A well-balanced red-eared slider diet consists of:
- red-eared sliders need a pelleted commercial diet.
- Commercial turtle treats and freeze-dried krill may be given as treats.
- Non-toxic aquatic plants (anachris, water lettuce), dark leafy vegetables and sliced vegetables such as squash and carrots.
- Comet goldfish, earthworms and insects may be offered as treats.
What human food can a red ear slider turtle eat?
What Can Turtles Eat From Human Food?
- Fish. Turtles love fish. ...
- Meat. Every person that has kept turtles knows that they enjoy eating meat. ...
- Fruits. Giving fruits on a regular basis to your turtles is a great way to improve their overall health and reduce the risk of disease.
- Vegetables. Vegetables should be part of every turtle diet. ...
- Human Foods to Avoid. ...
- Final Thoughts. ...
How often to feed a red eared slider?
What do red eared sliders eat?
- Keep offering daily vegetables. They will probably occasionally eat these. If they still don’t, don’t worry.
- Offer them pellets every other day. Once a week or so you can give them a different protein.
- You can read more specific recommendations in my article on Red Eared Slider baby care.
Why would a red ear slider turtle not be eating?
Why is my turtle not eating?
- Slowed metabolism due to lack of UVA light. Turtles need daily access to UVA light because it stimulates their appetite, activity, territorial and mating behavior.
- Stress from being transferred to a new tank. Turtles are creatures of habit and a transition from one habitat to another can leave them stressed.
- Dropping water temperatures. ...
What do red eared slider turtles like to eat?
red-eared sliders need a pelleted commercial diet. Commercial turtle treats and freeze-dried krill may be given as treats. Non-toxic aquatic plants (anachris, water lettuce), dark leafy vegetables and sliced vegetables such as squash and carrots. Comet goldfish, earthworms and insects may be offered as treats.
What is the best food for red-eared sliders?
A big handful of leafy greens, a pinch of turtle pellets, and a couple worms or insects should be plenty. Adults eat a lot less meat, so make sure you offer plenty of dark leafy greens, vegetables, and aquatic plants. Foods rich in protein, such as fish and invertebrates, should only be offered once a week.
How often do you feed red-eared slider turtles?
How often should I feed my red-eared slider? The frequency of feeding depends on the age and size of your red-eared slider. Smaller or juvenile turtles will eat heartily every day. As they get older, adult turtles may be offered a good-sized portion of food every two or three days.
What fruits and vegetables can red-eared slider turtles 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 much should you feed a red-eared slider?
A good rule of thumb is to feed as much as your turtle will consume in 15 minutes.
How long can red-eared sliders go without eating?
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 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. They also need to be in the water to stay hydrated and be as healthy as possible.
What foods are poisonous to turtles?
Rhubarb and potato leaves belong to highly toxic food for turtles....Food Avoid to Feed Box turtlesBread, bakery products, and pasta.Candies, chocolate, and other products containing sugars.Processed meat and canned food.Avocado skin and pits.Tobacco leaves and products.Rhubarb.Tomato and potato leaves.Dairy products.More items...
What can I feed my turtle Besides turtle food?
Animal food sources. Animal-based food sources for turtles can include processed pet foods like drained sardines, turtle pellets, and trout chow. You can also feed them cooked chicken, beef, and turkey. Live prey can include moths, crickets, shrimp, krill, feeder fish, and worms.
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 vegetables can I feed my red-eared slider?
Leafy Greens: Collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and bok choy. Iceberg lettuce should never be fed because it is not nutritious enough,1 and dark green leafy lettuce such as romaine can be fed sparingly. Make sure you feed items with appropriate calcium-to-phosphorous levels.
Do red-eared sliders bite?
Red-eared sliders may bite -- and the bite can be quite painful. The bite will probably only hurt but may be more damaging to young kids with small fingers. Keep in mind that red-eared sliders won't bite "just because." In most cases, a bite is a result of an animal being mishandled or hurt.
Can red-eared sliders 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.
How do I know if my turtles are happy?
Swollen, cloudy, or "weepy" eyes with a discharge are all common signs your turtle is sick. Another very common sign is mouth breathing or straining to breathe. If your turtle looks healthy and is breathing normally, this is a good indicator they're happy.
Do turtles get lonely?
For the most part, turtles do not need a companion or friend. They can live together, but they won't get sad, lonely, bored, or depressed on their own. Keeping more than one turtle in a tank can lead to fighting and other competitive behaviors.
Do red eared sliders need a heat lamp at night?
Many turtle owners wonder if they need to keep the light on in their turtle's tank at night. Luckily, the answer to that is no. Your turtle will be just fine if the light is turned off during night time hours.
How much water does a red eared slider turtle need?
Ideally you should provide 10 gallons of water for each inch of shell length for each turtle. So a 4 inch long turtle would need about 40 gallons of water and two 4 inch long turtles would need around 80 gallons of water.
What Red Eared Slider Turtles Eat
Since red eared slider turtles are omnivorous they can eat a huge variety of ailments. So to make things simpler I will divide them in 5 categories:
How to Properly Feed Your Red Eared Slider Turtle
Over the years I’ve read about countless methods of feeding turtles. But out of all of them two stood out the most, as being the most used and the most efficient. And they are the 15 minutes method and the size of the head method.
