Feeding and Nutrition :: How do I get my turtle to eat pellets?

[lazixixi]

my baby RES is only 5 months old, and I've set up the perfect habitat for him (basking, water/swim area, etc...). Yet, the problem is, he only eats greens. He only eats the romaine lettuce that I give him and avoids any type of pellets, and dried shrimp alone. I read that 70% of young turtles' diet is suppose to be meat, but what do I do if he won't eat any meat...Does anyone know how I could get him to eat the pellets/dried shrimp. (O and I put the food in the water for him to eat)

[sonyj]

Wow! I think this is a first. I've heard a lot of the opposite (won't eat veggies). A reputable pellet should be the staple of their diet with veggies offered daily as well. What kind of pellet are you offering him? Have you tried other brands before? I use baby Reptomin and have never had a problem. Maybe trying another brand would help.

Good luck

[lazixixi]

I use 2 diff. kinds, the reptomin, nutrafin max, and this other kind of pellet my friend gave me. And yet, my turtles sees the pellets with the lettuce and dives straight for the lettuce... Is is possible to have a vegetarian baby turtle? O and I also noticed he realli realli likes grapes, well wen I do give it to him (rarely) he likes it so much that wen it drops to the bottom of the tank, he searches for the rest of the grape frantically, sometimes even trying to eat the little pebbles.

[sonyj]

Try feeding the pellets and veggies separately. That's what I've always done. The lettuce is big and easy to see, so this may be the reason he goes straight for it by passing the little pellets. I know that as soon as we pick up the pellet container Koopa is at the top of the tank waiting for his pellets. Then later in the day (mid-morning, noon-ish) I'll give his veggies for the day. If you separate the times you give them, try giving the pellets first and be sure he sees you put them in the tank. Not sure if this will help, but it's worth a shot.

Koopa absolutely adores grapes too. He does the same thing with searching for the pellet when he gets them as a treat.

BTW, you mentioned having little pebbles in your tank. If they are smaller than your turtles head then you should remove them immediately. Turtles have been known to eat them and if they do not pass they can cause impaction or even death. Many keepers use larger river rocks or just a bare tank bottom when keeping turtles.

[steve]

Wow! I think this is a first. I've heard a lot of the opposite (won't eat veggies).

That is odd. Just to be sure, are you positive you have a RES?

[lazixixi]

That is odd. Just to be sure, are you positive you have a RES?[/quote]

yes yes I've checked out lotsa pictures of baby RES and I'm sure I have an RES ^_^

[mikedpirone]

yeah that is weird i still have a tough time getting mine to eat veggies. the veggies usually just wind up floating in the water till i take them out. pellets on the other hand are gone faster than a blink of an eye

[marisa]

Try putting the pellets in the water from sardines or tuna and let it soak in a bit before giving them to your turtle. Most hatchlings take to Reptomin Baby very quickly.

[lazixixi]

Try putting the pellets in the water from sardines or tuna and let it soak in a bit before giving them to your turtle. Most hatchlings take to Reptomin Baby very quickly.

Is it ok to use any kind of tuna, like the human food tuna "chicken by the sea"?

[sonyj]

Yes, the human tuna is what she's talking about. Just be sure that it is the kind packed in water not oil. I had to try this trick when I first got Koopa. If it works then eventually you will need to slowly wean him off the pellets soaked in tuna water to just plain pellets by adding less soaked pellets and more regular each day.

Another trick that worked well with my turtle was to feed the freeze dried shrimp that you buy at the pet store as a treat for your turtles. If he'll eat that, then one day add a pellet as you drop them in the tank. Daily increase the pellets and decrease the shrimp until he's eating pellets only.

Just remember that the amount of pellets he should be eating is the amount that would fit inside his head if it were hollow (estimation) once a day (every other day for older turtles - daily for hatchlings) with veggies offered daily.

Keep us informed and good luck.

[marisa]

Is there another kind of tuna besides "human tuna?"

[bradhart]

unprocessed fish tuna? /shrug

[lazixixi]

an update on franklin: ok so I guess he's a very picky eater. I soaked the pellets in tuna and wrapped some tuna around the pellet somehow, he knew how to pick out and eat only the tuna but leave the pellets completely alone. I found that he was able to take in a lil bit of the pellets if I mushed the pellets into tiny lil piece and mixed it with the tuna. my o my... at this rate I really don't think he's gonna be eating regular pellets ne time soon.

[marisa]

I'd continue as you're doing now, and gradually change the proportion of tuna and pellet.

Or just soak the pellets in the tuna juice.

What pellets are you trying to get him to eat?

[bradhart]

I'd just offer pellets for a few days. It's how I got mine to eat veggies. I figure, worst case scenerio: they can go 2 days without eating, and if he's hungry enough, he'll eat pellets.