Baby painted turtles are carnivorous but will transition into eating vegetables and fruit as they mature, which requires providing them with an array of plants and proteins in their diet to remain healthy.
Wild turtles feed on frogs, snails, slugs and tadpoles as well as dead fish or insects that they catch or consume directly. Captive ones do well on Mazuri and ReptoMin turtle pellets along with feeder guppies, crickets and worms as food sources.
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Vegetables
There are various vegetables available to painted turtles as part of their diet, although certain kinds are better than others; it is best to steer clear of those high in oxalic acid or potassium content, such as spinach and kale; water lettuce, anacharis and dandelion greens are also suitable.
These plants contain essential vitamins and minerals for turtle health; however, overfeeding your turtle with such foods could result in health complications.
Other vegetables that can benefit painted turtles include carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. If possible, give your turtle some fruit as treats only; apple, berry and banana fruits make great options.
Meat
Wild painted turtles are natural predators and feed on an assortment of fish, insects, worms, snails, frogs, crayfish and aquatic creatures as well as local plants from their environment.
If you want to supplement your pet’s diet with meat, look for lean and low-fat options such as chicken pieces and lean beef; high-fat beef and pork products could cause digestive upset.
At 10% or less of their diet, insects and fish can make excellent additions for painted turtles. Fatty fish such as goldfish should be avoided while crickets, worms and grubs make great snack choices; offer as often as possible for variety. Providing fresh apple chunks as treats is another tasty treat that should be given at intervals is another enjoyable activity for this pet.
Pellets
While pellets may not be the ideal protein source for their turtle’s diet, some people still opt to include it. Just make sure that there are also enough other food items as part of their meal.
Pellets are typically composed of fish or algae-based ingredients designed to meet the nutritional requirements of reptiles such as painted turtles.
Baby turtles may initially reject food at first, but as they mature they should eventually begin eating them regularly. A portion roughly the size of their heads should be offered five or six days per week to maintain health and weight gain.
Fruits
As an occasional treat, turtles can enjoy fruits such as berries, bananas, apples and carrots as a healthy treat. Cucumbers, eggplants, mushrooms or iceberg lettuce contain little nutritional value and high levels of phosphorus; avoid giving these veggies to your turtles!
As babies and juveniles, painted turtles tend to be more carnivorous than adults due to the higher protein requirements for growth. Therefore, feeding your turtle meat, small fish, insects, commercial food tailored specifically for young turtles until he or she reaches two inches in size is recommended.
Baby turtles should gradually be exposed to vegetables, water plants and fruits as part of a feeding regime designed to foster vitamin D production. Furthermore, plenty of sunlight should be available to provide essential vitamin D production.
Treats
As a general guideline, provide your turtle with a diet consisting of vegetables and plants daily as part of its regular diet to give them all of the essential vitamins and nutrients they require for healthful living. As an additional measure, offer two spoonfuls of turtle pellets every week as an added treat; crickets or mealworms could also make great additions.
Wild painted turtles eat both plants and animals, such as fish, tadpoles, worms, snails, frogs, aquatic vegetation, carrion and insects. When kept captive they should be provided with both live and freeze-dried food that floats easily for easy swallowing, while too much fruit should be limited since its role in their natural diet in nature remains uncertain.
