what to feed turtles in a lake

The type of things you should feed your turtle includes crickets, mealworms, waxworms

and other small grubs and insects. If your turtle is aquatic it will need to eat small fish such as comet goldfish, mosquito fish, or even aquatic snails. You can buy live worms and crickets from your local pet store, as well as pre-packaged dead ones.

Full Answer

How much food should you feed your turtle?

You can either feed your turtle once every two days, the amount of food that it will take to fill their head. Or you can feed them half of that amount every day. There is no difference for them if you feed them every day, or if you feed them every two days, as long as the amount of food is right.

What kind of fish should I Feed my turtle?

• What Do Baby Painted Turtles Eat? 1. Commercial Turtle Food Foods 2. Small Fish 3. Worms 4. Insects 5. Tadpoles
• Quick Tips for Caring for a Baby Painted Turtle
• What Do Painted Turtles Eat?
• Frequently Asked Questions Can Painted Turtles Eat Fruit? What Do Painted Turtles Eat in the Wild? How Often Should You Feed Your Painted Turtle? ...
• Final Thoughts

How often do you need to feed a turtle?

Table of contents

1. How many times a day should I feed my aquatic turtle?
2. How long can aquatic turtles go without food?
3. How much should I feed my aquatic turtle?
4. Should I feed my turtle everyday?
5. Do you feed aquatic turtles everyday?
6. What should I feed my aquatic turtle?
7. What should I feed my turtle everyday?
8. How often should I feed my turtle live fish?

More items...

What can I Feed my turtle, Besides turtle food?

What to Feed Wild Box Turtles

• Insects; earthworms, mealworms, crickets, and grasshoppers.
• Vegetables; peas, carrots, squash, okra, sweet potatoes, green beans, turnip leaves, dandelion leaves, romaine lettuce, collard greens and mustard greens.
• Fruit; peaches, blackberries, apples, plums, raspberries, mulberries, pears, mango, bananas, cherries, and melons.

What can I feed a wild turtle?

Plant greens and berries in the enclosure. Box turtles are omnivores who eat a majority of plant materials as well as some protein. Choose dark green vegetables like collards or turnips and cultivate strawberries in the habitat as well. Supplement your turtle's diet with live crickets and worms.

What can you feed wild freshwater turtles?

Feeding: ** Long- neck turtles are carnivorous and will eat insects ( moths, crickets) , tadpoles, small freshwater fish (such as white bait, guppies etc) , fresh and saltwater prawns and yabbies, snails and mussels and worms.

What is the best thing to feed water turtles?

"The carnivorous portion of their diet should consist of commercial turtle or fish pellets, as well as a variety of invertebrates and vertebrates." Aquatic turtles in the wild eat fish, and "feeder fish" may be purchased from pet stores or bait stores to feed pet turtles.

Do turtles eat lettuce?

In addition to most lettuces, turtles tend to enjoy leafy green vegetables — think kale, spinach, collard greens, etc. Not only will your turtle love these, but they're also filled with important vitamins and minerals.

Can water turtles eat bread?

Turtles Can't Digest Bread Since turtles eat animal and plant-based matter, you might not think about dairy being such a bad choice. However, dairy products contain lactose, which your turtles cannot break down in their system, as their bodies do not have the correct enzymes to make that happen.

What food kills turtles?

For example, tomatoes are safe and they're often a favorite of box turtles. But tomato leaves and vines are toxic. Other plants toxic to box turtles include rhubarb leaves, holly, oleander, avocado leaves and seeds, and plants in the nightshade family.

Can water turtles eat apples?

While turtles are omnivores, their nutritional needs are quite different from those of humans. The short answer to the question of whether or not turtles can eat apples is yes, they can technically eat apples. However, apples should be treated as an occasional treat only.

What fruit can water turtles eat?

Shredded carrots, squash, and zucchini are great foods that turtles can eat, too. You can also go with edible aquatic vegetation such as water lettuce, water hyacinth, and duckweed. “For fruits, consider shredded apples and melons, as well as chopped berries,” recommends Dr. Starkey.

What do water turtles eat?

Water turtles can feed on vegetables and fruits. Also, provide live food to the turtle. This is an integral part of their diet so be sure to have a regular supply of animal-based food for your turtle, including live feed. These live foods include crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and other small grubs and insects.

