Yellow-bellied sliders are omnivorous animals, meaning they obtain nutrition from both animal and plant sources. When young, however, they become carnivorous and require a diet rich in proteins for growth and survival.
As adults, they will transition into mostly herbivorous habits and should consume leafy greens and pellets specially tailored to them. A weekly treat of fruit should also be offered.
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Vegetables
Yellow-bellied sliders require a diet consisting of vegetables, live prey and pellets for optimal health and growth. Treats such as strawberries may make up up to 15% of their diet; pellets should comprise 50%-75%. As young turtles reach maturity they require less protein;
As they mature, yellow-bellied sliders become increasingly herbivorous and should be fed a diet consisting primarily of leafy green vegetables – commercial turtle pellets provide a great starting point.
Dark leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, dandelion greens and fresh parsley should form part of a turtle’s regular diet. Also consider carrots, bell pepper and Swiss chard as additional food sources. Iceberg lettuce and mushrooms contain too much phosphorus which may cause gout in turtles; alternative options might include kale, broccoli and squash which must first be steamed prior to consumption; additionally a variety of insects can provide protein sources.
Insects
Yellow bellied turtles in their natural environment prefer eating aquatic plants and invertebrates; as pets they do best with a varied diet that includes vegetables, fruits and commercially available animal-based reptile pellets.
Food choices will depend on your turtle’s age. Juveniles and hatchlings require a diet rich in proteins while adults need more leafy greens such as romaine, dandelion greens, parsley or fresh chopped vegetables like romaine lettuce, dandelion greens or parsley for maximum nutritional benefit. Your turtle might also enjoy eating fresh fruit such as apples, bananas or strawberries or frozen ones such as mango and blueberries!
As well as the above food items, you should also add fish to your turtle’s tank to help maintain cleanliness and add protein. Make sure the species you select is appropriate for turtles; overfeeding may harm their health. Separate male from female fish to prevent any potential gill rot.
Pellets
As Yellow Bellied Sliders reach adulthood, their diet should become increasingly herbivorous; accordingly, a diet which consists of pellets and vegetables should be provided while still including some forms of meat for variety.
As wild turtles, these aquatic reptiles feed on amphibian larvae, snails, fish, crustaceans, aquatic plants and algae. When kept as pets they often prefer commercial turtle chow or pellets along with diced fresh vegetables like water lettuce, dandelion greens, spinach carrots and zucchini as food sources.
Provide variety in their diet with fruits such as mangos and citrus. Avoid feeding fruits that contain seeds or pits as this poses a choking hazard; cut up meat can also provide protein. When hand feeding turtles, use tongs rather than your fingers to minimize stress; turtles tend to prefer being left alone to do their thing!
Fruit
Your yellow belly turtle’s diet needs variety. A tasty treat would include apples, bananas, berries or any other tropical fruits like mangoes. When providing them with fruit treats make sure it’s washed well and cut up into smaller pieces for easier consumption by their species. However fruit should only ever serve as occasional treats rather than becoming part of their main food source.
As it is important to keep handling to a minimum for yellow bellied turtles, using feeding tongs when providing food will prevent any biting incidents when mistaken as food by your turtle. You can tell whether or not your yellow belly turtle is male by measuring their claw length and looking at their plastron.
