How do you feed a baby turtle?

Question

I bought this small turtle at a pet shop and it doesn't want to eat. I have given it pellets and it doesn't seem to eat it. am i supposed to put the food in the water or take the turtle out and feed it on dry land? i tried both and doesn't want to take it. what kind of food can i use? and how can i feed it?

It doesn't open it's mouth, or at least when ever i'm there, so i can't stick food down it's troat.

Answer 1

With a straw. Put the slime through it, and right into the turtle's mouth it goes. Regurgitation is just the sign that it's getting enough to eat.

Answer 2

Patience...

The hatchling was likely not fed nor treated very well in the pet store. It usually takes a few days or a week for to get used to the new environment and pellets. Here is what I suggest:

1.) Provide a basking area (like a rock or log) with a heat lamp (regular 75-100W bulb). The turtle needs heat and this will help it stimulate it to eat. Keep the bulb about 10" away.

2.) Provide a cave (small clay pot turned on the side works well) so itr can hide and feel safe in the water. In the wild, hatchlings hide most of the time.

3.) Make sure the pellets are small enough... you can try fish flakes or small fish pellets as well. You mayhave to let the larger turtle pellet soak a little so it softens. Put the pellet in once every second day. Turtles are foragers and do not need food everyday. Three pellets a week is sufficient. Overfeeding will cause a lumpy shell (Pyramiding) and lead to shortened life.

The turtle WILL take the pellet, but it may be a few days, up to a week. Put a pellet in each day and leave it for a few hours. If it is uneaten, scoop it out and try it again the next day, until it takes it. My suggestion of three pellets a week refers to when it is feeding already.

If the hatchling does not take pellets after a week and you're worried to death, try fish flakes or gammarus (dried shirmp). This is a healthy diet and it is the equivalent of humans eats potato chips. Pellets are the best single food to feed, since it has all the vitamins and minerals it needs.

When it is feeding one pellets, three times week, in between pellets, you can feed it leafy greens (any aquatic plant, dandelion leaves are best or you can try romaine, and other salad leave sare not as nutritious). It will take a few weeks or months, but it will feed on greens.

Good luck!

Answer 3

1. Baby turtles are really hard to care for pets, if you want to do thigns the right way. In most of the US it is illegal to sell these- supposedly because of Salmonella, but in reality to prevent the wide-scale slaughter they were suffering.

2. Buy some good quality turtle pellets designed for babies. You should be able to find it in a larger pet store or one that specializes in reptiles. Most other foods are simply too big or just plain terrible.

3. Every day, give it one or two pellets in the water.

Now- I'd bet that your basic cares need a little re-evaluation as well. Here is a simple primer for baby pond turtle care (good for sliders, Painted turtles, etc.):

HOUSING- there should be AT LEAST 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle shell. Less than that and the water gets dirty too quick, the turtle gets stressed, it is hard for the turtle to find a good comfort zone or hiding space, and the turtle does not get enough exercise.

TEMPS- the water temp should be about 85 in the warm area, with a cooler area as well. There should be a good basking area that the turtle can crawl totally out on, and it should be about 90 in the warmest spot.

FILTRATION- turtles are rather messy, so you need to work to keep thewater clean. You either need really good filters (about 50-100% more than for a fish tank), or you need to change the water a lot.

LIGHTING- turtles NEED ultra-violet lighting, and that does not go through glass. We need to simulate the sun in intensity, duration, and kinds of rays. A good 'reptile bulb' works, and there are other ways to accomplish this as well.

DIET- variety is key. Pellets are a good foundation, but at some point you'll need ot add a little more. Check out the attached site for more ideas.

Here is a helpful site to answer other questions:

Answer 4

It cannot eat out of the water, and it might just not like the food or be stressed from the move from the pet store to your house. Feed it a new food and see what happens. My turtles like ReptiMin floating food sticks. If all else fails, give it an earthworm, which should entice it to eat. It also might be sick, so if you cant get it to eat at all, take it to the vet.

Answer 5

Try a small worm. Feed it to him in the water. Turtles love worms and if he doesn't eat that he may be sick and needs to go to a vet or returned. If he eats the worm toss him a few pellets before giving another worm. They will also eat mealworms.

The pellets break them in half so they are not so big for him.

Water turtles eat their food in water. They may have meant for you to feed them in another container with water in it. This prevents his living quarters from getting so dirty quickly with left over food as well as waste. No worry after you get an idea of how much he eats no need to do this. I clean my turtle pool about once a month.

Answer 6

Call your pet shop. It might need a different type of food, or it might eat while in the water.
Best thing you can do is to call the pet shop. If they tell you some way and it doesnt work, get your money back, cause its probably a sick turtle.

Answer 7

go to your local pet store and ask them about different foods, and let it eat in the water. If it's in the water more than outside of it, then it is more comfortable there and will eat better there.

try leaving the food in there for a few hours, leave the room. It might just be shy

Answer 8

what kind of tuttleis it?
try to put the turtle on dry land and give her or him small pieces of lettuce,
or go to the pet store and get food flakes special for turtles
e-mail me if you have any questions
ar

Answer 9

so some distance because the water contained in the tank is going, you ought to keep it as deep because the width of your turtle. a minimum of. i ought to opt for two times that and make effective they have a rock or turtle dock to get out of the water to dry off and solar for a lengthy time period. I fed my infant turtle infant turtle pellet (which he did not like for a lengthy time period) and many unpolluted vegetables and fruit. attempt now to not feed them to a lot meat notwithstanding, they prefer it, yet counting on the beef it ought to't be sturdy for them. Hotdogs, floor beef, steak- are to fatty for them. attempt slightly fowl, or sparkling cooked shrimp. you ought to purchase those at petsmart and they are dehydrated. additionally they carry frozen foodstuff in like slightly icecube tray which has all the food they favor, thats what we feed ours now. sturdy luck!

Answer 10

Try a different brand of pellet. Or try getting guppies ....my turtle loves fish....if nothing works talk to the pet store you got it at...and if they don't have any suggestions....take it to the vet.