Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 11:20 pm Re: New!!! A couple of questions!
Hello and welcome,
Yes can be corrected but will take time and a few sheds ( be patience may take a year or two , no quick fix here ) to correct along with a proper, well balanced , varied and nutritious diet. Read nutrition section on "top header" on this page. Especially the feeding pellets and fresh plants links.
Turtle's in nature never know where there next meal will come from so always hunting. It's an built in instinct that is still in them as a captive pet , so they beg ! Our job is to give the best habitat and diet so they have a happy and healthy life. Think they beg now , they only get better at it with age. We must not give in to it or will have shell and health problems. Hard to do but a must. Read those links above page.
Pyramiding comes from over feeding the protein. Yes a baby needs more protein because they grow at a faster rate. Diet must be changed as they grow , growth rate slows into the juvenile stage then to adult. Will not need to be feed as a baby. Your 3" is almost a juvenile not a baby should be on 50-70% veggie diet with protein every other day ! If not pyramiding will just get worst and problem's internally too. Turtles growing at a good rate with a good diet will have a smooth shell ! Just need a little reading and adjust there diet and over time shell may correct itself. If your turtles still beg after proper amount of food is given play with them to get there minds off food. Once the daily amount of food is feed that's it "No More" to have a happy and healthy turtle that could live 40-50 years !