Feeding and Nutrition :: Hooked on pellets!

[notoch351]

My turtles have been eating their pellets and a few minnows for about 3 years. I know they should have been eating other stuff but I didn’t know better then. Now I’m try to get other food types in there diet but they seem to have no interest and refuse to eat until they get there pellets. I have tried lettuce (not iceberg), carrots, aqua plants, Green beans, and Red Leaf lettuce but its not working I can’t see them not eating for over three days and give in on pellets. How can I force them to eat it.? I have read the nutrition page but the tips didn’t help much.

[octpusgirl8]

Have you tried using a veggie clip to stick the vegetables underwater? My turtle won't eat his vegetables if they're just floating around, they have to be stuck in one place before he will even look at them.

[SpotsMama]

For a long time the only veggie my turtle would eat was fresh basil. Now that he's grown (he's about 4) he'll eat other veggies, but he's only been interested in other things for about a year.

[Hoooneylynn]

Keep trying, they will come around eventually... Karlyn wouldnt eat lettuce for a month...I kept giving it to her every other day.. she tried it, and then she would just spit it out. Now she LOVES it.

[notoch351]

should I stop feeded pellets untill they eat something else

[SpotsMama]

Here's a thread from someone who just persuaded her 16 year old turtle to eat vegetables. It's really encouraging that even an old turtle can learn new tricks. Patience is the key!

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... sc&start=0

[DavidY]

should I stop feeded pellets untill they eat something else

I wouldn't stop pellets completely, but you could try cutting back on the pellets so they get good and hungry. Maybe they'll be more likely to try the lettuce then.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Here's a thread from someone who just persuaded her 16 year old turtle to eat vegetables. It's really encouraging that even an old turtle can learn new tricks. Patience is the key!

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... sc&start=0

nototch,
make sure you read all the way down the thread that spotsmama posted....there are updates as well as plenty of ideas throughout the thread as I creatively worked to get Sheba (my 17 yr old turtle) to eat veggies! Creativity & patience is definitely the key.

It's been a year now & Sheba is STILL eating veggies & loving them. She gets baby Romaine mixed salad every day, and reptomin pellets every other day. My turtle has a HUGE sweet tooth & blueberries & raspberries are her favorite treat.

Recently scripta_elegans on this board sent me a sample of Mazuri brand turtle food & Sheba LOVES that too!

So don't give up. I would put a few pieces of lettuce in the tank during the day. When turtles are bored, they tend to nibble on things in their tank.....