisins, dates, avocados, bananas, tomatoes and corn should all be avoided to ensure its wellbeing.
Dairy should also be avoided since turtles lack the enzymes to digest it properly and can experience diarrhea and stomach upset as a result. Salty foods should also be avoided to ensure optimal digestion for your turtle. For optimal feeding habits, look for pellets or sticks made of high-quality ingredients like Reptomin containing high levels of protein and calcium for strong health and wellbeing; Reptomin also comes in floating pellets or sticks for more natural feeding routine.
Follow the Vet’s Advice
Turtle meat can provide your pet with essential proteins, but only cook it first as raw turtle meat could contain bacteria which could make him sick.
Pet turtles require a diet composed of animal-based food sources as well as fruits and vegetables to meet their dietary requirements, according to Turtleholic. Animal-based food options could include processed pet foods like drained sardines and turtle pellets; fish or crustacean foods; as well as live prey such as moths, crickets, worms feeder fish or amphibians (live prey).
Vegetarian diets should include leafy greens like kale, collard greens and mustard greens; squash, carrots and peas; bananas and apples. Some pet turtles require vitamin and mineral supplements which should be sprinkled lightly over their food two to three times a week for optimal results – it would be wise to consult a reptile specialist or veterinarian beforehand in order to provide your turtle with optimal care and food supplements.
