Feeding and Nutrition :: won't eat veggies

[bubbleandearl]

I have my turtles since 7 months and since that time I been trying to get them eat veggies of any kind. However they eat their pellets and feeder fish. Anyway I want them to eat some lettuce and carrots, since carrots are good for their eyes and shell. Also, how do you feed them cuttlebone?

[SpotsMama]

Some turtles are more enthusiastic about vegetables than others. Also, the older ones will be a lot more interested than the young ones. My three and a half year old turtle is luke warm towards lettuce but he absolutely adores fresh basil! He won't eat tomato but will eat red cabbage. He won't eat carrots at all but he really likes an occasional piece of apple peel. He won't eat strawberries or cherries but he likes a piece of fresh fig from time to time.

The easiest way I know to get a turtle to eat his veggies is to put aquatic plants in the tank. Spot especially likes anacharis, which is cheap and common. When the turtle isn't eating the aquatic plant it looks nice and improves the water quality.

You get cuttebones in the bird section of the pet store. They've got a thin, translucent plastic-like layer on one side that should be removed and discarded. You can pry the plastic layer from the good part of the bone with a knife. You'll probably break the bone into pieces in the process, which is ok. I like to prepare several bones at a time (ie, remove the clear layer and break the bone into pieces about the size of the turtle's head) and keep them in a baggie. You can put a piece or two of prepared bone into the tank and leave it there. Your turtle will snack on it from time to time. I like to attach a piece of cuttlebone in a veggie clip to the side of the tank. Spot likes it like that because he can get a good bite and the bone doesn't float away. If the bone is floating free, after a few days it will sink if it isn't all eaten. Any of it that isn't eaten after a while that gets slimy should be taken out and thrown away.

[marisa]

bubbleandearl, most turtles catch on to the fact that anachris is edible, and soon learn to like to nibble on it. If your turtle takes a while to eat it, it's fine just staying in the water. (If your turtle takes to it, though, it can get messy.) Once he starts on the anachris, try some red-leaf lettuce.

For the carrots, make very thin, long peels and let them float in the water. If there's any current from the filter, they'll move like worms, which should make them more attractive to your turtle.

[Tilted]

I would also try collard greens. My turtles did not like lettuce, but when I gave them the greens they eat like there is no tomorrow

[marisa]

For my turtles, collard greens are definitely less appetizing than dandelions or red leaf lettuce. They will eat them though. I'd not feed them all the time, though---try to mix them up with other leafy greens.

[turtle_nz]

my turtle never seemed to like carrot, till i left some in his tank over night, when I woke up the next morning he was going to town on it like it was real tastey, so maybe you need to give them time with it.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Read this thread on how I got my turtle to eat veggies & fruits. Don't just read the original post because I did put updates if you go down the thread. This worked great for my big turtle & took less than 2 weeks to work:

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3998