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I bought a dozen of crickets at the pet store today and I put 4 in bean's tank around 4:00 today that was 4 hours and 30 min. ago he hasn't eaten one yet. Does the crickets have to be in the water for him to eat one? There were a few crickets right next to him and he acted like the crickets wasn't even there. I have a light on him. I don't understand why he won't eat the crickets? Should I leave the crickets in there? How long does it take the turtle to eat one?
Misty

It depends on the turtle. I bought some Freeze dried ones for my Zeke, and almost as soon as he saw it, he was on it, he gobbled it right up. Yes Turtles have to eat in the water. I just drop Zekes in the water with him it usually takes a minute for him to notice it, then he eats it right up.

Please tell me where I can find Freeze dried crickets. Tell me the name brand to use I may find something on ebay. I had 4 crickets in the tank all evening. I put one of the crickets in the water in front of the turtle he didn't go for the cricket, the cricked drowned pretty quick. I just went ahead and turned the other 11 crickets free. I would feel better buying freeze dried crickets. Are those already dead?
Misty

Yes, freeze dried crickets are dead. I buy Fluker's Freeze Dried Crickets. I get them for about $13 for a jar but they last a while because I only feed them out once a week. They're gutloaded with calcium and other good stuff too.

Do you think my turtle could eat these gut loaded crickets?
He is very small. Let me know. I am quiet worried about him.
I have had bean for almost a month now and I have only
seen him eat twice. I am just worried something is wrong
with him. Does turtles eat much?
Misty

Do you leave the room after feeding him? Some turts are shy and won't eat if you're standing over them. Is he otherwise acting/looking normal?

He'll be able to eat the freeze dried ones. He'll rip them apart if he has to.

I dropped two food sticks in his tank last night and he hasn't went near them. When I leave the room the pellets are still there. He looks ok. He doesn't move around a lot though. I am just worried about him.

Right after you said about my turtle might be shy I went into the kitchen for a few min and came back into the room and one piece of the food is gone so he ate it and I am so happy. I was starting to worry. I will buy him some gut loaded crickets.

Good to hear

I thought he eat one but he didn't I just found both food sticks.
Do you think he is ok? I don't think he's eating. I have had him for
about a month now though.

If you feed live crickets, only put one in the water at a time, and make sure your turtle can see it moving in the water. He'll know what to do when the cricket moves. When my painteds were hatchlings and I first put live crickets in the tank, they were clueless. The crickets would search for land and would usually wind up on the backs of the turtles riding around.

Freeze-dried crickets are ok occasionally, but some brands (notably Flukers) are quite high in protein. You can gut-load live crickets to improve nutritional value by feeding them special cricket food (also sold at places like Petco, Petsmart) for about a day before you feed them. It takes more work, but adds additional variety to the diet.

Please tell me what kind of gut loaded crickets to get on petsmart.
My turtle still hasn't eat his food.