Box turtles are omnivorous animals and should receive both plant- and animal-based foods in equal portions to maintain optimal nutrition, especially as young ones. A diet including both types can help avoid nutritional imbalances.
Acceptable vegetables include dark leafy greens (with an increased calcium-to-phosphorus ratio), collard greens, kale, turnip greens, alfalfa hay, okra, carrot tops and sprouts. A selection of fruits should also be provided.
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Insects
Box turtles thrive when provided with insects such as earth worms, night crawlers, wax worms, super worms, crickets and meal worms from bait shops or pet stores. Before offering to your turtle, be sure to dust each one with reptile calcium supplement.
Vegetables should make up the bulk of a box turtle’s diet, including collard greens, mustard and turnip greens, kale, Swiss chard, alfalfa hay, watercress and parsley. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower) contain oxalates which prevent their digestion by the reptile’s gut.
If your turtle is reluctant to feed, light therapy and novel foods could help. Place it in an ordinary tub or box without substrate or hiding places and place a bright warm light for at least 2 hours daily over it.
Animal Matter
As omnivores, box turtles need both animal-based foods and plant matter for proper nourishment. Greens should be included as part of most turtle diets as a staple source of essential calcium and other vital nutrients; be sure to select varieties low in phosphorus content and antinutrients like goitrogens and oxalates.
Box turtles in the wild tend to be crepuscular by nature and tend to be most active foraging and searching at dawn, when UV radiation levels are at their highest. This helps them avoid harmful rays during midday.
Feeding at this time can also increase appetite. Be wary, however, as overfeeding could cause nutritional imbalances – for instance feeding only iceberg lettuce which contains low amounts of calcium can result in metabolic bone disease in the long run.
Fruits & Vegetables
Box turtles must be fed a variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens that contain many essential vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. Iceberg lettuce, spinach and rhubarb contain chemicals which inhibit their absorption of this essential nutrient.
Young turtle babies require diets high in calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. An ideal ratio would be 2:1.
Juvenile box turtles require more animal based protein than adult box turtles, and should be offered crickets or worms stuffed with greens as food sources. Fruits and vegetables should also be chopped before providing as individual turtles may develop strong preferences for certain items.
Flowers
Box turtles tend to be crepuscular in nature and prefer foraging early morning and late afternoon, providing fresh foods in their enclosure at these times will only increase their appetites further.
Be sure to thoroughly wash all fruits, vegetables and flowers prior to giving them to your turtle. Furthermore, check for high levels of oxalates in any plant material and avoid those with high concentrations.
Turnips (also referred to as rutabaga and brassica greens) are rich sources of calcium. As part of the cruciferous vegetable family – alongside broccoli, kale and collard greens – turnips contain an abundance of this nutrient.
Persimmons are packed with vitamin C and iron, yet are very high in sugar – therefore making them an ideal treat.
Water
Box turtles require water for digestion and to stay hydrated, so make sure they have access to fresh, clean drinking water daily and make sure it is thoroughly washed before feeding them any produce containing vitamin A such as kale, turnip greens or carrots.
Box turtles in the wild consume roughly 50-60% animal matter and 40-40% plants such as leaves, flowers, fruits and vegetables for nutrition. You can emulate this natural diet by offering an assortment of items at each mealtime in order to replicate its composition.
Be careful to not overfeed your turtle as this could lead to obesity. Furthermore, diversifying their diet regularly is also important; some turtles may become picky about certain foods if fed too frequently; this indicates a nutritional issue and should be dealt with immediately.
