what to feed a red striped turtle

What Do Red Striped Turtles Eat?

• Aquatic plants. While you can’t keep a live plant in your tank, you can feed your red-striped turtle various aquatic...
• Small fish. You can offer your turtle fresh or frozen feeder fish, but if you’re squeamish, freeze-dried food is also...
• Decaying material. The most common cause of egg-yolk retention is the lack of nesting material. The...

Full Answer

What do red eared slider turtles eat?

Pet red-eared sliders will feed on just about anything you give them, but it is recommend that you feed them a commercial turtle food or pellet for proper growth and health benefits. On occasion, you can offer them leafy greens, freeze-dried shrimp or krill, crickets, superworms, rosy red minnows, and even pinky mice. Thanks!

What can I Feed my turtle?

If your turtle is aquatic it will need to eat small fish such as comet goldfish, mosquito fish, or even aquatic snails. You can get live worms and crickets from your local pet store, as well as pre-packaged dead ones. Feeding your turtle live crickets can seem a little tricky, but it helps to replicate how a turtle would eat in the wild.

Can you feed red eared turtles in a separate tank?

Some red eared owners like to feed the turtle in a separate tank. While this keeps the water clean, you do have to be present to shift the turtle when it has finished eating.

What do red striped turtles eat?

Red-eared sliders are omnivores. In the wild, they feed on aquatic vegetation, small fish and decaying material such as dead fish and frogs, etc. Pet red-eared sliders will feed on just about anything you give them, but I recommend feeding them a commercial turtle food or pellet to benefit proper growth and health.

What should I feed my red-eared slider turtle?

What do red-eared sliders eat? Juveniles and adults can be fed a base diet of commercially available pellets or sticks that are made for aquatic turtles, along with vegetable matter such as dark leafy greens (dandelion, mustard and collard greens with chopped broccoli, carrots, squash and green beans).

What human food can red-eared sliders eat?

Sliders can eat many types of vegetables- such as green beans, tomatoes, lettuce, kale, and squash- but also a wide range of fruits – skinned apples, bananas, berries, melons, nectarine, and mango.

What vegetables can red turtles eat?

Providing a variety of foods in their diet is key to keeping a healthy appetite. Adult red-eared sliders can be fed: Dark leafy greens: romaine lettuce, kale, dandelion greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, or swiss chard. Vegetables: bell pepper or carrots.

What human food can turtles eat?

They especially like leafy green veggies, so kale, collard greens, and mustard greens are both healthy and delicious for them. They'll also chow down on carrots, squash, green beans, and peas. As far as fruits go, you can give them bananas, apples, and pears, among other things.

What can red-eared sliders not eat?

Avoid These Red-Eared Slider FoodsFeeder fish.Crickets.Earthworms.Crayfish.Ghost shrimp.Krill.

What can turtles not eat?

Treats to AvoidDairy. Turtles possess none of the enzymes necessary to break down and digest dairy products. ... Sweets. Do not feed any food with chocolate, processed sugar, or corn syrup to your turtle.Salty foods. Most turtles are not used to eating highly salty foods.

Can red eared turtles eat lettuce?

1. Leafy Greens: Collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and bok choy. Head (iceberg) lettuce should never be fed as it contains very little nutrition but dark green leaf lettuces (e.g. romaine) can be fed sparingly. Make sure you only feed items with appropriate calcium to phosphorous levels.

Do red-eared sliders need to be in water all the time?

The answer is, yes. Red-eared sliders need to be in the water. For starters, red-eared sliders lack saliva and need water to swallow their food. They can eat without water, it's just a lot more difficult.

Can I feed lettuce to a turtle?

Desirable vegetables to offer include dark leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, collard greens, mustard greens, carrot tops, endive, Swiss chard, kale, parsley, green beans, dandelion greens, turnip greens, and clover.

Can my turtle eat cucumber?

The best way to keep your turtle healthy is to offer them a wide variety of different meats, fruits, and vegetables throughout the week to make sure that all their nutritional needs are met. Cucumbers can be an excellent addition to any turtle's diet, assuming that the turtle likes them.

