Feeding and Nutrition :: Turtles have Anarchis, Roseys, and pellets but...

[samandnelly]

...they won't eat the Roseys. I heard that 50 percent of their diet is supposed to be animal matter when the turts are that young but they won't touch the Rosey Reds. They'll swim right past the turtles, and still they act like they can't see them. Help!
And since they have their 5 Roseys & Anarchis plant, should I feed them pellets tonight?

[missibsu]

Hatchlings can be given their pellets everyday. However, if you miss a day, it won't hurt them. In the wild they wouldn't necessarily eat everyday. Give the turts a chance with roseys. It could be that they are too quick for the turts at this point. They'll figure it out though.

[sonyj]

The turtles pellets is the staple of their diet and should be given daily, once-a-day, the amount that would fit into their heads if they were hollow. The pellets will provide them with all the protein they need and feeders/shrimp can be given once a month as treats. You shouldn't really be too concerned about giving feeders. Some owners never do (I'm one). As long as they have a well balanced diet they aren't missing them.

Be sure to offer them veggies now, even though they are young they still need them as part of their balanced diet. Also add cuttlebone to their diet to provide them with the calcium they need.

[samandnelly]

Yeah, I have the Anarchis plant. Does that count?

[sonyj]

It will be fine for now, but they need a variety of veggies in their diet. The sooner you introduce these the better. Read the what not to and what to feed lists (stickys) under the feeding section.

[TurtleBot]

You can always put 5 more Rosey's in to give them a better chance.

[steve]

Turtle pellets like Reptomin have a lot of protein (about 40%), so adding a minnow once in awhile is OK. You can offer them something else besides minnows - crickets and earthworms are frequent suggestions, however they should be used in moderation.

[samandnelly]

Okay, but see...I don't want to chop up the crickets or earthworms. I cringe at the thought. Could I feed them whole?

[missibsu]

I don't know about the crickets, but the worms you can. Others have posted about crickets in the past, you can just do a quick search.

[TurtleBot]

Some petstores have freezed crickets already so you just throw em in the tank or thaw them out.

[samandnelly]

OK-thanks.

[marisa]

If the worm is small, there shouldn't be a problem. If the worm is large and your turtle is small, I'd cut it up to make it easier for him to eat.

Your turtle gets animal matter from the pellets he eats. If you feed him pellets as a staple, I don't think you have to worry about him not getting enough protein.

[samandnelly]

Would they get too much?

[marisa]

If you overfeed and/or only feed high-protein foods, yes, they can get too much protein. This will result in shell problems and general health problems.