Feeding and Nutrition :: how often should u feed ur turtie & how much

[aznxturtxlover]

my sis and i just got two cute little baby turts and don't know much about turties, so we'd like to get some info that could help us

*thx*

[DanielRES1180]

For baby turtles you should feed once to twice a day, once they reach one year of age, you'll have to hold back on the feeding and feed once every two days or so. You should feed only as much as its head can hold (not including the neck) if it were hollow, probably two to three pellets.

[TNTurtles]

yea once a day until they are 6 months to a year old then its every other day. Just as much as would fit in there head at one time (without the neck). They will beg for more food, but it doesn't mean you should give it to them. If you overfeed it can cause internal problems. There is a Sticky at the top of this forums that say what to feed and what not to feed. Variety is the key. Try veggies early because it will be easier for them to take to them if they are given at a young age, and they are really good for them.

[missibsu]

Mine switched to a mostly veggies diet at about 3 months, and switched to pellets every other day at 6 months. They love to beg, and when they do I just throw in some veggies. You'll know if you are feeding too much veggies because they will get diarrhea.

[aznxturtxlover]

*thx*

but my turties don't seem to ~want~ to eat much

i fed them yesterday around afternoon time, and they ate, but then i fed them again today around 10-11-ish and they wouldn't eat.

[marisa]

aznturtxlover, are you only feeding them pellets (what kind?) If so, try to vary their diet more---live foods like cut-up bits of earthworm, bloodworms (occasionally), small crickets. If you can get anachris, an aquatic plant, most baby turts soon learn they like nibbling on the stuff.

[missibsu]

If they are new to their set up they may not be too anxious to eat. Give them some time and keep offering the food. It took mine a couple of days to settle in and get comfy before they began to eat.

[aznxturtxlover]

no, i'm not only feeding them pellets (nutrafin[the real kind, i threw away the bootlegged one]).

i've given them lettuce, watermelon, apple, and zoo med treats(whole krill)

i've given them a pellet everyday, but it seems like they never eat it, or they might have just taken a few nibbles and i can't see it

the only things i've seen them eat are the lettuce, and zoo med treats of whole krill, (ESPECIALLY THE WHOLE KRILL)

on the bottle it recommends to feed the krill 2-3 times a week, but it seems that they really like it. is it ok to feed it more often, or would you recommend to follow that?

[marisa]

Zoo-Med Krill is really high in protein (something like 56%, if I remember correctly---look at the container for the percentage). They like it, but you'll be doing them no favors by feeding it to them regularly (even 2-3 times a week is excessive, I think). How much have you been feeding them when you do give it to them?

A diet high in protein will result in health problems, taxing the kidneys and resulting in shell problems from too fast a growth to name two. And if they get too used to the krill, you'll have a much harder time getting them to eat other foods, which they should be doing. They need variety in the diet. The krill should be an occasional treat.

[aznxturtxlover]

how many should i be giving to them during "one time"??

i gave them 2 or 3 small ones (like between 2-3 millimeters) today when i saw Tiki devouring it after i put it in.

[marisa]

I used to give my RES a couple of pieces when I did give it to him (he doesn't get it any longer). You kind of have to be the judge of this, I think. If they've eaten already during the day, and you want to give them a treat, I'd give them each a piece.