Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Pet Turtle Care: Do You Know What Aquatic Turtle Food to Feed Your Pet?

Many people feed their turtles aquatic turtle food and vitamins and mineral supplements but I think providing your turtles with a natural food source is by far the best option and having such an all round balanced diet should mean that there is little need for supplements. I feel that supplements should only be given if the aquatic turtle food in their diet is lacking in a particular mineral.

I like to use as many natural turtle foods as I can to try and simulate the same type of foods that the turtle would naturally get in the wild.

Fish

Aquatic turtles eat all sorts of fish including Goldfish, Minnows, Trout and Guppies.

The fish can be fed whole or chopped, but a good tip is to freeze the fish for a couple of days prior to feeding to your turtle as this helps get rid of any parasites being transferred to your turtles environment. Fish should be given once or twice a week.

Greens and Vegetables

The turtle food you give to your turtle should also include a good variety of fresh leafy greens and vegetables including lettuce, cabbage, alfalfa, and clover.

Sometimes they will also eat berries, so you can try it and see.

Supplements

Having said that about supplements, there is one that I do like to give my aquatic turtles. I give them a calcium block because this mineral is a bit more difficult to provide in their normal diet and by having this on their dry area allows them to snack on it in between meals.

Different breeds of aquatic turtles require different foods so before you get your turtle make sure that you ask at your pet store about any additional requirements and I would also recommend you research thoroughly before you decide which turtle to buy.

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