What Do Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtles Eat?
- Carrot Tops
- Parsley
- Kale
- Turnip Greens
- Collard Greens
- Apples (As A Treat)
- Green Beans
- Water Lilies
- Red Bell Pepper
- Duckweed
What do yellow-bellied slider turtles eat?
Yellow-bellied Slider turtles are omnivores, which means that they will eat fruits, vegetables, as well as meat, and insects. A well-balanced diet for a pet yellow-bellied slider turtle will be mainly based on pellets, with the occasional fruits, vegetables, and dried insects.
What do yellow-bellied turtles need to survive?
Turtles need to warm up before they can become active. Your Yellow-Bellied slider should have a basking spot on land that reaches 90 to 100°F, as well as a cooler area that is 72 to 76°F. Both UVA and UVB lights are essential for sliders metabolize calcium. A 5% UVB bulb, often marketed as a “tropical UVB” bulb, is ideal for sliders.
Are yellow-bellied sliders opportunistic feeders?
Yellow-bellied sliders are opportunistic feeders who eat whenever and whatever they can. This is not surprising given similar species, such as the snapping turtle, are also opportunistic feeders. What is surprising is that their diet changes as they age.
How big of a tank does a yellow bellied slider need?
Housing the Yellow-Bellied Slider Aquariums are good for young sliders, but as these turtles mature, their size makes housing them a bit more challenging. The ideal tank size for an adult slider is 75 to 100 gallons. Provide a basking dock and clean water for your turtle housed indoors.
What can you feed yellow belly slider turtles?
The yellow-bellied slider will eat a range of aquatic foods, meat products and livefood. They can also be fed dried foods when the fresh or live options are not available. The dried food should be created with shrimp or meat protien rather than vegetation.
How often do you feed yellow belly slider turtles?
Food and Water Juveniles and hatchlings should eat twice a day, and their diet should lean towards carnivorous. Once a turtle reaches adulthood (age 2 to 5), its diet should consist of mostly vegetables.
What human food can yellow belly turtles eat?
Lettuce in particular is a common food item for yellow-bellied sliders. Cut-up bits of meat, including seafood like shrimp, are also usually beneficial for these turtles. You can also offer your yellow-bellied pet "once in a while" snacks -- think waxworms and mealworms.
What do baby yellow-bellied sliders eat?
Yellow Bellied Biology They are dietary generalists that consume insects, fish, amphibians, aquatic vegetation, algae and carrion.
Can yellow belly sliders eat fruit?
Yellow-Bellied Slider Foods In captivity, young sliders need to be fed daily, whereas adult sliders can be fed every two to three days. Crickets can be a source of protein, greens can provide nutrients, and fruits like peeled and cored apples, blueberries and strawberries make good treats.
How deep should the water be for a yellow belly slider?
16 to 18 inchesThe water in the tank should be at least deep enough for a turtle to turn over should it land upside down. That requires a depth equal to the length of your turtle's shell. But deeper water of up to 16 to 18 inches is even better. The water should be kept between 72 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do yellow belly sliders get lonely?
Do yellow bellied sliders get lonely? No. Turtles can actually get territorial especially when kept together in small tanks. It's usually best to keep one turtle to a tank or have at least a 120-150 gallon tank if you opt to keep several.
How long can yellow-bellied sliders stay out of water?
Turtles can usually stay out of water for around 8 hours. However, this depends on the environment of the land they are on. If the area has a cool temperature, a turtle can stay out of the water for a couple days. That being said, a turtle will run into serious digestion issues if they stay out of water too long.
Do yellow belly turtles bite hurt?
Softshell turtles and snappers are more likely to bite and these turtles can deliver very painful bites. Snapping turtles are even capable of amputating a finger. Now, that's bite force. Even commonly kept turtle species such as cooters, yellow-bellied sliders and red-eared sliders can bite when scared.
Can yellow-bellied sliders eat cucumber?
There are many other types of foods that a turtle could eat that have many more nutrients than cucumbers do. The more cucumber your turtle eats, the less room there is in their diet for more nutritionally dense foods. Too much cucumber in a turtle's diet can also lead to problems such as diarrhea and indigestion.
Can yellow-bellied sliders eat tomatoes?
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 ...
Can yellow-bellied sliders eat watermelon?