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 ...

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 feed a turtle live crickets?

Feeding your turtle live crickets can seem a little tricky, but it helps to replicate how a turtle would eat in the wild. Feeding an aquatic turtle small live fish helps to stimulate the turtle and give him some exercise. Using vegetables that float is preferable to those that sink for an aquatic turtle. If you dust your food with ...

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.

Can turtles eat yogurt?

First of all, don’t feed them the same food over and over again because they can easily get attached and refuse other foods. You should also avoid giving dairy products such as milk, yogurt, or cheese to turtles. They cannot digest dairy, and this may cause illness.

Can you feed a turtle raw meat?

Raw meat, fish, or chicken from the grocery store does not contain a balance of calcium and phosphorus for a turtle and is not recommended as a food source for turtles.

Do aquatic turtles eat out of the water?

All aquatic turtles eat and swallow with their head under water and will not eat out of the water. To help facilitate optimal cleanliness of their tanks, aquatic turtles can be fed in a separate, small aquarium of warm water. That way, they will soil this water, and not their main aquarium.

Do red-eared sliders eat?

Red-eared sliders are typically voracious eaters and are omnivorous, eating both animal protein and vegetable matter. As juveniles, they are mainly carnivorous (eat animal protein) and become more omnivorous as they age. All aquatic turtles eat and swallow with their head under water and will not eat out of the water.

What do you feed a turtle?

Article Summary X. To feed your turtle, give it lots of green, leafy vegetables, like kale and parsley. You can also feed it fruit and flowers, like apples, bananas, and carnations. However, try to provide your turtle with 4-5 times more vegetables than fruits.

What do turtles eat?

Turtles have varied diets including fruit and vegetables as well as insects, worms and fish. To care for your turtle you need to understand what food your turtle needs and how often you should feed him. The exact amounts will vary from turtle to turtle, but there are some general guidelines to follow.

How to help an aquatic turtle?

Feeding an aquatic turtle small live fish can help stimulate him and give him some exercise. Using vegetables that float is preferable to those that sink for an aquatic turtle. If you dust your food with a vitamin supplement, be aware that this can rub off in the water. Using pellets can be a way to tackle this.

How to help a turtle with calcium?

Using supplements can help to ensure your turtle gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Consider dusting food with calcium and vitamin supplements before offering it to your turtle. Add the calcium supplement to his food twice a week. If you are unsure about the right balance for your turtle speak to your vet.

How to keep a turtle healthy?

Get the right balance of food and vitamins. For a creature with a diet as varied as a turtle, getting a good balance of all the different dietary elements is important to maintain your turtle's health and well-being.

What vegetables are good for a sourdough bread?

Good vegetable choices include kale, parsley, green beans, bell peppers, and cabbage. Small amounts of spinach and broccoli are also good choices. Flowers including carnations, roses and hibiscus can be added for variety. For the fruit content use apples, bananas, pears, grapes, kiwi and melon. ...

Do turtles need pellets?

If you are trying to replicate how a turtle would feed in the wild, however, the pellets are less authentic than fresh greens and insects. If you use pellets try to make them part of a balance with fresh food .

Turtle Habits and Biology

What do you know about tortoises and turtles? First off, turtles have been around longer. Which means a tortoise is a type of turtle. And turtles are popular enough that people volunteered and rescued them during that infamous Texas blackout. The turtles were cold-stunned.

Do Turtles Eat Dirt?

In the US, turtles are mostly kept as pets. Some turtle farms breed them for research and export. In Asia, turtle farms supply these reptiles for food and medicine. So what your turtles eat may depend on where they live and why you keep them. Herbivorous or omnivorous turtles eat bugs and insects in addition to algae, grass, and plants.

What Do Turtles Like to Eat Most?

If you got your turtle from the pet store, the staff can probably tell you what species your new pet is. So they can advise you on their preference (herbivore/carnivore/omnivore). In the wild, turtles only come up for air, sunshine, or to lay eggs so you don’t need to feed them.

Foods to Avoid When Feeding Turtles

Box turtles are a common pet, and they almost look like tortoises. But even for other turtle types, there are some foods you should avoid if you can. They include:

Tips to Feed Turtles

Turtles seem so sedate and move so slowly that it doesn’t seem complicated to feed them. But there are certain do’s and don’ts. These pointers will keep their flippers fabulous and full.

