Diet is vitally important to box turtle health. Each meal must contain meat sources, two different kinds of leafy greens and fruit as part of its menu.
Vegetables that are beneficial to box turtles include collard greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens, alfalfa hay and romaine lettuce. Fruits and flowers such as hibiscus or geraniums may also provide essential nutrition.
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Dry Food
Many pet turtles are fed dry food such as pellets or canned tuna, which may not be healthy as it often contains too much protein and fat. Instead, fruits and vegetables should be offered instead as this provides more of the vitamins they require; examples of fruits include apples, pears, oranges (with peel), bananas, mangoes and strawberries. Leafy greens should also be provided such as collard greens, kale mustard greens turnip greens bok choy while spinach and beet greens contain oxalates that bind calcium and other trace minerals for proper functioning.
An excellent commercial turtle diet should form part of a box turtle’s diet, supplemented by fresh fruits, vegetables and insects.
Greens
Box turtles are opportunistically omnivorous in the wild, hunting for mushrooms, earthworms, insects, frogs, carrion, snails and other small animals to feed upon. When kept as pets they should receive an appropriate diet of 30-35% animal products with 20% leafy greens and 10-11% fruit products as their daily fare.
Dark leafy greens such as kale, turnip greens, collard greens and bok choy are ideal as food sources; other veggies should be limited to prevent overfeeding and calcium deficiency – avoid giving your pet too many other vegetables such as rhubarb and tomato plant leaves as these contain oxalates that bind calcium molecules.
Chopping all vegetables makes eating easier for your box turtle and discourages him from picking out only his favorites and leaving everything else behind on his plate.
Fruit
Box turtles are omnivorous animals that require a diverse diet to thrive. This is particularly true of hatchlings and subadults who require more animal-based food (like cooked meat such as chicken, beef heart or fish; raw meat offers too many chances for bacteria contamination), in addition to vegetables, dark leafy greens and fruit for sustenance.
Fruit should be given in moderation; some types are more nutritious than others. Avoid feeding your turtle foods that contain refined sugars like chocolate, gummies, jellies or candy and limit how many bananas they eat.
Adult turtles should receive a balanced meal comprising one protein source, two types of leafy greens and thawed frozen mixed vegetables plus one fruit every other day; babies and subadults require daily nourishment.
Meat
Box turtles are naturally omnivorous animals; in the wild their diet includes both plant- and animal-based foods. When living in captivity it is essential that box turtles receive an assortment of nutritious vegetables and fruits that provide essential nutrition.
Dandelion greens, collard greens, turnip greens and romaine lettuce are packed with vitamin E, A, folate and potassium – other nutritious vegetables include carrots, kohlrabi, rutabaga, broccoli florets brussel sprouts as well as spinach (in moderation as it contains calcium-binders).
Animal-based items, like animals and fish, are naturally omnivorous so should be fed raw meat such as chicken and beef hearts in limited amounts to avoid obesity and bacterial contamination. Cooked options might include minnows or small chunks of fish cooked over a fire, earth worms, night crawlers and wax worms among others.
Insects
Box turtles can be very finicky about what they eat, sometimes rejecting nutritious meats and greens in favor of foods like iceberg lettuce with no nutritional benefit whatsoever. Try not to give in to their desires by feeding your turtle healthy meats and greens rather than succumbing to their desires as this will ultimately be better for their long-term health. This process may take a few weeks but will ensure their longevity as an animal!
Box turtles eat insects in the wild. Pet owners who wish to provide this diet to their box turtles should purchase feeder insects such as nightcrawlers, red wigglers, crickets and worms that have low fat and have a high calcium-phosphorus ratio before offering to their pet as meals. It is advisable to dust each insect with calcium and vitamin supplements prior to feeding it to ensure a nutritional balance is met.
