Feeding and Nutrition :: feeding

[jar29]

hello to all Our little ones Ricki tick and L'll Flash are well, but there water is getting dirty...quick. I have read that feeding them in another area is good to prevent this. What sort of container would anyone suggest dose it need to be big? Does it need to be filled with water or can it just be empty with there food? Some suggest would be wonderful...because we are really unsure on how to go about doing this. Thanks again... -jar29

[Shavannah]

I would suggest a rubbermaid container big enough that they can't climb out of. Feed them separately so they don't bully each other for food, or accidentally bite each other while going for the food. RES need to eat in the water, they need the water to swallow the food. Fill it up with enough water so they can stand up in it to reach the food floating on top. Make sure the water is the same temp as their tank water. Some might suggest using the actual tank water, but that seems like a lot of work because you have to refill the tank. If you use tap water for the feeding container, you may need to add conditioner. Anyone else's thoughts on that?

[jar29]

thanks for the info thats great! about how long do you suggest. I have heard 5 min, but is that enough time?

[Shavannah]

click on the 'stickys' at the top of this topic, it will tell what and how much to feed them. As far as 'how long', I'm not really sure. My turtle is 3 years old, and I feed him in his tank. He eats about 6 pellets every other day, cuttlebone pieces 3-4 a day if he eats them all, and veggies every day. I give him about 2-3 varieties in small quantities, from the list on the main site page. I also give him rosey red minnows, a few at a time, but he still has 2 in his tank he hasn't eaten in over 2 months. If there's still veggies in the tank the next day, I scoop them out and replace with fresh ones.
If your res is under a year, his feeding will be different, so read the main site nutrition section and the 'stickys'. That should help.

[jar29]

Thanks Shavannah

[CountryGirl68]

I know someone that woud keep her turtle in a separate container for about 15 minutes when feeding. Turtles poop soon after they eat so you would want to feed him then put him back in his tank after he's pooped. That's the reason for feeding in a separate container.

[marisa]

Some turtles will poop soon after they've eaten, some won't (like mine). When I feed in a separate container (I only do if I'm giving messy food), I use a light-colored dishpan to make the food easier to see. Once your turtles get comfortable eating in the container, it shouldn't take that long for them to gobble up what you've put in there.

[cprcheetah]

My Zeke waits till he's back in his tank to poop no matter how long I leave him in the separate container.