Turtles feed on various forms of aquatic organisms in their natural environments, including worms, snails and clams as well as insects like crickets, earthworms and tadpoles.
Pellets should never make up the bulk of a turtles diet as this may lead to nutritional deficiencies. Many keepers rotate leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens and romaine lettuce amongst their rotation.
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Fruit
Turtles typically feed on dead animals, some fish and water-based foods. Although it’s okay to feed your turtle these natural foods, you should avoid providing your turtle with lunch meats (which contain sodium and preservatives) and anything with processed sugar in its ingredients.
Turtles enjoy eating apples and berries, though you should offer these only in moderation as they contain high amounts of sugar that could pose health concerns for their wellbeing.
Canned whole fish such as sardines, anchovies or mackerel is safe for turtles; however, an abundance of seafood could lead to thiamine deficiency in your turtle. Fresh fish is best when free from contaminants; an alternative option would be Fluker’s Buffet Blend turtle diet for optimal turtle nutrition.
Vegetables
Baby red-eared sliders should be fed more frequently than adult specimens and their diet should consist of 30% plant matter. They should receive a variety of food to maintain an healthy appetite – this includes eating chopped Swiss chard, watercress and arugula every day!
Your turtle should receive nutritious vegetables such as collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale and romaine lettuce as a meal. Iceberg lettuce does not provide them with any essential vitamins. Carrots, squash pears and apples may also be given; any with added sugars and preservatives could make the turtle sick.
Meat
Turtles are omnivorous animals, requiring both animal prey and plant-based foods as food sources. Turtles require protein-rich meats as well as dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, turnips and dandelion greens as dietary components.
Other good sources of protein include canned sardines, anchovies or herring (remove the bones before eating) as well as feeder fish like goldfish, guppies or minnows.
Avoid feeding your turtle fried food that contains high levels of salt or that has been deep-fried; do ensure all fruits and veggies have been washed to remove any pesticides that could pose risks. These items offer great ways to add variety to their diet!
Pellets
A turtle’s diet should consist of approximately 80-90% plants. The remaining 10-20% should come from protein sources like worms and insects, feeder fish (not wild-caught) or even potentially small amounts of meat.
Avoid dairy products as turtles cannot easily digest them. Furthermore, bread and pasta contain high amounts of oxalates that block calcium absorption.
Collard greens or kale provide excellent plant-based nutrition, including calcium, vitamin A, other important vitamins, and other vital minerals. Other great vegetables to feed your turtle include turnip greens, mustard greens and Swiss chard. You may also want to include some canned spinach into their diet; it contains both iron and potassium – two essential elements needed by turtles!
Earthworms
Red-eared turtles require a variety of foods as they become bored easily with just one food source. Provide dark leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, kale or dandelion greens as treats; invertebrates and worms should also be added into their diet regularly. Feeder fish may provide enrichment food but should be limited because they could carry bacteria or parasites that could compromise your turtle.
Be sure to offer your turtles an abundance of leafy vegetables, turtle pellets and small earthworms or fish once every two days for optimal growth. Most keepers rotate what foods are offered so that their turtles receive all of the essential vitamins and nutrients required for optimal development.
Fish
Feeding turtles meat can be hazardous to their health and should only form part of their diet. Turtles typically get enough protein from insects, algae and dark leafy vegetables such as kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, endive Swiss chard and parsley in nature.
Animal prey such as frogs, tadpoles, mosquito fish and aquatic snails are also consumed by turtles as part of their normal diet; many pet stores sell special pelleted food designed to feed turtles as an addition to this. You should limit its amount to no more than 40% of their overall food supply.
