General Care Discussion :: oh man

[Caelestis]

I agree with the above. Pets like these don't have immune systems more complex than us, and it's going to kill your pets. Especially the turtle since it's a reptile. The stuff you described anyway doesn't even feel fit for a human diet, because it's unhealthy for humans too.

[sainatoa1326]

Just out of curiousty, how is my feeding turtles fish which is their diet naturally junk. I am not being smart just curious. I don't know eveything but I do want to learn. As for crickets I was told that it is good for them from a pet store so I assumed they knew what they were talking about and knew more than I did. Also the sell shrimp in pet stores for turtles the only difference between what I give and what comes from the store is that I buy fresh shrimp. I don't cook it. Also let me explain these are not things they get on a daily basis I treat them once in a while with different things. As for my other two pets, they get their required store bought food everyday but I see no reason when twice a year my cat decides she wants table food not to give it to her. And my dog why is it not good to give her a couple piecs of bacon every four or five months or to offer her some of food I eat on a holiday. Feeding my pets table food is not an everday activity. But what makes treats any different to pets as snacks are to kids. As for better nutrion for my turtles if you have suggestions I'm open to them but until someone can tell me the pet store is completely wrong I have no choice but go with what I am told.

[DavidY]

Oh, if it's that infrequent then it's probably not as big a deal. In your original post it kind of sounded like you were feeding them that stuff as part of their main diet. That would be bad, too much fat and salt.

As for turtles, the feeder fish you get at the pet store are usually raised in minimal conditions meaning that they are not always in the healthiest conditions and may not be as nutritious as a wild fish would be (but wild fish also harbor parasites so it's a "catch-22"). Also shrimps are high in protein and cholesterol. Used as treats maybe once every week or two is good and provides variety as well as enjoyment to the turtles diet.

Turtles who are fed too much protein will develop pyramiding in their shells which can also be an indicator of other problems. Also, you need to make sure that the turtles overall diet provides him with a proper ratio of calcium to phosphates for proper bone and shell growth. You can find a lot more really good information in the Nutrition and Health sections of this website. Use the links at the top of the page to find them.