Red ear sliders, musk turtles and painted turtles kept as pets require a balanced diet composed of both plant-based foods and animal proteins such as processed pet food such as drained sardines or turtle pellets, or live prey such as earthworms, crickets, minnows or feeder fish to achieve proper balance in their nutrition.
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Meat
Most turtles kept as pets are omnivores, though some species such as aquatic sliders tend to continue eating meat as adults as opposed to box turtles who primarily eat plants and flowers.
Turtles in the wild are opportunistic feeders and will consume whatever is available, so it’s important to provide your turtle with a varied diet that includes processed pet foods like drained sardines and trout chow, along with live or frozen prey such as moths, crickets, worms or feeder fish.
Your turtle should also receive fresh fruits and vegetables (never iceberg lettuce or spinach), including berries, cantaloupe, dandelions and mustard greens – making sure these foods have been properly sterilized before feeding to it. Cooked chicken can also be added into their diet but do not include additional salts or seasonings.
Vegetables
A turtle should consume mostly leafy green vegetables and fruits. Avoid foods high in oxalates that bind calcium. Food options suitable for turtle diets include romaine lettuce, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard and mustard greens; avoid iceberg and head lettuce which have little nutritional value.
As your turtle ages, their protein needs should decrease while still needing vegetables and fruit as food sources. Protein sources could include anything from drained sardines and cooked chicken to moths and worms as sources.
If your pet is eating a varied and balanced diet and seems healthy, feeding full meals once every other or three days might be sufficient to meet its dietary requirements. Otherwise, daily feeding schedules should suffice.
Fruit
Turtles are predominantly carnivores, yet still require vegetables and fruit in their diets. You should avoid giving your turtle wild-caught fish as this could contain parasites; you should instead purchase fresh-caught fish from a bait shop instead.
Vegetables that are perfect for turtles include kale, collard greens, mustard or chard, squash and carrots. Peas, tomatoes and berries should also be fed regularly – it’s best to wash all produce before offering it to your turtle. You should consider opting for organic fruits and veggies since many conventional products contain pesticides which could potentially harm their health.
Small amounts of cooked chicken should only be fed to turtles on special occasions as these reptiles carry salmonella bacteria which could make them sick.
Flowers
A turtle should consume a varied diet to provide optimal nourishment. Quality reptile/aquatic turtle food should include both meat-based items and plant-based ones for maximum success, making your trip to pet supplies stores worth your while! You will likely find all that your turtle requires at one place!
Common sources of protein for turtles include drained sardines, cooked chicken, moths and crickets; while berries add sweetness. Vegetables that provide valuable nutrition include grated carrot tops (with leaves still attached!), zucchini and squash. Chives and parsley contain high concentrations of oxalates that could be toxic to them; you may occasionally offer bits of cooked chicken as treats but this should only be given occasionally, since wild turtles often carry Salmonella.
Water
Pet turtles require clean water in which to drink and swim, so keeping it free of bacteria and ammonia is vitally important. Unused food should be removed regularly to prevent build-up of waste feces; and every 3-6 weeks the entire tank should be deep cleaned in order to rid itself of nitrates.
An aquatic turtle’s diet should include both vegetables and animal protein sources such as feeder fish like guppies or sardines for animal protein sources, though too much fish consumption could lead to vitamin E or thiamine deficiencies if consumed exclusively. As such, only small portions should make up their overall diet.
Vegetables should form the bulk of a turtle’s diet, including dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce (not iceberg), collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens and dandelions. Other recommended vegetables are carrots, squash and bell peppers. Fruit should only be given sparingly due to their high sugar content causing obesity or nutritional deficiencies.
