Feeding and Nutrition :: Hand Feeding Lettuce

[Sora]

Hey, I was just wondering... I've begun hand-feeding(kinda late, but so far so good), and I was wondering. Is there a specific way to hand-feed lettuce to your turt? Because with her other food, I just rest it in my palm and leave my hand just underneath the surface and she scoops it up and swims away, but when I put lettuce there, she doesn't take to it right away and when she does, she practically swallows it whole like she's scared. :/ . I feed her Ice Berg Lettuce and cut it up into rectangular strips, so that its easier to eat, but should I be cutting it smaller? Maybe the size compared to her other food is weirding her out?

Thanks in Advance

[Kurtni]

Hey, I was just wondering... I've begun hand-feeding(kinda late, but so far so good), and I was wondering. Is there a specific way to hand-feed lettuce to your turt? Because with her other food, I just rest it in my palm and leave my hand just underneath the surface and she scoops it up and swims away, but when I put lettuce there, she doesn't take to it right away and when she does, she practically swallows it whole like she's scared. :/ . I feed her Ice Berg Lettuce and cut it up into rectangular strips, so that its easier to eat, but should I be cutting it smaller? Maybe the size compared to her other food is weirding her out?

Thanks in Advance

Iceburg lettuce isn't really good for turtles, it doesn't have any nutrients. Maybe she's just a health nut xD (Green Leaf lettuce or romaine would be better)

I doubt she's scared of it, but if she has to work for her lettuce and tear it into smaller pieces with her claws there isn't anything wrong with that- it's enrichment.

[Sora]

Thanks Kurtni for the info and the quick reply . I knew that Romaine or Green Leaf lettuce is the preferred choice and is even stated on the website, but I figured that all lettuce has to have some nutrition.

Well, I did alittle research, and what I found out makes me feel alittle silly , turns out I was only half right: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lettuce .

It seems that, although Iceberg lettuce is full of Vitamins and protein and not much fat, Romaine and Butter Head/Leaf Lettuce seems to contain more Vitamin A and protien at the cost of being alittle bitter(to us atleast).

Time for another trip to the grocery store