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box turtle food

T

tortoiseman453

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I was just wondering if anyone knew any good box turtle food. My one basicly only eats superworms. if anyone knows of a good pellet food that might spark her interests, or even just a food that your boxie likes please leave your comment below.Thanks.
 
I feed my EBTs lots of fruit (mostly strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, blueberries, grapes, etc.) superworms, and nightcrawlers. A cheap place to pick up nightcrawlers year-round is Wal-Mart and whenever I am at the grocery store I look at the fruit to see if there are any sales. I love it when we have meetings at work because I always end up taking home the remains of any fruit platters and freeze them for later feedings. I find that they do not like citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, etc.) and that they like bananas, but they get messy and spoil super quick.
I feed them protein several times a week and try to make sure that they always have some form of fruit in their habitat. If you don't use vitamin or nutrient supplements then it is very important to vary their diet so they get everything they need. I don't use any processed pet foods and try to stay away from feeding them any other people food besides fruit, although I know they LOVE cooked cocktail shrimp, because the lady I got my newest female off of fed her that all the time. I also throw in crushed cuttlefish bone from time to time to ensure they have a source of calcium since I feed them nightcrawlers more often than superworms.
 
Hey Jack. I also wanted to mention that you want to try to avoid giving your boxies anything with chemical fertilizers on it. We get a lot of local organic strawberries where i'm from, so I don't generally worry about those, but I usually wash and peel the fruit that I give my turtles. it can be a pain, but its worth it for healthy turtles.
 
There is no such thing as an all in one canned food. Most, if not all are junk. Reptomin is an ok snack. As a primary food you want to give variety. Protein should make up the majority of the diet. Try for about 60% animal and 40% plant matter.

For your protein you can use the superworms, crickets, slugs, worms (not fishing worms from wal mart), insects from outside, etc. I get most of this from my own yard where not pesticides are used. Go easy on fruit. You don't want too much. I give fruit every other feeding. I always offer leafy greens (not iceberg lettuce!).
 
Rick, why do you say not to use fishing worms from Wal-Mart?
I understand that it is only a very basic protein, but have been told by many owners and even my herp vet that it is okay as long as I make sure that they receive everything else they need.
Just want to make sure I'm not hurting my turtles...
 
bigalosu said:
Rick, why do you say not to use fishing worms from Wal-Mart?
I understand that it is only a very basic protein, but have been told by many owners and even my herp vet that it is okay as long as I make sure that they receive everything else they need.
Just want to make sure I'm not hurting my turtles...
Click to expand...

Worms are great. Worms sold as fishing worms are bred for the purpose of fish bait, not to provide a nutritious meal for your turtle. Who knows what those worms have been subjected to. I use those worms for bait and they are nasty.

If you must use them I suggest setting up a home for them and allowing them to feed on nutritious food before offering them to your turtles. Just my opinion but I know others who feel the same.
 
What other posters said is great except for the amount of fruit. Fruit should not be a staple. Vegetable matter should make up the greater proportion of the diet - lettuces ( other than iceberg ), squashes ( especially yellows, reds for the carotene ), carrots, fresh corn, kale, endives - basically anything you would put in a salad is fine ( avocado's, onions, garlics, being an exception ). Fruit should be offered a couple of times a week and stay away from the citrus as it can give diahrea. Bananas, mangos, apples, pears, berries, watermelon - all great in moderation. As for the worms, I highly doubt any worms you will be in a petshop, unless bred by a hobbyist, will be different than ones from walmart as its not exactly a market busting with suppliers specially for the herp trade. If you can dig up your own bugs, grubs and worms from a pesticide free area and are comfortable enough to avoid poisonous ones than thats great.
 
When I had a box turtle, I offered her a plate (and I mean full sized paper plate) with several different items available because she never seemed to eat the same things each time. (she was a very picky rehab turtle)

Her favorites were: anything red, especially strawberries, bananas, earthworms, snails (they sell in the can de-shelled for reptiles) and mazuri aquatic turtle food mash (i made it with water and mashed it all up w/ repcal and herptivite) just a few ideas there.
 
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