what to feed baby slider turtles

• Proteins. Proteins for the baby sliders are the same as adults. They will come in the form of insects, Fish, and commercial food pellets.
• Vegetables. Vegetables should make up a large percentage of their diet. Since turtles are omnivorous, they love vegetables.
• Aquatic Greens. Your turtle would be eating a lot of these in the wild, and that’s no different in captivity. ...

Full Answer

What do Baby slider turtles eat?

Before adding your turtle to its tank, make sure the temperatures are holding steady in their normal range. Omnivorous Diet: Baby sliders eat vegetation, moths, earthworms, crustaceans, tadpoles, snails, and any other small animal they can catch in the wild. Their diet is not limited to one thing, so you should not feed them just one prey.

What do you feed turtles in a pond?

Fruit; peaches, blackberries, apples, plums, raspberries, mulberries, pears, mango, bananas, cherries, and melons. Feeding water turtles (or pond turtles) is a bit different than feeding land turtles, like the box turtle. The most common freshwater turtles are snapping turtles, painted turtles, and red-eared slider turtles.

What do you feed a baby turtle with parasites?

Larger turtles can be offered larger prey, such as tadpoles or feeder fish, though some experts warn that feeder fish may carry parasites and other undesirables, and some fish (like goldfish) are too fatty to be fed regularly. 1 Leafy Greens: Collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and bok choy.

What kind of water do baby turtles need to survive?

Also offer a floating calcium block that your baby turtle can chew on as needed. Use only spring or filtered water or conditioned tap water for the aquarium. Never use distilled water, since this type of water has had ALL minerals removed, including the ones your turtle needs to take in.

What do you feed baby sliders?

VarietyPrey Items: Earthworms, crickets, waxworms, silkworms, aquatic snails, bloodworms, daphnia, shrimp, krill, and mealworms. ... Leafy Greens: Collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and bok choy. ... Aquatic Plants: In an aquarium or pond, you can add aquatic plants that turtles usually love to snack on.More items...•

How do you take care of a baby slider turtle?

Sliders are aquatic and need clean, chemical-free water to swim in. Fill the tank with water at least twice as deep as your baby's shell. Even as hatchlings, red eared sliders are excellent swimmers, you don't need to worry about them drowning. Though they love water, sliders also need land for basking and drying out.

How do I get my baby red eared slider turtle to eat?

4:2815:23What To Feed Baby Red Eared Slider Turtles!!! | DIY Reptiles - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut they're gonna eat like aquatic insects and insects that have fallen into the water. And inMoreBut they're gonna eat like aquatic insects and insects that have fallen into the water. And in captivity that can look like crickets or mealworms or lesser meal worms or earthworms.

What can I feed my slider turtle?

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. On occasion, you can offer them leafy greens, freeze-dried shrimp or krill, crickets, superworms or earthworms.

What do baby turtles need?

They require a habitat with plenty of clean water for swimming as well as dry land where they can rest, hide and bask in the sun. A tank that can hold at least 40 gallons should give your pet turtle an adequate amount of room to move around in.

How often should I feed my baby red-eared slider?

While adult turtles only need to eat two or three times a week, babies should eat once per day. Once your turtle is six months old, you can start feeding them less frequently, or about every other day. A good rule of thumb is to feed your slider as much as they will eat within a 10 to 15-minute period.

What vegetables can baby red-eared sliders eat?

Like humans, red-eared sliders are also omnivorous and have a very varied diet. 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.

How long can a baby red-eared slider go without food?

Baby or juvenile red-eared sliders would not be able to last more than a week or so without food, whereas older red-eared sliders will be able to last a month or two. A well-fed adult will be able to live without food for up to two months, three at an absolute stretch, but that really is not advised.

Do baby red-eared sliders eat mealworms?

Food for Red-Eared Slider Turtles Prey Items: Earthworms, crickets, waxworms, silkworms, aquatic snails, bloodworms, daphnia, shrimp, krill, and mealworms.

How often do baby turtles eat?

Feed baby turtles two or three times a day. Leave your baby turtle's food in the tank for a half hour, and then remove what's left. You can feed it to your turtle again later. Give baby turtles vitamin supplements, especially vitamin D, which is good for shell development.

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.

How many pellets do you feed a baby turtle?

Feed them as much as they can eat in 15 to 20 minutes. Give them enough food that would fit inside their head, if it were completely empty.

How long can a baby red-eared slider go without food?

Baby or juvenile red-eared sliders would not be able to last more than a week or so without food, whereas older red-eared sliders will be able to last a month or two. A well-fed adult will be able to live without food for up to two months, three at an absolute stretch, but that really is not advised.

Can baby red-eared sliders eat lettuce?

2. Lettuce. Red-eared sliders love leafy vegetables and lettuce is an easy and healthy vegetable for your animal. However, you should avoid iceberg lettuce, as it contains almost no nutritional value and it is an empty food for your pet.

How many pellets do you feed a baby red-eared slider?

Feed them as much as they can eat in 15 to 20 minutes. Give them enough food that would fit inside their head, if it were completely empty.

Can baby red-eared sliders drown?

Even though red eared sliders love swimming and submerging themselves, they can drown. In fact, all turtles can drown because they do not have the ability to breathe underwater. If your red slider stays under water for too long, it will drown. The same goes for any other turtle, though.

Proteins

Proteins for the baby sliders are the same as adults. They will come in the form of insects, Fish, and commercial food pellets.

