What do pet turtles like to eat?

Question

My mom left her pet turtle with me and I don't know when she will be back. I know I have to change the water at least every 2 days, and feed it the food that she left there. BUT what else does it like? Because recently I've been thinking that it's not really into it's food. So please help. Thank you for your answers.

Answer 1

If your mom left her turtle with you...she should have left the turtle pellets and instructions as well. My guess is that if she didn't tell you to feed the turtle other things...she doesn't want it to be fed anything else but the pellets.

Answer 2

What kind of turtle do you have? Depending on the type of turtle, that could determine what it might like to eat. Also, you said that you change the water every two days...how big is the turtle, and how big is the container that it is in. I know you are the one asking the question, but these are things that need to be know before a good answer can be given.

Answer 3

Assuming this is a popular US pet turtle, such as the Red-ear Slider or Painted Turtle, here is a good link for diet: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/care.htm

Basically, try a mix- 1/2 good quality pellets (not flakes) and 1/2 live or frozen/thawed 'fish food' like worms, insects, shrimp, krill, snails, and small fish. You can also use beef heart bits. Use as much variety as possible.

Older turtles, over about 4", tend to eat more greens- dark leafy greens, water plants, etc. As they get older, they need less food and more greens.

Understand that most of this would not apply to turtles like snappers or softshells, maps, box, etc. or to most land turtles/tortoises.

Do NOT feed turtles fruit, head lettuce, dried shrimp or other foods (it looses almost all nutrients that way), most 'human meats' (too fatty), etc.

Answer 4

I had a red eared slider to for about 12 years we usually fed him turtle pelets you buy at the pet store

Answer 5

pet turtles like to eat the fallowing eg:

.
They consume a variety of aquatic plants and many kinds of animals including fish, frogs, birds, and small mammals. They are also effective scavengers and clean up dead fish and drowned animals.

Answer 6

It would help if you had identified the species, as each species has its own dietary preferences.
Since the implication is that it's aquatic, I'll give some general guidelines. Wild aquatics generally eat aquatic insects, fish, snails, amphibians, and some species also eat aquatic vegetation. So, you might try insects, earthworms, bait minnows (not goldfish), aquatic plants, collard greens, and commercial pellets.

Answer 7

I guess it depends on the turtle and its breed. I have a red-eared slider and a river turtle and they both love raw chop meat and I also buy them those little feeder fish at the pet store (I get 10 for $1) and they go nuts chasing them. Any questions about them please feel free to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 8

I have a red ear slider turtle, he likes the food I buy in the store. He also likes lettuce and cabbage.

Answer 9

Pet trutle food , buy it a pet store

Answer 10

you probally are feeding it dry pellet food

try feeder fish...you can get them at most pet stores and walmart.... they are about 15 cents a piece...

you can also try crickets...