Turtle FAQs

Telling tortoises apart from turtles may have been your biggest question. But there’s much more to consider whether you’re keeping turtles for science or companionship. Here are a few common questions about turtles. And some of them apply to tortoises as well.

Summary

If you want an aquatic indoor pet, a smaller turtle is a good choice. You can keep them outdoors in a stock tank or a pond. Either way, provide safe basking spots, the right food for your turtle breed, a filter if you have an aquarium, and adequate swimming space.

How should I feed my turtle?

Always feed your turtle in the water, not on land. Turtles need water to swallow their food.

How much should I feed my turtle?

Turtles are real gluttons. Even if they’ve just been fed, they’re going to ask for more. Don’t give in: you know what’s best for them! Turtles are cold-blooded; unlike us, they don’t need food to maintain their body temperature. They only use the energy from their food to grow and to move.

How often should I feed my turtle?

The frequency with which you should feed your turtle depends on its age. Young turtles grow faster, so they need more food than older animals. The type of food you should feed your turtle also depends on the animal’s age. You’ll find more information about this below:

What should I feed my turtle?

Turtles like a lot of food but some foods are better for them than others. You should always feed your turtle with a variety of food. A varied diet, provided in the right amount, will have positive effects on your turtle’s health and its lifespan.

Foods to be avoided

Even if your turtle is an omnivore, it’s not a good idea to literally feed it everything. Some foods are not healthy for turtles to eat:

What to feed a turtle?

Shrimp and Krill which has been free dried is another great food you should be offering your turtle. Both shrimp and krill belong to a freshwater turtles natural diet, so these should be offered at least every other day. Make sure you buy ‘freshwater’ and not saltwater, as this type is commonly not in reptile diets. Another great thing is that usually they are offered in small and large sizes, so can be offered to both juvenile and adult turtles.

What is the best food for a turtle?

Turtle pellets should be the main food source for many pet freshwater turtles. The pellets are commonly made with Gammarus shrimp and crammed with vitamins and minerals. These pellets will give your turtle all the nutrients it needs for a healthy diet combining vitamins, minerals, calcium and proteins. Another great thing about this pellet food is that it floats on the surface top, so they are easily removed if not eaten.

What do green turtles eat?

The green turtle is ironically named as it only eats greens. Thats right, this species of turtle is the only specie to be a herbivore as an adult. This means they only eat sea plants, foliage and marine algae. Green turtles are actually named ‘Green’ after the colour of their fat and cartilage. Not the colour of their shells like most people believe.

What do leatherback turtles eat?

Gelatinavores are know to only eat gelatinous prey such jellyfish, tunicates and sea squirts. They are not known to eat any other foods apart from these.

What do olive ripleys eat?

They are mainly carnivorous, feeding on jellyfish, crabs, snails and shrimp, however they do occasionally eat algae, seaweed and sea grass also.

Can turtles eat green beans?

Raw green beans can be offered as a treat to a freshwater turtle. Not all turtles will eat green beans as they have an acquired taste, but they are safe to offer. They are high in calcium, magnesium and potassium, so they have a wide variety of nutritious mineral values.

Can turtles eat snails?

Snails are an importantly part of a freshwater turtles diet, as these are commonly what they would eat in the wild. Aquatic snails can be offered dead or alive . You can buy them both live, or canned from reptile shops or online stores. Usually snails will have added calcium if bought from reptile stores, as they are commonly very low in calcium by themselves. You’ll need to take this into consideration when monitoring calcium level consumption.

What to feed a turtle?

Fresh, cooked, unseasoned meat (stick with chicken and shrimp) Chopped vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, etc) Water vegetation. Dead insects. If you need something more stable for your pet turtle, you can also purchase store-bought turtle diets, which can be excellent nutrition choices.

What do turtles eat?

You can put aquatic plants in an aquarium or a pond, and turtles love to eat them. Carrots (tops are fine), squash, and green beans are examples of other vegetables. Here is my favorite pellets from amazon. They only cost $10 and I am certain your pond turtle will love them.

How long do pond turtle sliders live?

