Feeding and Nutrition :: Occasional Treat?

[darla1699]

I've been reading a lot of posts and the term "occasional treat" is often used. Can someone please define/confirm what "occasional" means? I've only seen one post saying that it means once a month. I have my turt for 2 months now and still trying to come up with a balanced and varied diet as recommended by most here. My turt only eats veggies when made into a jello shot. Occasionally I would try giving the raw veggies but he still won't touch them. Aside from leaving a lot of mess (turt won't feed in separate tank), making jello shots that incoporate a variety of veggies result to a lot of unused portions of each. Also a cup of jello shot would last at most a month only. My first jello shot started showing signs of spoilage after a month with barely 1/4 cup consumed. I want to provide a variety of food but try to minimize wasted food. I've been resisting buying commercially sold food such as gammarus, algae wafers, koi pellet and the like since they are only to be given occasionally. Current feeding schedule alternates between reptomin and jello

[penelope]

How old are they? For starters it can help determine how much protein they need in their diet and if its time for "tough love" As for the meaning of occasionally, I think it more along the lines of the ratio of treats to the frequency and amount of healthy diet (without over feeding). I know. It's nebulous, but that's my rule if thumb. For example when Penelope was little 4 blueberries a month was a big treat. Now, 4 or 5 every couple weeks is a treat, but its offset by cutting back a tiny bit on pellets....it's so hard to give a clear answer. Just think of toddlers and how infrequently they get candy for dinner

[darla1699]

I'm not really sure of the age but he is currently two inches.

[darla1699]

I'm sort of doing the "tought love" in feeding the jello since he doesn't readily eat these compared to pellets which gets eaten as soon as they land in the water. He doesn't only ignore the jello but he hides it under the basking log. After 30 minutes of dropping the jello I have to check that it is not stuck under the log (which usually happens). I have to move the log to bring the jello out repeatedly sometimes. at times the jello would be eaten late in the afternoon. I give it to him between 7 to 8 am. Sometimes I worry if he really eats it at all or it just dissolves in the water. I wish there is a healthy veggie pellet available.

[steve]

Try using a veggie clip instead of the jello treats.