Pet Turtle Food Guide for Starters

There are over 200 kinds of turtle species in the whole world, each having unique feature and behavior. But despite of these differences, what all turtles have in common is their dome shaped shell at the back that keeps them protected from any predators in the wild.

Turtle Food

If you are a new turtle owner, you don’t have to worry as long as you keep your self educated about these critters. Depending on their natural habitat, some turtles are more inclined on a veggie diet while most of them are omnivores. So, it is very important that you know what type of turtle pet you have before feeding them anything. Although there are commercially available turtle food today, keeping your pet turtle food natural as possible is still the best resort.

Remember to keep things in moderation. Do not over feed your turtles. Over feeding could result to obesity, a very fatal condition for turtles which could often time lead to early death. There are lots of theories about when and what to feed these animals. Some say that young turtles should be feed 3-5 times a day while old turtles should only have one meal a day. This doesn’t need to be strictly followed since each turtle creature is unique. This means you have to make extra effort to learn their body language.  Good connection with your pets would give you the right signal when to feed them.

Turtle Food

Another key to pet turtle food diet is the presence of the right amounts of calcium and phosphorous. Since this sounds a bit more complicated and would involve some knowledge about jargons like UV-B and D3, for beginners, it is still best to consult a reliable veterinarian.

Vegetarian pet turtle food diet: Turtles, as they grow tend to be more veggie lovers than juvenile turtles. Some of the foods you could include in their diet are squash, sweet potatoes, okra, corn and beans. Wide array of fruits could also be given. Examples of which are mango, banana, strawberry, grapes, apple, cantaloupe and pear. Chop and slice your pet turtle food in small portions easy for them to swallow.

Turtle Food

Non vegetarian pet turtle food diet: Most terrestrial turtles prefer to have meat in their diet. These foods are the ones that might come readily available in nature. Some of which are earthworms, crickets, wax worms, cooked chicken and boiled eggs in some occasion. Never feed your turtles raw meat for it could be contaminated.

Pet turtle food to avoid

Although turtles could develop an appetite for anything that smells edible, there are still some things that you should not include in their diet. Most of the forbidden foods are those highly-processed and made available today in the market. These involve canned goods, chocolates and candies, milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products.
For aquatic turtles, it is best to keep a separate container for their food. Being a good pet keeper is easy as long as you have the heart for it. Remember, we only borrowed these creatures from Mother Nature and returning the favor is our responsibility.

Tags: Turtle Food