Feeding and Nutrition :: basic feeding ?

[joy]

HI it's me again, the newbe who still has a lot to learn about turtles.

Today's question is... my daughters turtles are 3" & 4"' and my guess is they are approximately 1.5 to 2yrs old. Do I feed them once or twice a day? I am currently feeding the twice a day with 1 head full of pellets at each feeding.

I am going on vacation and am having a gal come into the house once a day to care for the cats and wonder if it would be OK to let her feed the turtles only once a day. Otherwise I need to pack them up and take them to my brother in-laws home where his home is under major construction, the house is cold and very noisy.

I really want to do a good job with these little guys that is why so many questions. I have learned so much reading everyones posts, thank you!

Clueless in San Jose

[sull324]

1 years old turtle ,need to be feed once each other days(1 head size each 2 days).

As of right now you are feeding them 4x too much. At this rate your turtle will experience an slow and painful dead or it will turn into this
.

Keep in mind they will never stop begging.

How long is your vacation?,you could drop in some feeder fishes,as well reptiles can survive more then a week without eating anything.

About feeding,i think all the information you needed were on the main website page.

[jozzep]

Hello Joy,
Happy to see you're doing your homework, but feeding twice a day is too much.
The "head full of pellets" rule is great, but you feed that amount once every other day. Most people supplement veggies on the "off pellet" day.

[joy]

Thank you!! I was going from what I was told at the Pet store. I will change as of tomorrow. I have offered them veggies before but did not even get a nibble am I Ok just putting red leaf lettuce in and nothing else. I assume if they get hungry enough they will eat it. I do have water plants in their aquarium and they have been eating them. What about the recipe for Turtle Jell-o shots am I Ok in feeding them that on there non-pellet days?

I also found I was leaving the basking light on too long... Poor little things they are so dependent on us and some of us are clueless....

Thank you again for your help!
joy

[joy]

I have seen the errors of my feeding ways and fed romain lettuce this morning and they munched it down.... I gave a plam full. I also copied down and the vegi's you can feed and will go to the grocery store after work.

Thank you!

[vear]

Hello Joy, my turtle eats romaine lettuce too... he doesn't like much of anything. I pretty much bring a new veggie home every week and offer him. It's a good way to figure out what they like. Glad yours is eating the lettuce!

[vic021]

hi joy i would try some dandalions or lillys i gave those to my turtles and there both really small (about 2inches) so most peoples res wont eat greens that young but they ate them in no time compared to other greens

[LittleResQNorth]

I just have to ask Sull324 about that picture!!! That is a very strange unhealthy looking turtle, where is that pic from?!