Feeding and Nutrition :: Red Cabbage

[Billy Black]

My little turtle just recently started eating, and now he's eating vegetables as well. I bought one of those bags of mixed veggies (for salads) so that I didn't have to buy a whole head of lettuce, and also because it had carrots. It's Romain Lettuce, by the way, and he's been taking little bites out of it, but he won't touch the carrots.

Today I decided to switch to Red Cabbage, since there was some in the bag, and he really attacks that thing. I guess he likes the bright color, but I'm just making sure that it's ok for him to eat. I know there are certain vegetable that you shouldn't feed them, but I didn't see this one listed under the feeding section at all.

[missibsu]

Cabbage is on the list of items to feed rarely. I don't remember why it is on that list, but it is. I'm assuming that red cabbage is from the same family and would have the same rating.

I buy the mixed salads too, I find them easier to deal with, and it provides variety. I don't sort pieces out and just feed one thing a day, I throw a handful of the mix in. Some of the mixes that I buy have the red cabbage in them and I just pick around it. They still get a piece here and there, but it isn't part of the staple of their diet. Mine love it too!

[marisa]

Cabbage belongs to the brassica family, along with vegetables that include broccoli, collards, and kale. Overfeeding of these foods in an unbalanced diet inhibits the intake of iodine (which can lead to an enlarged thyroid or goiter). Occasional use is OK if the diet is otherwise sound.

[Billy Black]

Ok, so it'll be a very rare treat. That works.

Also, I've noticed that when he eats lettuce, he always eats from the middle. He never eats the "veins" of the lettuce, only the peices inbetween. And then once it's full of little holes, he won't touch it anymore. Is this normal?

[scripta_elegans]

Mine do the same thing! They nibble holes in all leafy greens!

[missibsu]

Mine are the same way. When I throw in larger leaves, I cut out the large stalk in the middle. Usually if I do that they will eat the other smaller veins.

[CountryGirl68]

My turtle does that also, leaving the large vein in the middle of the leaf. But if I don't take it out of the tank, by the next morning, it's gone!

[marisa]

I usually take out any stalk-like pieces---depending on the plant, they contain more water than anything else.

[Shavannah]

I never thought of the mixed salad bags! What a time saver! I'm going to try that, thanks for the idea ! Do you all wash it even though it says it's prewashed?

[cam722]

Make sure whatever salad mix you are using doesn't include iceberg lettuce because that is of no value to your turtles. If by red cabbage you're talking about ridicchio .. they love it.

[Shavannah]

No iceburg...
So ridicchio is nutritious and ok for them?

[missibsu]

I still wash mine. On top of avoiding the iceberg, I also try to avoid the ones that have spinach in them. If that's what I end up with, then I usually just pick it out.

It really is a time saver! I still offer green pepper, and the occassionaly fruit. Tomatos when they are in season, etc. Surprisingly enough, we still have lots of dandelions. Those are a favorite too.

[ladybug02124]

Hi everyone,

so i can just throw the whole leaf into the tank for them????????? i can't get my 1yr olds to eat anything but pellets, i tried once before and i really want them to try again, i have been cutting up bite size pieces or romaine lettuce all week, and they won't take more than one bite.


Is red romaine lettuce ok?? someone recommended it to me.


Thanks

[Billy Black]

I've got a clip that has a suction cup on it, and use that for the lettuce. Yeah, you can put the whole leaf in there. Mine is under a year old, and I think he ate the whole leaf that I put in yesterday. It's not there now, so he must've gotten pretty hungry last night.

He didn't touch the lettuce at first, but I just kept replacing it every day or every couple days, and eventually started noticing holes in it. Don't stop offering it just because they don't eat it at first.

[ladybug02124]

thanks for the advice, i was so excited last night i just decided to leave the lettuce in there (i got baby romain, with the red and regular green leaves) and they ate most of it last night, so i guess they got the hint that lettuce is here to stay. THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!