Absolutely! While there's debate about whether you should give them watermelon at all since it's not a part of a wild turtle's diet, there's little doubt that they can eat it. In fact, most experts recommend adding fruits like watermelon to your turtle's diet. But you still should only give them fruits in moderation.
What do baby turtles eat?
Your turtle would be eating a lot of these in the wild, and that’s no different in captivity. Aquatic greens are an amazing natural source for all sorts of vitamins and minerals in your baby turtle’s diet. Just like adults, baby turtles will love aquatic greens. Here is a list:
Is it hard to feed baby turtles?
In conclusion, feeding baby turtles is not too difficult, and it can be a lot of fun!
Can turtles eat pellets?
And of course, Commercial pellets should make for a filler in your turtle’s diet (made specifically for turtles to meet mineral requirements)
What Do Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtles Eat?
Yellow-bellied sliders are opportunistic feeders who eat whenever and whatever they can. This is not surprising given similar species, such as the snapping turtle, are also opportunistic feeders.
What do young turtles eat?
Young turtles are primarily carnivores that feed on aquatic insects, worms, and small fish. As they grow into adults, their diet shifts to one that is made up almost entirely of plants!
What do sliders eat?
Pet species should eat mostly leafy green vegetables, supplemented with protein from insects. Pelleted turtle food is also a good choice. Yellow-bellied sliders are a semi-aquatic turtle.
How much does a slider tank cost?
The most expensive part of owning a slider is the tank and its setup. A 100-gallon tank and accessories will cost over $300. When looking to purchase a yellow-bellied slider, make sure you are buying a captive-bred turtle from a good breeder. Healthy turtles should be alert and try to escape if approached by a person.
How big are slider turtles?
Sliders are large turtles with an average shell length of five to nine inches. However, they are a sexually dimorphic species, meaning there is a significant difference in size between males and females. Males average seven inches long and females are closer to ten inches.
When did slider turtles become popular?
Slider turtles became popular pets in the 1950s as hundreds of turtle hatchlings were sold throughout the United States. Sliders are great pets for those who are not afraid of taking on a long-term commitment. Be prepared to go through a lot of fresh vegetables and do not expect to have a cuddly pet.
How many gallons of water do sliders need?
But, this should be changed for a larger tank after four years. Adult sliders need at least a 100-gallon enclosure to be healthy. Some owners use a standard glass fish tank to house their slider, while others use plastic pond liners to create a more natural setup.
What do aquatic turtles eat?
Most aquatic turtles eat the occasional insect or fish, but avoid giving them fatty fish, and never give them high-protein meats. An aquatic turtle's diet should be mainly plant-based.
What is the behavior of a yellowbellied slider?
Yellow-Bellied Slider Behavior and Temperament. The slider is a diurnal turtle, meaning it is most active during the day. They tend to eat first thing in the morning, and in the wild will spend most of the rest of the day basking in the sun. Captive yellow-bellied sliders also are most active during the day.
Why do turtles dive?
Common Health Problems. Sliders should be able to dive into their water. A turtle that is always floating can be a sign of a problem, such as pneumonia. Turtles with eyes that are closed or puffy may indicate a respiratory infection or a similar issue. 1 Wheezing and drooling also are signs of respiratory ailments.
How to regulate turtle temperature?
To control their temperature, turtles seek out basking spots to soak up the sun's warm rays. If you have an indoor tank, you will need to replicate a sunny basking spot that can reach 80 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Either a 60-watt or 100-watt basking bulb should be sufficient. As turtles also need the UV rays from the sun for proper development, you can get a combination mercury vapor bulb, which provides both heat and UV.
How often do turtles need UV light?
Turtles need adequate UVA and UVB rays. They typically get these UV rays from unfiltered sunlight or a special lamp. Aquatic turtles will need these U V lights year-round for about 12 hours per day. Replace UV light bulbs every six months. If your yellow-bellied slider lives outdoors, it will not need supplemental UV lighting; the sun's rays will be sufficient.
How long do yellowbellied sliders live?
One of the most popular pet turtles, yellow-bellied sliders, are long-lived aquatic turtles —some live up to 40 years in captivity. These turtles spend most of their time in the water, but unlike amphibians, they need to be able to get out of the water to dry off and rest. As far as turtles go, this species is moderately easy to care for.
What to do if your turtle is dirty?
If the water remains dirty, your turtle can develop various health issues.
