All about food for red-eared turtles

Many pets are picky about food, almost like people. Red-eared turtles are no exception. Their meals are comprised of different types of foods, and it is advisable to research the ingredients before purchasing.

Food for red-eared reptiles does not represent finished products as for other pets. Since these are predators, their diet consists of 2/3 of animal food and 1/3 of plant foods. With age, these indicators will become equal. Basically, turtles eat the same foods as humans. And for them the differentiation of products is important, that is, the diet consists not only of grass and insects.

The composition of the diet of red-eared turtles should include several essential ingredients.

Rabbit, beef, poultry are suitable for reptiles, as they are lean, like lamb or pork. It is the main source of vitamin A and protein. By-products are also welcome: liver, heart. It is advisable to boil the meat to kill bacteria. Large turtles prefer mice, but this is not for everyone.

Feeding only meat leads to a common disease in red-eared turtles - rickets, deformation and subsequent changes in bone tissue. Therefore, if you wish your pet health, do not forget about the variety.

Sea and river fish are included in the diet of turtles... A lean type of fish is preferred. The most important point in fish feeding is processing. No bones, remove offal, boil the fillet in water a little, again, in order to avoid pathogenic bacteria. Guppies, crucians, goldfish, swordtails are excellent food for them. It is a fact that when hunting for small fish, turtles wake up instincts, which is good for their life.The diet also includes a seafood cocktail: octopus, squid, snail meat, shrimp.

Feeding with bugs is introduced in the summer, as there are many times more of them. Grasshoppers, mealworms, smooth caterpillars (nothing fluffy!), Daphnia and others.

As turtles age, there is a greater need for plant foods, as they are easier to digest. These include: fruits (pears, apples, oranges, peaches), vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), grass (meadow, dandelions), lettuce, mushrooms (champignons, but rarely! ), dried seaweed, berries, aquarium plants (algae). All food should be peeled and cored and served in small cubes for easier chewing. As seen, There are no restrictions here, the main thing is to remember that turtles cannot be vegetarians and eat only greens.

While the red-eared turtle is growing up, its skeleton is being formed. If the owners, for some reason, do not feed the pet with meat and fish, then additional measures are needed to restore the vitamin balance.... Bone meal or crushed eggshells can be added to small meals. As she grows up, they are usually limited to vitamins A and D3. Find out the dosage on the package, depending on the age of the turtle and the manufacturer itself, it may differ.

Turtles are omnivores and their food variety should be the same as in their natural habitat. Dry food was not included in the diet.... They are not recommended for consumption, as they often contain not the promised ingredients that are prescribed on the packaging. Most of them contain a lot of protein, and instead of calcium, it is a substitute or a small proportion of the total mass. There are companies that do their job honestly, but there are few of them.

Producers who really care about the health of their consumers: Sera, Tetra, JBL. These three are able to diversify the turtle's diet without harming it. Their main components are herbs, vitamins and minerals, processed shrimp, fish, and somewhere gammarus.

Company recommended by veterinarians. Contains natural products. The food contains gammarus, a nutritious amphipod crustacean containing a high amount of carotene. Turtles naturally eat gammarus and it is important to keep this in their diet.

There are two gammarus in the store: Russian and Chinese. Chinese weighs more due to their shell, and they do not contain any nutrients.

It is a small stick that is easy to swallow for any turtle. These sticks contain yucca extract to absorb unpleasant aquarium odors and keep the water clean. The food has a balanced ratio of calcium and phosphorus, which allows bones to develop better... Three types of food are available: Baby - for little ones, Junior - for teenagers and Sticks - for adult turtles.

Mainly contains different herbs, more than 20 species. Loaded with essential ingredients found in the daily diet of turtles. Enriched with vegetable protein and fats necessary to saturate the body, and the core consists of vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, D3, E, B1, B2, C). And also in the composition of calcium and phosphorus for normal growth and development of bones.

A stick-like complementary food floating on the surface of the water. According to the manufacturer, this helps the turtles maintain their hunting instincts. The basis of the feed is shrimp and fish, which are rich in protein.The composition includes lysine - an amino acid, which is a building material for the protein that makes up tissues and contributes to their recovery.

Each of these feeds is not a base for feeding, and is used as an additional treat.

The amount and frequency of food served depends on the age and size of the turtle.

With age, your pet is less likely to need to consume food frequently. At home, a young turtle needs daily feeding (once a day). Moreover, the diet of little ones includes seafood, and it is better to reduce the amount of plant products - for this period they are useless. Add bone meal to dishes for proper bone formation.

Gradually, the frequency decreases to once every 2 days, and if you give meat, you can forget about it for a week. Dry food is often added to main meals as a source of additional vitamins.

A common disease in turtles, along with rickets, is overeating. Sad eyes should not distract from the strict feeding schedule, since turtles, like goldfish, always want to eat and do not know when to stop.

Be sure to monitor your eating habits... Yes, they are, and for each turtle they are individual: some people like grass and vegetables, and some people like solid meat. If the turtle has become lethargic and passive, you should pay attention to the fullness of the feeder: a complete lack of food means that someone has eaten too much, in which case you need to contact your veterinarian.

You can't get the turtle out of the water. She cannot produce saliva, so she needs water to digest food.

The turtle is placed in a bowl so that the water in the aquarium is not contaminated. If she gets used to the owner, she will allow hand-feeding.

The main rule for home feeding is variety.

Proper care of your pet will provide him with a long (30-40 years!) And healthy life. Remember that pets are part of life for us, and we are all life for them.