How to Feed a Turtle

Pet turtles are always novel, especially when it is a child who comes up with the idea! Turtles aren't too difficult to take care of except for the fact that many people have no idea what to feed them! All you really need to know are some basic facts about turtles and what they eat and you should have no problem watching your new shell-encased friend chow down! The following article will give you some tips on what to feed your turtle, as well as how often.

Things You'll Need

  • fruits, vegetables, chicken, guppies, goldfish, canned dog food, spare tank for feeding
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Instructions

  1. Where, when, and what to feed?

    • 1

      Place your turtle in a separate tank for feeding. Turtles tend to be extremely messy when they eat, and they will soon trash their living quarters with food scraps and fecal matter if you don't have a spare tank used strictly for feeding.

    • 2

      Feed your turtle every other day. Turtles don't need to eat every single day unless they are new hatchlings, in which case you may feed them daily until they reach about eight months of age, and then switch to every two days.

    • 3

      Feed your turtle fresh vegetables and fruits. Lettuce, radishes, carrots, squash, peas, and pumpkin are favorite veggies. Fruits may include: Mango, grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries, and pears.

    • 4

      Wash fruits and veggies, and cut into small chunks before you feed it to your turtle. Make sure the little guy can get the food into his little mouth!

    • 5

      Cook any meat given to the turtle. Raw meat is not recommended. All meat should be boiled first. Chicken is the best choice because of lower fat content.

    • 6

      Feed canned dog food or cat food only on occaison. These are usually very high in protein and fat, so don't make this an every day thing.

    • 7

      Give live food such as guppies or goldfish to encourage your turtle to "work" for his meal. This will prevent the turtle from becoming obese. Only use live food from the pet store or from your own house, never use live food found in the wild because it can introduce disease and parasites to your turtle.