Tortoises and turtles require a varied diet consisting of plant and animal sources for adequate nourishment.
Food should always be fresh and clean before being fed to turtles, with much of their diet consisting of plant-based foods such as vegetables, flowers and fruit such as kale, parsley carrots or berries.
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Vegetables and Fruit
Turtles should receive a variety of foods in order to receive all of the vitamins and minerals they require for optimal health. A large part of their diet should consist of dark leafy vegetables like collard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, chard, kale, parsley and Swiss chard.
Fruit can make up part of their daily diet, including bananas (with skin), apples, pears, apricots and mangos. Since most vegetables contain more vitamins and nutrients than fruit does, its consumption should be limited.
As a dietary supplement, alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow) or calcium powder should be sprinkled over their “salad” twice or three times weekly to bolster protein consumption; this should not become their sole source of nourishment as overreliance may lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Flowers
Turtles as they age tend to consume less meat and more plants and flowers. A variety of vegetables like kale, parsley, green beans, carrots bell peppers cabbage should be offered, with flowering plants such as hibiscus roses carnations being fed as well. Mushrooms (technically fungi) provide excellent sources of nutrition; their rich source of vitamin D riboflavin niacin calcium magnesium potassium and phosphorus being particularly valuable sources.
Box turtles are omnivorous animals, meaning that they consume both plant- and animal-based foods in the wild. Therefore, it’s essential that owners provide them with a variety of both to prevent metabolic bone disease in their pet.
Meat
A turtle’s diet varies based on species. As a general guideline, most of a turtle’s diet should consist of vegetables and flowers such as iceberg lettuce, clover or other leafy greens as well as cabbage, kale, alfalfa hay or Swiss chard.
Avoid giving a turtle any foods high in fat, salt or sugar as these are difficult for it to digest and provide no nutritional benefit.
Underfeeding turtles can lead to metabolic bone disease. While bread may be convenient, this is not recommended as it does not contain enough calcium and could potentially pose health issues for wild or captive turtles alike.
Insects and Worms
Your turtle should primarily consume vegetables and flowers as their diet. Be sure to wash all foods well prior to giving them to your turtle, as many vegetables and fruits contain chemicals that could be toxic.
Your turtle may benefit from adding insects to its diet, including processed pet foods like drained sardines, turtle pellets and trout chow; live prey such as crickets, grasshoppers or mealworms may also provide variety. Raising insects yourself gives you more control over the calcium and phosphorus ratios in its food supply for your turtle.
Mealworms, wax worms and Zoophobas (commonly referred to as superworms) are excellent feeder insects that contain essential vitamins and minerals for turtles. You can find these at most pet stores or online. Earthworms can also provide good nutrition; just be wary if finding wild ones as these could have been exposed to pesticides and fertilizers.
Fish
Your turtle may benefit from adding fish to its diet as a source of essential oils and proteins, though only hearty species should be used since these would likely not be seen as potential prey items by your reptile.
Vegetables should make up the bulk of a box turtle’s diet. Examples of safe vegetables for consumption include grated carrots, zucchini, squash, kale, dandelion greens, collards, turnips, kohlrabi rutabagas yams peas. Safe fruits that may be fed to box turtles include apples bananas pears mango strawberries and other fresh berries.
Your turtle should also have access to some sort of hiding place, whether that means providing rocks, logs, or any other aquarium decoration that won’t put him or her at risk. Hiding spots help reduce stress levels and could even prevent metabolic bone disease from taking hold.