Feeding and Nutrition :: excessive eating

[kc]

my turtle has been eating a lot lately. should i be worried? i know that usually we feed our turtles the amount of food that's about the same size as their head, but my turtle seems to eat about 4 or 5 times of that and she's constantly looking for food. and i've noticed that she doesn't want to bask anymore. any idea? o yea, water temp is around 26 celsius.

[adam85491]

Mine has also been wanting more food ever since I improved their set-up. They should only eat like 5-6 pellets according to this rule, but when they create their own system and even eat the old pellets, I can resist but feeding them a little bit more.

[kc]

yea. i've just improved her "home". seems like the improvement made her hungry, and it's such a pleasure to feed her. i feed her twice a day now. so totally in one day... probably about 12 or so pellets. i usually stop somewhere in that number range cause i don't want to hurt her. she doesn't get enough food so she even eats her poop. she keeps her "home" so clean. i can almost live without a filter now.

[adam85491]

Haha. Well, I just got a ten gallon tank with a filter and now they have to swim up to eat and I enjoy watching them. Our international sign for feeding is they get off their dock finally and start swimming around the top, it reminds me of a possum! I have started feeding them different things like dried crickets and shrimp, and they enjoy it. I gave them some krill, but these treats are supposed to be in moderation because they have a lot of protein. I am giving them HBH pellets, but I would like to get a veggie clip and get them to eat vegetables.

[kc]

that's a great idea! you just reminded me of something. since my turtle doesn't like to eat vegetable, now it's the perfect time to let her have some, since she's so hungry that she's even willing to eat her own poop.

[megcornell]

All turtles eat their own poop- it's not really a sign that they're hungry, more that they're bored and will eat anything
It's a good idea that you're introducing veggies, that is a great way to balance turtle diets- too many pellets aren't ideal, its not a very balanced source of nutrients and if you feed too much they grow too much and that stresses their organs and can lead to pyramiding...

[d0eb0y]

Norman didnt like lettuce so i introduced him to carrots today and boy does he love them!!
Please dont overfeed your turtles, it can lead to a lot of health problems down the road. Pyramiding of the shell i believe, unhealthy and excessive growth, overweight etc. Begging is a normal thing for RES. They do it all the time. Its just something you have to get used too. Believe me i know how u feel when u see him begging and you want to throw him another few bites.
If thats the case just throw in some lettuce or carrots. Maybe even a lil fruit once in a while. Refer to this chart for some things your turtle may enjoy.

http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html

[da sAUCE!]

honestly, I feed my turtles only what would fit inside their head minus the neck, alternating between reptomin and fluker's calcium crickets every other day. Days inbetween I give a little cuttlebone and romaine. They do just fine, they are beautiful, healthy and strong. I need to get a better camera so I can take pictures.