Turtles should ideally receive their food from vegetables, fruits, and flowers; approximately 80-90% of its diet should come from this source.
Avoid feeding wild-caught fish or amphibians as these could contain parasites that could compromise a turtle’s health. Also, take care not to overfeed a turtle.
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Vegetables
Turtles require a varied diet, so offering fresh vegetables and fruits as supplements to their commercial food pellet diet is vital.
Turtle diets should include leafy greens such as collard, kale, mustard and dandelion greens for maximum nutrition. In addition, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes boiled broccoli and peas may also be fed; it is wise to steer clear of iceberg lettuce as this does not offer much in terms of vitamins.
Fruits make for a nutritious and filling snack option, though their sugar-laden nature should be taken into consideration when selecting what fruits to include as snacks. Try snacking on figs, strawberries, bananas, apples or pears!
Meat
Most pet turtles are omnivores that eat both plants and meat, with their nutritional needs depending on age and species.
Young turtles typically require more protein and animal foods than older ones; one way of supplementing their diets would be providing them with dark leafy greens such as kale, collards and dandelion greens as a form of supplement.
Make sure not to feed turtles any food containing pesticides or chemicals as these could enter their system and potentially cause serious health issues.
Fish
Turtle diets should consist mainly of plant-based food sources such as leafy greens (spinach, kale, mustard greens) and vegetables such as carrots, squash, bell peppers and cucumbers which provide essential vitamins and minerals. Fruit can also be provided as variety and natural sugar sources.
Wild turtles feed on small fish to supplement their diets with protein and variety, but feeding regular doses of fish food to your turtle could cause an imbalance of essential vitamins and minerals.
Overfeeding turtles can also contribute to excessively dirty turtle water, as uneaten food particles and pellets decompose faster than their filtration systems can clean them up. Cleaning the tank regularly will help avoid this scenario from taking place.
Fruit
Fruit can make an enjoyable treat for turtles, but should only comprise 10% of their diet. Particularly dangerous fruits include avocados and citrus (lemons/oranges). Both contain high levels of persin that could pose health hazards for turtles.
However, other fruits can provide valuable vitamins, minerals and fiber such as pears, mangoes or bananas. Beware of sugary treats which could potentially cause diarrhea in turtles.
Mealworms
Mealworms can provide an extra boost of protein for most turtle diets, though due to being deficient in calcium and other essential vitamins they shouldn’t be fed regularly as a staple food source.
Mealworms can be purchased from pet stores or caught naturally in gardens without pesticide use. Grasshoppers, crickets, earthworms and pillbugs should also be fed occasionally but should not constitute too large an element in one’s diet as excessive consumption could lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Turtles in the wild consume various foods such as fish, plants and reptiles for sustenance; however, it’s essential that their diet be sufficient to provide all of the essential vitamins and nutrients they require in order to thrive.
Waxworms
Wax worms can provide much-needed nutrition, making an attractive treat for turtle breeders. Offering these treats occasionally may increase your turtle’s appetite if it seems disinterested in eating commercial pellets or vice versa.
Box turtles in the wild eat an array of food sources, so to bring this diversity to your aquarium, aim to offer various fresh foods with at least 50% plant-based content and the rest animal based.
Supplements
Feed your turtle a varied diet to maximize its health. Commercial turtle pellets may provide enough nutrition, but fresh foods offer greater vitamin and mineral intake.
Young turtles require additional protein for proper growth and development, so meat should comprise an increased portion of their diet when young. As they mature, however, this amount can decrease while still offering plenty of vegetables and fruit as part of a varied diet.
Foods rich in vitamin A such as leafy greens (such as kale) and carrots are crucial, as vitamin A deficiency can cause vision issues in turtles. Supplementing with D3 supplements may also be recommended in instances when turtles cannot bask and absorb natural sunlight directly.
