Feeding and Nutrition :: Pellets vs Lettuce

[Mickey]

My 1 - 1.5 inch babies used to gobble up red/green lettuce & carrots and ignore pellets. Now they just eat pellets. What gives? I try to trick them by giving them veggies first and waiting about 1/2 - 1 hour before giving them pellets but they're too smart. They just wait. I've only had them 2.5 months so could it be they were deprived and now are living the good life and acting like spoiled children?

[SpotsMama]

Ha! They are living the good life!

It's not unusual for little turtles to prefer pellets over veggies. When they grow up then they'll be more interested in green things but they will always love their pellets.

Keep offering your turtle the lettuce and occasional carrot and when he feels the need he'll eat some. Keep cuttlebone in the tank for him too. Just so you don't overfeed them (or underfeed them) they will be fine. The rule of thumb is to imagine that your turtle's head is hollow, like a thimble, not the neck just the head. Then, as long as he's less than 4" long you can feed him as many pellets as would fit in his hollow head. When he gets to be 4" long, cut back to feeding him a hollow head's worth every other day.

[marisa]

You might try some different veggies for variety. Also anacharis (aquatic plant) to give them something else to eat. You also could vary the brand of pellets they eat, or rotate a few different brands.

[Mickey]

Thanks. I'm continuing to feed them veggies along with pellets and will try some anacharis this weekend.

[emma]

Thats great! My turtles really liked the anarchis that i got for them. They loved playing in it and eating it. It only lasted for about 3 days and they made a HUGE mess with it but at least they were happy! I bet your turtle will love it!