Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:10 am
Hi. Hatchlings should be fed a good brand of pellets (I suggest Reptomin baby) everyday, once a day. Only as much pellets as would fit inside their head if it were hollow. You should always offer lettuce such as romaine, green leaf and red leaf, and even carrots, but stay away from iceberg lettuce and cabbage. You can offer cuttlebone too, just make sure to remove the hard backing on it. Rosy red minnows are more of a treat and should be given once every 2 weeks, or once a month, one rosy red minnow for each turtle is fine, too much isnt since it causes obesity and obesity leads to other health problems which can kill your turtle. Also, get the rosy red minnows from a store that keeps them in clean conditions (no dead fish in the tank etc) often fishes from pet stores carry parasites that can make your turtle sick. Whether to feed fish alive or dead is up to you. You can lower the chance of your turtle getting infected with parasites by killing the fish before you feed it to them. You do this by emptying out the bag of water and then filling it back up with realy hot water, you then freeze the fish for week or two and then feed them to your turtles. That should kill a good number of parasites.
Once your turtles are over 4 inches long (sub adults), you should start feeding them pellets every other day. And of course, everyday offer vegetables, aquatic plants etc. once every two weeks or once a month, you can offer crickets, worms, fish etc.
Once they are older (adults) you can start feeding them pellets twice a week, but offer vegetables and etc everyday. An occasional cricket, worm, fish etc once every two weeks is okay.
You can also add vitamin supplements to their diet, I use Reptivite twice a week, it's like a powder that contains important vitamins and minerals. You moist the pellets and then sprinkle some of it on it, then you dry them overnight and offer it in the morning (warning: if you use this stuff, use very little, since your turtle can OD on it) you shouldnt add vitamin supplements everyday, even though the can says every other feeding. I feel that twice a week, or maybe even once a week is enough.
Pellets and vitamin supplements are good, but it shouldnt be the only thing offered. Fresh veggies and aquatic plants are food that will play a huge roll in your turtles health, there are somethings that pellets and vitamin supplements cant do..a good healthy RES should have a varied diet.
Last edited by
xsavingsaturdayx on Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1.1.0Trachemys scripta elegans
0.0.1Sternotherus odoratus
1.1.0Platemys platycephala
0.1.0Pelomedusa subrufa subrufa
0.0.1.Graptemys pseudogeographica
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