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Ok, I may sound like a girly wuss here, but I cant help it.

I can't bring myself to get live fish for Mr. Turtle, although i'm sure he would enjoy the chase. I know some of you give your RES dried grasshoppers and such. I was wondering how disgusting are they? I also remembe I used to feed my fish dried shrimp. Would those work for turtles also?

Mr. Turtle is 17, so I know fish and such isn't vital for him. I just want to make sure I give him as much variety as possible.

I've heard that the gut loaded insects can be kind of nasty, I have never tried them. The shrimp should be a treat only, but should be ok. I personally use feeders, and I thought I wasn't going to like it, but I have managed. I just couldn't name them, or think of them as pets. And after watching them eat one the first time, I don't watch anymore.

I don't feed my turtles live fish either, and but I do occasionally give them foods like live crickets, worms, etc. You can feed the dehydrated bugs as well, but I'm not sure how disgusting you'll find them. Depending on the brand, the nutrients in them can vary from almost nothing to brands that say they're vitamin enhanced (how much I don't know). They can be part of a balanced diet, as can occasionally giving some dried shrimp (which is high protein). At your turtle's age, though, his diet should be weighted toward plant matter.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm not concerned that he's missing something by not having live prey to eat. I just want to make sure he has as many opportunities as he would if he was wild, you know?