Can turtles eat fruit?

Fruit should be fed more sparingly than vegetables, since they are often preferred by box turtles over vegetables and tend to be less nutritious. Fruits to offer include apples, pears, bananas (with skin), mango, grapes, star fruit, raisins, peaches, tomato, guava, kiwis, and melons. Fruits that are particularly ...

Is it OK to feed bread to turtles?

The answer is—bread is non-toxic to turtles, but it has no valuable content whatsoever. So, your turtles shouldn't eat bread. However, if they nabbed a small section, they will be okay.

Can I feed my turtle cucumber?

The best way to keep your turtle healthy is to offer them a wide variety of different meats, fruits, and vegetables throughout the week to make sure that all their nutritional needs are met. Cucumbers can be an excellent addition to any turtle's diet, assuming that the turtle likes them.

What can water turtles eat?

Foods that are healthy and safe for turtles include insects like grubs and crickets, earthworms, small fish, and dark leafy greens such as kale and collard greens. Adult turtles only need to eat three to five times per week, and baby turtles may need to eat up to twice a day.

What do red eared sliders need in their tank?

A 20-gallon aquarium or plastic container (minimum size for a young turtle, adults may need 40 gallons or larger) Basking area supplies such as rocks, stones, or a plastic floating shelf. Heat light and ultraviolet light. Good quality aquarium water filter.

What is the best tank for turtles?

Look for a cheaper tank alternative. The ideal container is a large glass aquarium but these can be expensive. A cheaper alternative is a stock tank. A 100 gallon (380 L) stock tank can be purchased relatively inexpensively. Avoid purchasing acrylic tanks, which are cheaper, but easily scratched by turtle claws.

Why do you need separate utensils for turtles?

Because of the risk of salmonella infection, you need to have a separate set of utensils for anything related to the turtle, which are kept washed and disinfected away from other household items.

How long do slider turtles live?

The average lifespan is around 20 - 30 years, with some sliders living even longer than this. Be sure your future lifestyle can adapt to include a long term turtle companion. If you're simply getting a turtle so your child can have a pet, realize that the turtle will be your pet for a long time.

Why is my turtle not eating?

Furry mouth and refusal to eat: Your turtle has a bacterial infection and should be seen by immediately by the vet for an antibiotic treatment. Weak, wheezing, lethargic and holding head at an unusual angle: This may be a respiratory infection, such as pneumonia. Immediately take your turtle to the vet.

What is the best turtle to get as a pet?

If you're looking to get a pet turtle, consider a red-eared slider turtle. This easily adaptable pet prefers warm habitats, but can thrive in a large tank. The red-eared slider is named for the red-line running behind its eyes and the sliding motion it makes as it slips from a rock into the water.

Why is my turtle's eye sore?

Eye infections are caused by bacteria. The turtle should be seen by a vet and probably needs a topical antibiotic plus upgrading the tank's filtration system. Soft shell: If your turtle's shell is softer than it's supposed to be, your slider may not be getting enough light from your overhead light.

What to do if you don't know anyone with a red slider?

If you don't know anyone with a red slider, go to the pet store and speak to employees that are familiar with the turtles. Better yet, spend a little time interacting with a red-eared slider at the store.

What is the best way to feed an aquatic turtle?

Feeding an aquatic turtle small live fish helps to stimulate the turtle and give him some exercise.

What to feed a baby turtle?

So, here are some pointers on how to feed baby turtles: #1 First, Feed land baby turtles, a combination of commercially produced food and fresh leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage, and make sure you chop the food into tiny pieces. #2 Feed your aquatic baby turtle in a smaller feeding tank. Aquatic baby turtles are sloppy eaters, and they ...

What Do Water Turtles Eat?

You should understand that feeding an aquatic turtle is not the same as feeding a land turtle.

How to keep baby turtles from eating?