They are tough turtles that live for a very long time, sometimes up to 70 years. In the wild, pond turtles eat a range of foods, and while we can’t necessarily replicate these foods for our pets, we can offer them some similar choices.

When was the ban on turtles enacted?

The prohibition was enacted in 1975 to address the issue of Salmonella infections in children. With this in mind, it is important to always wash your hands after coming in contact with a turtle, especially those in the wild.

Can turtles eat pellets?

Aquatic turtle pellets are an essential part of your pet turtle’s diet, but they also shouldn’t be the only thing they eat. Always place the food in the pond, and don’t try to hand feed them directly.

Can you feed a turtle candy?

No candy, chocolate, or other sugary foods are allowed. Not only is it bad for a turtle’s wellbeing, but these foods are usually hard and pose a choking danger to your pet. Do not share meals or snacks with your turtle. Salmonella bacteria are carried by many turtles, as well as other marine animals.

How Much Food Should You Give Your Pet Turtle?

Pets like cats and dogs walk usually walk away when they have eaten enough. In contrast, turtles can keep eating until you start to wonder how much food is enough. Since turtles don’t have access to food all the time, like in the wild, they compensate by eating nonstop when you feed them.

How Often Should You Feed Your Turtle?

Once you work out how much your pet turtle should eat, you now need to figure out how often the shell-carrying reptile should be fed. A feeding routine ensures that you give a turtle the rightful supply of nutrients when it needs them most.

What Food Do Turtle Pets Eat?

The food your turtle eats will be based on whether it’s a herbivore, omnivore, or carnivore. Luckily, most aquatic turtles are omnivores and will munch on both plant-and animal-based foods.

Is There a Specific Way to Feed Your Turtle?

Aquatic turtles and terrestrial turtles differ in how they prefer their food served. Sea turtles like to eat their food underwater; hence food should be placed inside their water tank. If you’re not feeding them live prey such as small fish and worms, ensure that the food you choose can float on the surface.

Common Concerns When Feeding Turtles

When it comes to feeding your pet turtle, there are a few things that you should keep an eye on to avoid taking a toll on your turtle’s overall well-being.

Conclusion

One of the most significant ways to ensure that your turtles stay happy and fulfilled is to ensure that they are well fed. However, you need to remember that these shell-carrying creatures are opportunistic feeders. Therefore you must regulate how much they eat if you don’t want them to be obese.

What sea animals eat sea turtles?

Some of the sea animals that eat young sea turtles include sharks, saltwater crocodiles also known as marine crocodiles or sea crocodiles, crabs, and orcas. With adult sea turtles, sea animals that hunt them include sea crocodiles, requiem sharks (which include tiger sharks), and killer whales (also known as orcas).

What animals eat tortoises eggs?

Animals that eat tortoise eggs include raccoons, boars, crabs, feral cats, feral dogs, humans, birds, and many more. All these predators have to do is dig up the eggs once they locate the nests. Once a nest is compromised, most of the eggs end up being eaten by scavengers.

What is a smooth softshell turtle?

Smooth Softshell Turtle (Apalone Mutica) The softshell turtles we will concentrate on are the North American softshells, which is the genus Apalone. These are the more popular softshells. There is very little information on other softshells from around the world especially when it comes to what feeds on them.

What is the name of the genus of musk turtles?

Musk turtles, on the other hand, belong to the genus Sternotherus. Some popular musk turtles include the eastern musk ( S. odoratus) , flattened musk ( S. depressus), and razorback musk ( S. carinatus) turtles. The few known predators eat the eggs and young. These include the following:

How fast can a sea turtle go?

This leaves most of their limbs and heads exposed. However, unlike tortoises, sea turtles are pretty quick and can reach speeds of 22 mph (35 km/hr) when scared. Regardless of this, their exposed flippers and head make them targets for predators such as sharks, and orcas.

What is a map turtle?

Map Turtle (specifically False Map Turtle) Map turtles ( Graptemys) are popular American turtles. These turtles are commonly kept as pets. As pets, they are at risk of being eaten by dogs and even cats.

Where are green sea turtles found?

Green sea turtles are endemic to the coastal lines of the world’s oceans. They can be found in all the oceans (in tropical and subtropical parts) but are most abundant in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific.