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Has anyone tried spoon feeding their RES?

Like mashed squash or carrots?

I don't think my RES digests carrots properly because I see the carrots in her waste.

Wouldn't they just bite the spoon?

You can use your hands to feed them while they're small, though I wouldn't recommend it with an adult.

I don't know about you but getting anything near my turtle's mouth when he's eating. His little jaws and my fingers, not good. lol

^And that's a little guy.

I feed mine by hand, he was 4 inches last September, not sure how big now. Sometimes he misses the pellet that I have pinched between my fingers and gets the finger, but he seems to know the difference between fingers and pellets because he doesn't bite hard and immediately releases my finger.

I feed Penelope using those rubber baby spoons...after several years she still hasn't ripped any rubber off yet (more of a way to get her to up-close-and personal; bite spoon = get food). It's like a game- btw she likes the purple one the best
I've given her everything from pellets to jello shots on that spoon.
I say go for it!

I just started hand feeding my little babies.. its good bonding time and they're getting used to my hand. It's easier for girls with fingernails to hold the pellet... that way it's not AS close to your finger and if they bite it really doesn't hurt. Not to mention they are so tiny! (about 1 1/5")

Oh...wait until they get larger! I don't recommend promoting/allowing biting regardless of size (i.e., once is enough, keep those hands further away)!
My hubby got the bright idea to hand feed and despite warnings only put his hand an inch or two away. What he failed to realize is that those little necks extend pretty darn far! Penelope got him good! She drew blood and his fingertip was numb for hours. Point being- hand feeding is bonding and wonderful, but make note of how far that neck extends.
When I hand feed, I hold a leaf of greens high enough where Penelope can grab the tip of the leaf with my finger far beyond the "neck extension zone." Same thing with pellets and the baby spoon (it has a long handle)
That way I get to hand feed, she gets her food, and I keep my fingers.