General Care Discussion :: Do they know when to stop eating?

[kgielda]

This may be a dumb question(s).

Do turtles get full? What if something crazy happened and a whole can of Reptomin fell into the tank. Would he eat the whole thing, or would he stop once he got full? What happens if they eat to much?

Also, I've seen that RES' poop right after they eat. Is the poop food from earlier, or do they digest really fast, and poop whatever they just had?

Thanks for any answers.

Kate

[SpotsMama]

The answer to your question is no - they do not know when to stop. They can eat too much and start throwing it up. Here's a thread on a poor turtle that overdid it and is still not quite right:

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12541

When RES's poop right after they eat they are pooping waste from earlier meals, not their most recent one. It takes at least a day for food to work it's way through their system and often more.

Did a can of Reptomin fall into your turtle's tank?

[kgielda]

lol- no, I was just using it as an example. Just curious, that's all.

Thanks!

[emma]

lol...my turtles are always begging for more food and my mom and friend are always....GIVE THEM FOOD, YOU ARE STARVING THEM!! So they always are trying to sneak them in food. They stopped doing this after I showed them how turtles do not stop eating...then they got kind of embarrassed.

[marisa]

They will stop eventually, but only after they're stuffed far more than is healthy for them.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Turtles will never stop eating until the food is all gone. And even then, they go after their own poop, or start trying to eat the decorations in the tank!

It's up to us, the responsible owners, to only give them what is the appropriate amount.

[joker]

My turt is just begging for it! And it;s not cause i;m starving her/him....

She just gets so excited at the sight of her food

[mikee]

Yep! The cirtters are pigs most of the time. They begin to associate you with food and will clammer for food when you go by. I think they could hurt themselves if you fed them too much.

[Billy Black]

Most animals that live in captivity are like this. They are supposed to hunt for their food, or at least go out and find it, if it's a plant or whatever. If the food is placed in front of them, they will eat it, because they are not sure when the next meal will be. They have no means of getting it on their own.

[jasmiester]

My turtles can't bask properly because of their insane craving for food, i come home from school, after the house as been empty for around 6 hours, they dive into the water not from being scared of me, but to beg for food. I ignore them and go on with my life, I walk by, they dive right back in and start begging again. It seems like everything I'm in their sight, I feel guilty for disturbing their basking time, i try to avoid them at times

[SpotsMama]

Ha! Your turtles sound very focused. As they get more mature they will calm down some. If they get 6 hours a day to bask in peace, that's probably plenty.

[jasmiester]

haha, they're around 5 in ..

[grey goose]

They instinctively seek out protein......and will eat all that they can. They are programed that way because in the wild it is pretty tough to get protein. Most of their habitat is covered with vegetation.
Captive turts get more protein in one day than most wild turts get in a month! Plus the wild turts have to WORK for it (hunting)! Our guys just have have to take it from our fingers or a "feeding tank".

[Buddy777]

I didnt know that turtle continued to eat like that and i even asked the person at the pet store about putting feeder fish in the tank and they said the turtle will stop when its full well little did i know 18 rosys later that it doesnt quit eating, and that was just in a few hours. How many small rosys do you think i can give a 6in res a week to eat??

[grey goose]

Wow, your guy sounds like a real hunter-killer! My two girls will chase after them, but only for a short time, then they give up.
If you are feeding him pellets and veggies regularly, I wouldn't go more than one a week, if that much.....