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Diet In The Wild
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In the wild, the Eastern painted turtle feeds on a mix of plant and animal matter. This includes invertebrates like worms, mosquito larvae and insects as well as small fish. The Eastern painted turtle eats aquatic plants that grow in the ponds, rivers and streams in which it lives.
Diet In Captivity
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In captivity, Eastern painted turtles are fed a similar diet to what they would eat in the wild. However, if aquatic plants are not easily available, the turtles can be fed other leafy greens including kale and dandelion greens. For protein, they can be fed crickets, blood worms, small feeder fish or freeze-dried tubifex worms. In captivity, their diet should be regularly supplemented with a powder containing vitamins and calcium.
Hatchlings and Juveniles
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Hatchling and juvenile Eastern painted turtles have higher protein requirements than older turtles and eat more frequently. In captivity, younger turtles can be fed every other day.
Approximately 90 percent of a younger Eastern painted turtle's diet should be made up of insects and other animal matter, with only the remaining 10 percent consisting of plant materials.
Mature Turtles
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Adult Eastern painted turtles eat less frequently than younger turtles and their diet consists of mainly plant matter, such as aquatic plants or leafy greens. They will still eat some animal protein, but far less than juvenile Eastern painted turtles. Adult turtles can be fed every two to three days.
Commercial Turtle Food
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Commercial turtle food is readily available at many pet stores. It can be fed to both juvenile and adult Eastern painted turtles, but does not fulfill their total nutritional requirements and should only be offered as a supplement.
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Eastern Painted Turtle Diet
The Eastern painted turtle is a semi-aquatic medium-sized turtle native to North America. It spends most of its time in the water but comes to land to lay eggs and bask in the sun. It is omnivorous, with plant materials and invertebrates composing most of its diet.