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I have been giving my turtles 4 pellets every other day and for every day that they dont get the pellets, I have been giving them lettuce. Is this diet OK for now? They are about 6 months old and around 2-3 inches. Plus, they always cuttlebone in their tank. And for a treat they will get minnows/ fruits/ and other things about every month or so.

That actually sounds great. What kind of lettuce are feeding? It's good to have a large variety in veggies.

I give them Red and Green lettuce. I switch the kind every time I go to the store. I also get them romain about once every 1-2 months.

Sounds good! I'd also suggest sliced carrot or zucchini once a week.

Here's some info on turtle nuitrition:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html

Depending on the size of the pellets, you may be able to safely increase the amount some. The rule of thumb is for a young turtle (less than 4" shell length) you can feed as many pellets every day as would fit in his/her head (head only - not including neck) if his/her head were hollow. When the turtle gets to be more than 4" long, you cut back to a headfull of pellets every other day instead of every day.

Variety is key. Sounds like you're providing some additional veggies but you can do so more often than once a month. A little carrot, bell pepper, squash, tomato, blueberries, apple peel, steamed sweet potato (a turtle favorite) - these are all good for a turtle. You can feed him lettuce every day if you wish.

SpotsMama - can you please let me know - where exactly does the head end - is that including the red spot or ending just before the red spot - thanks! I have been including the red spot (as it just looks headish still) but now am wondering if I am overfeeding.

Also, I don't get the same brand of pellets here - what size are the ones that most people are refering too (1/8" diameter and 1/4 cm long?) Just wondering so that I can compare for my pellets. I think that is roughly what mine are but it seems like to fill the head up it is way more than 4-6 pellets (and since they will eat them all regardless of how many I put in, I get worried I am over feeding)

This site is so helpful - thanks for all the advice!

The standard Reptomin pellets are about this long: ______ and about _ thick. (Rough estimation, sorry!) The HBH pellets are almost a sphere and are about __ in diameter. I'm not sure about baby Reptomin, but I'm guessing they are about half the size of the normal ones. I personally have always fed my turtle the standard ones, just broken into halves or thirds. Head, I have always taken to be what I would imagine a little skull would look like anatomically in the turtle's head, so if you've ever seen your turtle crane their neck over something, don't include the "neck" part, but just what would be the head. I don't think cutting off before the red stripe is necessary, but that would vary with turtle genetics. Best as I can tell, 2-3 inch turtles get 2-4 pellets, 3-4 inch turtles get 4-6 pellets, and that's as far as I can speak for because that's as big as my turtle's gotten!

Er...can you please re-post that - on my screen anyway, all the numbers of the estimations didn't show!! I am just trying to guestimate since my turtles are about 2 inches long, but 2-4 pellets seems like too few. perhaps 8. Probably my estimation is wrong but perhaps this brand is equivalent to the baby sized reptomin. Aquafin is what I use - it is the only one that is available here and even then I have to look hard to find it!

Also...not that I can do much about it but how does this look as far as contents:
Protein 35% min.
fat 3% min
fiber 10% max
Moisture 10% max

Ingredients: High class fish meal, wheat meal, soya meal, fish oil, cereals, spirulina, multivitamins, and supplement trace mineral.

Feeding guide: (this part is funny) Feed at least one or THREE times daily as much as your turtle will consume within three minutes. Err. that would be like a teaspoon of the stuff!

Hmmm. The percentages only add up to 58% I can assume the protein/fat content is too high. Man! I hate it that I am probably going to have to import turtle food. Anyway, let me know what you think of this.

Have you gone over this page? www.redearslider.com/pellets.html

Thanks steve. I admit I totally futzed up. I had been to that site ages ago when I first got the turtles but I have the memory about the size of a gnat so had forgotten all the percentages were posted there. Thanks for the reminder - that was exactly what I needed.

Here's a very cute thread that's also very informative. Look at the pictures of the turtle with the pellet on his head then read the discussion and it will help you judge how much. It's just approximate, of course. I'd err on the side of feeding less rather than more - better for the health in the long run.

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11368