Feeding and Nutrition :: Have always fed pellets, looking to add variety?

[adam85491]

I am new to this forum, but I have two small turtles. I have 6 different types of foods, 2 pellets, 1 powdery treat, these pudding like things, a bad of dried shrimp, crickets, and pellets, and two large turtle bones. I have fed them flies once in a while, they are less than two inches big. If you saw my post in the other section, I am going to go with the 10 gallon tank and trust that a lot of water is good for them, but what should I feed them, they are pretty small.

[adam85491]

Also, can I get your opinions on pellets.

[adam85491]

Can you feed a turtle aquatic turtle food that is supposed to be served dry like certain pellets? or will they just knock them into the water and how old do turtles have to be to eat feeder fish.

[SpotsMama]

There are several good pellets out there. Lots of turtle people use Reptomin. My Spot is very fond of it and it's a good quality pellet. Wardley is reputed to be not as nutritious.

You drop the food into the water. The pellets will float for awhile, then get soggy and sink - if they last that long. The turtles like to feed off the surface of the water and they will eat the dry pellets off the surface.

It's great that you're offering your turtles a variety of foods. They like that. What you need to add is vegetables - romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, a little carrot.

Even little turtles can eat feeder fish. If you're going to give feeders, for small turtles get little bitty feeder fish.

Check out the "stickies" at the top of this section of the forum for a list of do's and dont's and how much to feed.

One important thing - turtles can't swallow unless they're in water, so be sure and always feed them in water.

[Biohazard]

Well to answer you in here im not exactley sure on what to do for variety in food and about feeder fish yet. I gave you a price on pellets in the other post. For pellets go with float pellets and make sure they give your turtle vitamins like A and D3 and also calcium. From what ive seen you dont want your diet to be all around pellets and what you have been feeding them so far seems like a good choice

[adam85491]

I have pellets and I read stickies, I just didn't know if my little turtle would eat feeder fish. I have nutrafin and HBH brand pellets. One comes in a white container with brown pellets and the other a big yellow one with a cartoon turtle on it. I always fed them pellets, but now I want to add variety.

[Biohazard]

offer them some veggies like romain lettuce and carrots. They'll probably refuse it at first because they are used to the pellets by now and they are young. Young turtles are more carnivorous. Keep offering the veggies though and they will eventually take to it.

[SpotsMama]

You mentioned you have "turtle bones". Another name for that is cuttlebone. Cuttlebones are wonderful for turtles - they are mostly pure calcium, which turtles need a lot of to keep shell and bones healthy. Also, they are hard so wear down the turtle's "beak". You put pieces of cuttlebone in the turtles' tank and leave them there. The turtles will snack on them throughout the day.

FYI, if you'll buy cuttlebones in the bird section of the pet store in the future, you'll save a lot of money since the ones they sell in the reptile section called "turtle bones" are overpriced. They're exactly the same thing.

[adam85491]

Thanks! I didn't know. These bones are huge! My turtles are about 1.5 inches wide so can they actually eat them. I was told to get a 10 gallon tank and fill it with water, it seems difficult to eat it if they gotta swim up to get it and eat from the bottom up...I assume they float though, do they? Also, will my little turtles be able to catch a feeder fish?

[SpotsMama]

The cuttlebones float - at least at first until they get soggy. Break off little pieces to feed your turtles to make it easier for them to bite. I like to put pieces of cuttlebone in a veggie clip (you get these in the fish section) that attaches to the side of the tank with a suction cup. The clip keeps the cuttlebone fixed so it won't float away when the turtle tries to bite it.

You don't have to feed live fish to your turtles. Lots of people don't. Turtles may have trouble catching a fish when they are tiny, but some do - just depends on the turtle.

When you fill your tank with water, be sure your turtles still have a dry place to go and bask. The rules for a good basking spot are:

1. It should be EASY for the turtle to climb up on.
2. The basking temperature should be warmer than the water temperature (at least 10 degrees warmer) to motivate the turtle to get up and bask.
3. The heat light or lamp should be far enough away that the turtle can't touch it and get burned.
4. The turtle should be able to dry off completely.

[adam85491]

The cuttlebones float - at least at first until they get soggy. Break off little pieces to feed your turtles to make it easier for them to bite. I like to put pieces of cuttlebone in a veggie clip (you get these in the fish section) that attaches to the side of the tank with a suction cup. The clip keeps the cuttlebone fixed so it won't float away when the turtle tries to bite it.

You don't have to feed live fish to your turtles. Lots of people don't. Turtles may have trouble catching a fish when they are tiny, but some do - just depends on the turtle.

When you fill your tank with water, be sure your turtles still have a dry place to go and bask. The rules for a good basking spot are:

1. It should be EASY for the turtle to climb up on.
2. The basking temperature should be warmer than the water temperature (at least 10 degrees warmer) to motivate the turtle to get up and bask.
3. The heat light or lamp should be far enough away that the turtle can't touch it and get burned.
4. The turtle should be able to dry off completely.

When a set up a basic 10 gallon tank, I plan on attaching the dock with ramp to the wall so it wont move, so i think it should be able to get up there easily. My Mom had a fish tank with a light..I don't know if it would heat it up or not but it would not be able to touch it. Would a conventional fish tank light warm them up?

[adam85491]

Your take on gravel the size of dimes at the bottom as well?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

The cuttlebones float - at least at first until they get soggy. Break off little pieces to feed your turtles to make it easier for them to bite. I like to put pieces of cuttlebone in a veggie clip (you get these in the fish section) that attaches to the side of the tank with a suction cup. The clip keeps the cuttlebone fixed so it won't float away when the turtle tries to bite it.

You don't have to feed live fish to your turtles. Lots of people don't. Turtles may have trouble catching a fish when they are tiny, but some do - just depends on the turtle.

When you fill your tank with water, be sure your turtles still have a dry place to go and bask. The rules for a good basking spot are:

1. It should be EASY for the turtle to climb up on.
2. The basking temperature should be warmer than the water temperature (at least 10 degrees warmer) to motivate the turtle to get up and bask.
3. The heat light or lamp should be far enough away that the turtle can't touch it and get burned.
4. The turtle should be able to dry off completely.

When a set up a basic 10 gallon tank, I plan on attaching the dock with ramp to the wall so it wont move, so i think it should be able to get up there easily. My Mom had a fish tank with a light..I don't know if it would heat it up or not but it would not be able to touch it. Would a conventional fish tank light warm them up?

Im not sure,but keep in mind you need to provide a UVB light,UVB is REALY important for your turtles.And something else i wanna add,you mentioned you had two turtles? If you do,then 10 gallons is too small you need 10 gallons for every inch of your turtle.My advice is start out big! You'll save money!

[adam85491]

Will that warm them up?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Nope,uvb doesnt usually provide heat unless its a MVB but thats way to powerful for anything under 55 gallons.You will need to provide them with UVA (you can use a normal housebulb with a lamp aiming at the basking area) UVB (also use it in a clamp lamp and aim it at the basking area.UVB bulbs are kind of pricey i got mine for 40$ but they last for 6 months..