Vegetables

Vegetables should make up a large percentage of their diet. Since turtles are omnivorous, they love vegetables.

Aquatic Greens

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:

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What is the best way to feed a turtle?

A variety of fresh food offers a wider range of nutrients in different forms, which may even be absorbed better when fed in the natural state. Feeding a variety of items is also more stimulating to the turtle and a good form of enrichment.

What do turtles eat?

They often eat submerged plants like anacharis, water hyacinth, water lettuce, duckweed, azolla (fairy moss), and frog-bit.

What do red-eared sliders eat?

Mojkan/Getty Images. Red-eared sliders need a diet that is a mixture of both animal and plant materials. Young red-eared sliders eat more animal protein, so babies should start with a diet that's more on the carnivorous side. 1.

Can turtles eat goldfish?

Larger turtles can be offered larger prey, such as tadpoles or feeder fish, though some experts warn that feeder fish may carry parasites and other undesirables, and some fish (like goldfish) are too fatty to be fed regularly. 1.

Is it better to drop turtle pellets in a commercial?

Commercial pellets are fairly nutritious, convenient, and beneficial since they contain a good mix of vitamins and minerals. However, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. Offering a wide variety of foods is better than just dropping in a commercial turtle pellet for your little guy. A variety of fresh food offers a wider range ...

What does a baby red eared slider need?

Baby red eared sliders need a proper and safe habitat to stay healthy and happy. Before getting a turtle make sure you can provide them with everything in the list below: Controlled Temperature: Baby red eared sliders are sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Drops in temperature can cause pneumonia.

How much does a red eared slider baby cost?

The most common red eared slider baby is the wild-type. Most wild-type sliders sell for $30 to $60. Private breeders sell specialty morphs like hypo pastel, albino, ghost, leucistic and piebald too. Rarer morphs like caramel and charcoal are sold for $1,000.

What is the difference between a baby red eared slider and an adult red eared slider?

A major difference between adult and baby red eared sliders is their diet: Adults eat primarily a 50/50 balance of plants to meat. Babies and juveniles need a 30/70 ratio of plants to meat. One quarter of your baby slider’s protein content should come from commercial turtle food pellets.

Why do red eared sliders refuse food?

It is very common for a baby red eared slider to refuse food during the first three days. This is due to the stress of being introduced to a new environment.

How to keep a red eared slider healthy?

A varied diet is both nutritionally and mentally enriching. It also helps them to get a full range of vitamins. Clean Water: Young red eared sliders need very clean water for swimming and drinking. Use an aquarium pump to circulate and filter tank water .

Why don't turtles bask?

Even if they can reach the basking spot, turtles will not bask if the water temperatures are too high and/or the air and basking temperatures are too low. 4. How To Care For Baby Red Eared Slider Turtles. Babies are more likely to get sick because of their developing immune system.

What is the most popular pet turtle in 2021?

April 13, 2021 Johnathan David. A red eared slider is a fun, unique, and interesting pet. They are one of the most popular pet turtles in the world. Baby red eared sliders are one of the cutest reptiles, it is tempting to get one as a pet. But before you do, take time to consider the care and feeding needs of these tiny turtles.

How to care for a baby red eared slider turtle?

Provide The Right Minerals and Vitamins for Your Turtle. As you are learning the ropes of baby red eared slider care, there are three main ways to ensure your tiny charge gets all of the vitamins and minerals required for optimal health and shell growth. Provide a full spectrum UV-A/B bulb for basking.

Why is it important to watch for baby turtles?

Because your baby turtle’s shell will be weaker than an adult’s of the same species, it may be more apt to sustain an injury while climbing up or down off its basking ramp or enjoying play time outdoors. This is important to watch for because shell rot is a common health concern for hatchlings in particular.

Why do sliders pack mealworms?

On the flip side, if you’re not in a cold climate, they pack the mealworms loosely so they don’t overheat each other from friction and too much contact. This prevents them from overheating and dying. Your baby slider will definitely enjoy following the natural instinct of going after live worms. Live Mealworms!

What are the signs of a red ear slider turtle?

As part of red ear slider turtle care for babies, you must be especially vigilant in watching for any signs of a developing respiratory illness, shell rot and bacterial or parasite infestation (loose stools, apathetic behavior and lack of appetite are all potential indicators).

What causes shell rot in turtles?

Also, your baby turtle will be more vulnerable to toxins, poisons or pesticides from food sources and bacterial build-up from unclean tank water.

How often should I change my turtle's bulb?

Here, be sure to change the bulb every six months. This will give your turtle the ability to absorb calcium fully to grow a strong, hard adult shell. Dust your baby’s food with supplements. Use a calcium with D3 powder and a non-D3 aquatic turtle multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.

Is a turtle's immune system still developing?

system concerns are the other. Your hatchling turtle ’s immune system is still forming and so your baby turtle is more susceptible to a full range of potential health risks than an adult would be. Just like parents with a human baby, you want to be cognizant of your hatchlings developing immune system.

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 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 ...

What do painted turtles eat?

What to Feed Wild Painted Turtles. Wild painted turtles eat mostly animal prey when they are young and eat more vegetation as they grow older. They are still omnivores, so they need a balanced diet of animal prey and vegetation. Here are some foods that are safe for wild painted turtles;

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 turtles eat carrots?

Carrots are an excellent vegetable for turtles! If you are feeding a wild turtle or a pet turtle, you should grate the carrots into bite-size pieces so they can eat them. Be careful not to feed too many carrots to a wild turtle though.

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.