General Care Discussion :: My turtle's diet problem

[Boston_Zhao]

My turtle is about 2.5 inches.... in the past 3 months, he has basically refused to eat any pellets. He only expects me to feed him with dried shrimp. I tried to correct his diet, but he always won. If I stop giving him shrimp, he simply goes fasting until I think he is dying then throw in shrimp......
the longest time is a whole week when he stoped eating because I didnt give him the shrimp. but if i put shriimp in he eats all right away.....

how can I correct his behavior?

[SpotsMama]

Try mixing up a batch of dried shrimp and pellets combined. You might have to moisen them with water to get them to all stick together, then dry them. Feed the dried pellet/shrimp pieces to your turtle. Over time, gradually reduce the amount of shrimp until your turtle is eating nothing but pellets.

What kind of pellets are you using? Some turtles have strong preferences. My turtle loves Mazuri and Reptomin but won't eat zoo med pellets or Monster. I think I tried one other brand too but he wouldn't eat it.

If you haven't already, try feeding him Mazuri or reptomin pellets.

[marisa]

Was he eating pellets until 3 months ago? I'd put a bunch of the dried shrimp into water and mash they to the point that they become a thin, watery paste. Soak the pellets in the paste and dry them (you could also lightly coat them in a powdered calcium supplement or cuttlebone powder for added calcium before drying), then give them to your turtle. You can gradually lessen the amount of paste you use (or increase the number of pellets you don't coat) until he's eating the pellets. Try some other foods as well.

[Boston_Zhao]

he was eating like a pig until i moved him to the basement coz my wife didnt want the tank in our bedroom. the basement is dark, but i give him 10 hours UVA/UVB, everything else remains the same. There was a period that the water temp dropped to 70 degree because my previous heater wasn't powerful enough to adapt to the basement temp which is a few degrees lower than bedroom.....
but after couple weeks I got him a powerful heater and the temp went back to 78.
But since then he has changed his eating behavior

[Boston_Zhao]

Try mixing up a batch of dried shrimp and pellets combined. You might have to moisen them with water to get them to all stick together, then dry them. Feed the dried pellet/shrimp pieces to your turtle. Over time, gradually reduce the amount of shrimp until your turtle is eating nothing but pellets.

What kind of pellets are you using? Some turtles have strong preferences. My turtle loves Mazuri and Reptomin but won't eat zoo med pellets or Monster. I think I tried one other brand too but he wouldn't eat it.

If you haven't already, try feeding him Mazuri or reptomin pellets.

I feed him two kinds of pellets, i dont remember the brands, but they used to be his favorate....i dont know what made him change completely.....

[marisa]

He has 10 hours of light and the rest of the time he's in total darkness? If so, that, combined with the previous water temp issue, sounds like a pretty big change. I doubt it would turn him against his pellets, though. Have you tried leaving something like anachris (aquatic plant) in the tank and see if he'll eat some of that? Perhaps try a different pellet for a while and then see if he'll go back to his old ones. Try some different foods.

[Hoooneylynn]

Why dont you get him a little night light? Just a regular nightlight you plug into the wall? I have one for my turt, and she sleeps facing it and goes to that corner as soon as I turn it on. She seems to like it.

[Boston_Zhao]

Why dont you get him a little night light? Just a regular nightlight you plug into the wall? I have one for my turt, and she sleeps facing it and goes to that corner as soon as I turn it on. She seems to like it.

Great Idea, I will get one.... Thanks