Musk turtles (also called stinkpots) eat mostly animal food. A good pet diet is a quality sinking turtle pellet as the staple, plus snails, earthworms, insects and the occasional small fish, with a little aquatic plant matter on the side.
What Musk Turtles Eat in the Wild
Musk turtles are small, bottom-walking turtles that forage in shallow, slow water. They eat snails, insects and their larvae, worms, crayfish, tadpoles, small fish, and carrion, along with some algae and plant matter. They mostly feed by prowling the bottom, so food that sinks suits them best.
A Simple Feeding Plan
- Staple: a good sinking turtle or aquatic-reptile pellet. Pick one made for turtles, not goldfish flakes.
- Protein variety: earthworms, bloodworms, small snails, crickets, dubia roaches, and the occasional guppy or minnow.
- Greens: a few pieces of aquatic plants such as anacharis or duckweed. Some musk turtles nibble them, others ignore them.
- Treats: shrimp or small pieces of cooked, lean meat now and then, not as a regular meal.
How Often and How Much
Hatchlings and juveniles should eat every day. Adults do well with a meal every two to three days. Offer only what the turtle will finish in about 30 minutes, then remove leftovers or do a partial water change, because uneaten food fouls a small tank quickly. Musk turtles are prone to overeating, and a pudgy turtle is not a healthy one.
Calcium and Light
Strong shells need calcium and vitamin D3. A varied diet with whole prey (snails with shells are great) helps, and a UVB light over a basking spot lets the turtle make its own vitamin D3. A calcium supplement can be dusted on food occasionally, but ask your reptile vet how much, since too much is also a problem.
Foods to Avoid
- Processed human foods such as bread, cheese, lunch meat and bacon.
- Fatty or raw meat from the grocery store, which is unbalanced and can foul the water.
- Wild-caught prey from treated lawns or polluted water.
- Large amounts of spinach or chard, which are high in oxalates.
Tips for Picky Eaters
A turtle that suddenly stops eating is often too cold. Musk turtles want water in the mid-70s °F with a warmer basking spot. If temperatures are right and your turtle still refuses food for more than a week or two, or looks swollen, lethargic or has soft spots on its shell, see a reptile vet.
Bottom Line
Feed a sinking pellet as the base, rotate in snails, worms and insects, keep portions small, and provide UVB and a basking spot. For more on what other pet turtles eat, see our guides to vegetables turtles can eat, feeding yellow-bellied sliders and Mazuri turtle pellets.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If your turtle is sick or not eating, call a reptile vet.