Red Eared Slider Turtle Feeding Schedule
The first thing that you have to take into consideration when thinking how often you have to feed your turtle, or when making a feeding schedule, is the age of the turtle. Baby red eared slider turtles need a different amount of food than juveniles, and juveniles need a different amount of food than adult red eared slider turtles.
Occasional Treats
Another thing that I want to address is that you can occasionally give your red eared slider turtle treats. As long as they are not too consistent, you can give your turtle a few live fish, fruits, vegetables or dried insects, without worrying that you disturb their feeding schedule.
Final Thoughts
While red eared slider turtles can eat a lot of things, not all of them can be good for them.
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What do red-eared slider turtles eat?
Red-eared slider turtles are omnivores, so they eat both plants and animals. Adults mostly eat aquatic plants such as elodea, duckweed, water lettuce and water ferns. Adults eat so many plants they are considered herbivorous. They will only eat meat if it is readily available and there are no plants nearby.
What to feed a red-eared slider?
Good plants to feed red-eared sliders are dark leafy greens, aquatic plants, and vegetables. Feeder fish, invertebrates, and commercial turtle pellets are good sources of protein. Make sure your turtle is also getting a calcium supplement at least once a week and is not being handled after feeding.
Why do turtles regurgitate food?
Turtles are very smart and quickly learn when it is time to be fed. Turtles and many other animals tend to move slower after eating, so regurgitating food in order to escape more quickly is a common tactic. Red-eared sliders may regurgitate their food if they are handled too soon after eating.
How long should I let my turtle eat?
Any vegetables you feed should first be boiled and chopped into pieces small enough to fit into the turtle’s mouth. Let your turtle have a 15 minute feeding session. After the feeding session, just remove anything that hasn’t been eaten to keep the water clean.
How often should I feed my slider turtle?
Turtles in the wild will eat whenever they can. However, pet sliders should only be fed every two to three days because they do not have to hunt. Many people like to feed their turtles fruit, but they are very high in sugar and can give your turtle diarrhea.
How do red-eared sliders hunt?
Red-eared sliders hunt by either sitting motionless, waiting for a fish to swim by and then snatching it, or by chasing and snapping up any bugs that land in the water. Adults will also swim along the bottom of ponds or lakes and eat aquatic plants or algae.
How often should I feed my turtles?
Adults should be fed a hearty amount of food once every two days. A big handful of leafy greens, a pinch of turtle pellets, and a couple worms or insects should be plenty. Adults eat a lot less meat, so make sure you offer plenty of dark leafy greens, vegetables, and aquatic plants.
Red-Eared Slider Turtle Background Information
Don’t let the name fool you… Red-Eared Sliders don’t actually have ears, well, at least not in the way we’re accustomed to! With no outer ear, these turtles rely solely on a middler inner ear structure for their auditory needs.
Red-Eared Slider Turtle Diet & Feeding
The easiest way to keep your turtle happy? By offering a varied diet of course! You see, Red-Eared Sliders could technically survive on pellets alone, but you would be doing their bodies a major disservice by not offering them feeder foods (animal/insect protein), veggies, and vitamins in addition to pellets.
Red-Eared Slider Turtle Habitat & Tank Setup
A happy and well-stimulated Red-Eared Slider will be one that LOVES its tank. You can help promote that homey feeling by adding in fake plants, caves, and other accessories for them to explore and experience.
Red-Eared Slider Turtle General Health Information
Although most Red-Eared Slider health concerns can be prevented with proper diet and husbandry, it is virtually inevitable that at some point or another your turtle may become sick. As such, you’ll want to pay special attention to areas such as the shell, face, and eyes, which are typically where early signs of sickness will be most evident.
Red-Eared Slider Turtle Handling & Bonding
Want to bond with your red-eared slider but aren’t sure how? Fear not! There are plenty of activities you can engage in with your turtle, such as hand feeding, to promote bonding WITHOUT having to pick them up.
Is A Red-Eared Slider Turtle Right for YOU?
If you’re on the hunt for an entertaining medium to large sized aquatic turtle and have the budget to create a large and appropriate tank setup, then consider the Red-Eared Slider Turtle a fabulous option for you!
What do red-eared sliders eat?
Commercial turtle treats and freeze-dried krill may be given as treats. Non-toxic aquatic plants (anachris, water lettuce), dark leafy vegetables and sliced vegetables such as squash and carrots. Comet goldfish, earthworms and insects may be offered as treats.
How to clean a turtle's habitat?
Keep the habitat clean and remove uneaten food and feces right away. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the habitat at least once a week: place turtle in a secure habitat; scrub the tank and furnishings with a 3% bleach solution; rinse thoroughly with water, removing all traces of bleach smell.
Where did the red-eared slider originate?
Red-Eared Slider. Originating in North America, the red-eared slider is named for the distinctive red streak on each side of its face. The Red-Eared Slider is primarily aquatic and will emerge from the water for basking.
