What Do Boxer Turtles Eat?

A box turtle has the ability to pull its head and limbs inside its shell, showing no flesh. The box turtle is a common American pet due to its small size and low maintenance. However, the diet of a box turtle requires special attention by its caretaker as the reptile is often reluctant to eat.

  1. Meat

    • Box turtles, especially baby box turtles, eat a significant amount of protein. This makes up at least half of what they consume in the wild. Their prey include earthworms, beetles and maggots. These creatures can be purchase alive from a local fishing and bait shop. If you choose to collect worms and insects from your own backyard, only do so if no pesticides have been applied. Otherwise you run the risk of poisoning your turtle. If worms cannot be obtained, pieces of dog food which are real meat can also be given to your box turtle.

    Plants

    • Because box turtles are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals, the other half of the turtle's diet is green plants. Spinach, parsley and other dark green leaves are acceptable to box turtles. Mushrooms are also a good choice.The fiber in these plants will help during their digestion of the meats.

    Feeding Time and Instructions

    • Baby box turtles need to be fed only every other day. Adult turtles can go two or three days without eating. Place the food in their case either at night before you go to bed or immediately in the morning as dawn is the time when box turtles eat the most. Turtles will eat more on rainy days due to low pressure in the atmosphere. If your turtle has refused to eat earlier in the week on clearer days, provide plenty of food during a storm.

    Feeding Conditions

    • Turtles may refuse to eat if the conditions of their environment are not close enough to what they would experience in the wild. To ensure that your turtle develops a healthy appetite, make sure it is getting sunlight at least 13 hours a day. Use a lamp to supplement natural light on cloudy or rainy days. Turtles eat less in fall and winter, so encourage your turtle to eat with plenty of warmth provided by light or the warm air in a room. Turtles will also develop affinities for certain foods if fed too frequently, and they will then refuse to eat other foods when they're presented them. To avoid this, vary their diet on a daily basis.