Aquatic baby turtles are sloppy eaters, and they relieve themselves in the middle of their meals. Therefore, they are bound to dirty their aquarium. #3 Give your turtle feeder fish and crickets for some meals. #4 Feed baby turtles two or three times a day. #5 Remember to leave your baby turtle’s food in the tank for half an hour ...

How to keep turtles from knocking over?

There should always be freshwater in a bowl that the turtle can easily access and not easily knock over. Take care to make sure that the water stays clean and replace it now and then .

Why should you clean your turtle's food?

Whenever you give them food, you should make sure to clean the feeding area. This is because leftover food decay, and this is not healthy for a turtle.

Do turtles eat the same amount of food?

No two turtles will eat the same amount of food, so recommendations on the amount to provide have to be generalized. In that case, it’s important to note that young turtles should be fed often. Juvenile turtles, a term that most describes baby turtles, need lots of food and need to be fed most often than mature turtles.

What do you need for a red-eared slider turtle?

Caring for your red-eared slider requires more than just an aquarium, some water, and some mealworms. It's important to take into account the unique diet, tank specifications, lighting requirements, and health issues associated with this breed. This will help ensure that your turtle has a longer, healthier, and happier life.

How much water do slider turtles need?

Ideally you'll need 10 gallons of tank per inch of the turtles body length. Water should be at least as deep as the turtle is long.

How deep should a turtle tank be?

The water in the tank should be at least as deep as the turtle is long. Ideally, the area of water in the tank should be enough so your slider can swim about five times its body length in one direction. In half of your tank, stacking smooth rocks or sloping gravel can be a great way to provide a basking area.

How big do red-eared sliders get?

Red-eared sliders can grow up to 12 inches in length. Fill your tank with an adequate amount of water. Turtles should have a water level that is at least twice as deep as they are long. Ideally, the amount of water should also be enough that your turtle can swim about five times its body length in one direction.

What temperature should a turtle's basking area be?

Direct this light at the turtle's basking area. The basking area should be between 85 and 90 degrees F. This light should be on during daylight hours.

How big of a tank do you need for a red-eared slider?

As the turtle grows, you will need a bigger tank. A good rule of thumb is that you'll need about 10 gallons in tank size per inch of the turtle's body length. Red-eared sliders can grow up to 12 inches in length .

Why do turtles need basking lights?

A good basking light can be critical to maintaining your turtle's health and increasing its lifespan.

What kind of food do turtles eat?

Pellets: when you identify the type of turtle you found, you can check pet stores (in-store and online) for pelleted food made specifically for that kind of turtle! Pellets can be a great food because they contain both plant and animal matter!

What are some foods that snapping turtles can eat?

Here are some foods that are safe for wild snapping turtles; Aquatic Plants: duckweed, water hyacinths, water weeds, water fern, water lettuce, yellow pond lilies, and bog moss.

What do Wild Turtles Eat in Ponds?

Again, this depends on the type of turtle and the habitat it lives in. Turtles are omnivores and will eat almost anything they can get their mouth on.

What do turtles eat?

But in general, it is safe to feed most wild turtles earthworms, grasshoppers, crickets, peas, chopped up apples, carrots, pears, romaine lettuce and most leafy greens (like collard, mustard, and parsley). Different types of turtles need different diets ...

Why are sea turtles different from freshwater turtles?

Sea turtles are like freshwater turtles because they too have a unique diet for each species, but they are also very different. Some sea turtles keep the same diet throughout their entire life while others change what they eat when they grow into adulthood. A sea turtle’s diet varies by age and species.

Can you feed a turtle bread?

NO! You should NEVER feed a wild or pet turtle bread, or any processed foods for that matter. Man-made foods that are high in sugar and flour (like candy and bread) are very bad for a turtle’s stomach. Turtles are not adapted to eating processed foods and eating them can do serious damage to their digestive system.

Do turtles eat land?

Aquatic turtles have a hard time eating on land, and if you leave the food on land, they will probably drag it to the water anyway. You also need to make sure the food is cut into bite-size pieces, and any fruits with skin (like melons and grapes) need the skin removed.