Feeding and Nutrition :: turtle won't eat red leaf lettuce =\

Turtle diets and eating habits discussed here.

Post Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 5:18 pm   turtle won't eat red leaf lettuce =\

Subject says it all.. my 4-5inch red ear slider won't eat the lettuce that we leave floating in the tank for him. he does eat the reptomin floating food sticks, but i know that lettuce important for his diet...

does anyone have any tips on how to get this little guy to eat his lettuce?
miszshirleeny
 
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Post Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:06 pm   

Try different types of lettuce before you give up... green leaf lettuce, dandelion greens, turnip greens, kale, or even romaine lettuce if it comes down to it. My turtle ONLY likes red leaf lettuce for some reason and won't even eat green leaf lettuce which is very similar (at least to me, but apparently not to my turtle!).
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meltedspork
 
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Post Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:07 pm   

Do a search "jello shots"
there is a recipe on how to make veggie jello shots that turts love.
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jozzep
 
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Post Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:23 pm   

yeah.. maybe ill try different lettuces, but red leaf lettuce was what i had already.
and about the jello shots, how often can you feed them to the turtle?
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Post Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 9:00 pm   

I agree with meltedspork, don't give up. There's many types of lettuce out there. Keep trying. I'm sure he'll eat it eventually. Just be patient. Turtles take some time to get used to new things!
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Post Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:11 pm   

My turtles really only like two types of greens that I've given them so far, romaine lettuce and butterhead lettuce. The butterhead they went insane for, so, maybe your turtle might like it a lot too.

Mine seem to also enjoy brightly colored foods. Things that are red, orange, blue or a bright green they seem to want to eat more than the nasty gray color of reptomin pellets.

You could also try blueberries once or twice a week, since they are also very good for shell health. You can freeze them so they last longer. Fruit seems to, from what I understand, hold nutrients after being frozen better than vegetables. Just make sure you thaw out the blueberries under a heat bulb before you give them to your turtles. Aside from frozen food being hard to chew, first time I fed them blueberries was when they had just come home from the store, and they were very cold. It wasn't until they took on the temperature of the water, and got warmer, that my turtles started eating them more.
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theartbook35
 
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Post Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:49 pm   

He actually loves eating the reptomin floating sticks, but I know That I shouldn't just feed him that everyday.. I try leaving the red leaf lettuce in the tank, hoping he'll eat it eventually, but he just levee them floating there. But when I put the reptomin, a piece of carrot or shrimp in his tank, he eats it quick! What else can I feed him that's okay for him to eat EVERYDAY?
miszshirleeny
 
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Post Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:47 am   

and also, how often are veggies supposed to be given?
miszshirleeny
 
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Post Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:46 am   

I give my turtles veggies twice a week. I give them blueberries once a week :)

Maybe you could try dipping the lettuce pieces in tuna juice, or dust it with a vitamin, or even feeding some lettuce is addition to a couple of pellets.
Last edited by theartbook35 on Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Spike - Egyptian mau mix, 8 years old
Phryne - Japanese bobtail, 9 months old
Hurricane - RES, 8 yo, 6 1/2 in. long
Typhoon - RES/Map hybrid, 8 yo, 7 in. long
Sadie - RES, 20 yo, 10 in. long
Sophie - Colombian red tail boa, 5 yo, 5 ft. long
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theartbook35
 
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Post Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:21 pm   

miszshirleeny wrote:and also, how often are veggies supposed to be given?


I saw from your other post that your turtls is 4-5 inches. In that case, you should feed a head-size amount of pellets every OTHER day and feed greens on opposite days. That should be your turtle's staple diet. Other veggies, fruits, and protein should be treats only.
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Post Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:43 pm   

You can give plant matter (veggies) even on the days that pellets (or other food) are given. I'd keep a piece of leafy green (the red-leaf, romaine, a few dandelion leaves, for example) in the tank. Sooner or later your turtle is likely to show some interest in it. Even if not, I'd still replace it daily or so (rotting greens are very unappealing).

Can you get some anacharis (aquatic plant)? You could keep a strand or two (depending on the size) in the tank for quite a while---it won't go bad.
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:23 pm   Re: turtle won't eat red leaf lettuce =\

yes.i have a baby mississipi turtle she eat just lettuce...i try to bay her reptomin she dont eat it..plz give me some addvise
i just got a mississipi turtle..a baby one..i have problems she dont wana eat nothing just salad
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:54 pm   Re: turtle won't eat red leaf lettuce =\

Try and give your turtle peas, mine seem to love them. Plus its kinda fun watching them eat'em too. Here is my whole community gobbling them up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Xl1yKwAoE
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Ant
 
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:28 pm   Re: turtle won't eat red leaf lettuce =\

Ant wrote:Try and give your turtle peas, mine seem to love them. Plus its kinda fun watching them eat'em too. Here is my whole community gobbling them up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Xl1yKwAoE

Neato video. How big are your turtles? I can't seem to get my turtles to eat any veg. My turtles are 3" and they even look at the small pieces of apples, lettuce, or carrots that I put into the tank.
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Post Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:34 pm   Re: turtle won't eat red leaf lettuce =\

Also try a veggie clip, which you can find in the fish section... It worked wonders for my little guy... Now he can't get enough of his red leaf lettuce.
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