Many people don’t know what to feed their box turtle, but this guide can help you make informed decisions on what food should be provided for your beloved pet.
When feeding your box turtle, there are various foods to choose from and it is essential that you understand their effects on their wellbeing. There is a wide variety of nutrients available for them to choose from, so make sure they get all of them!
Contents
Vegetables
Box turtles should eat a wide range of vegetables. Dark leafy greens should form the majority of their diet, along with yellow, red, and orange vegetables for added variety.
Feed your box turtles a variety of fresh, pesticide-free vegetables such as spinach, kale, collard greens, beet greens, Swiss chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, broccoli carrots escarole cucumbers and squash.
Fruits should be consumed sparingly, as they contain high calories and little nutritional value. Some fruits, such as bananas or nectarine, may even lead to diarrhea if given in excess.
Fruits
Box turtles can eat a variety of fruits, such as grapes and blueberries. However, it’s essential that the foods have the correct calcium-to-phosphorous ratio and are free from oxalic acid or iodine binders.
For optimal nutrition, feed baby box turtles a mixture of meat, vegetables and fruit. This is because hatchlings have special dietary needs during their first twelve months of life and require more protein than older box turtles do.
Meat
Box turtles are omnivores, meaning they can eat both plants and meat. However, what they consume depends on their species, subspecies, and age group.
Box turtles should eat 50% animal-based foods and 30% vegetables. Dark leafy greens should make up 10-20% of their diet, while fruits make up the smallest proportion.
Fruits contain oxalates which can bind calcium, so it is recommended to offer them sparingly. A weekly dusting of calcium powder that does not contain phosphorus as well as adding vitamin D3 are both beneficial.
Fish
Box turtles consume a wide range of foods. In the wild they feed on insects, grubs, snails, worms, carrion, flowers and fruits.
Captive box turtles typically feed on a diet consisting of fresh vegetables, low-fat protein and fruit. Ideally, the protein should come from whole live foods like earthworms, mealworms, beetles, grubs, crickets, slugs and snails – these can all be provided as food sources.
Fish should only be offered sparingly and in small portions. Avoid feeding them whole or raw, as their entrails and bones may be harmful to a turtle.
Insects
Box turtles are omnivores, eating both animal-based and plant-derived foods. Younger turtles tend to be carnivorous while adults consume both in roughly equal proportions.
Fruits are an integral part of a box turtle’s diet. They enjoy apples, apricots, bananas, peaches, melons, kiwis, grapes and more – all delicious to them!
Greens are an invaluable source of nutrients for your turtle, so ensure they make up a substantial part of their diet. However, be sure the greens you offer your turtle are low in phosphorus and high in calcium.
Pellets
Box turtles are omnivores and require a varied diet of plant matter, fruits and vegetables. Eastern and ornate box turtles should be offered chopped mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens as well as other interesting vegetables at each feeding.
Protein should comprise 70 to 80% of a hatchling or growing juvenile’s diet. Adult box turtles can be fed a variety of meats, but it is essential to cook meat before offering it in order to prevent bacterial infection and stomach rotting.
Commercial Food
When it comes to feeding your box turtle, commercial foods can be a convenient way to ensure they get all of the essential nutrients. However, they should only be used as an addition to a balanced diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruits, insects and fish.
Box turtles are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. To feed them effectively, a variety of fruits, vegetables such as apples, tomatoes, cantaloupes and leafy greens should be offered along with live prey such as crickets, mealworms and earthworms.
