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do most turtles prefer to be fed while in their regular tanks? or is it ok to put them in a different area (like a big bowl or something) and feed them there? i've heard of people doing this to prevent the aquariums from getting so dirty but everytime i've tried it he wont eat, he just claws around the sides like he wants to get out. any suggestions for this?

Whilte it is ok to give them aseparate place to eat, it is easier to just feed them in the same tank. when they are moved, they can get freaked out and just want to hide for hours on end. When i change the cage for mine, they dont come out untill the next day when they are hungry

wierd my turtle never does that he always wants to get out of hes tank and when i clean it he cant wait to get back in.

If you want to feed in a separate container, you need to be consistant. Move the turtle to the other container and feed him. After an acceptable amount of time, if he hasn't eaten, move him back to his tank. BUT, don't turn around and feed him in his tank. That rewards him for not eating out of the tank. Just like a lot of turtles don't eat when you first get them, he may not eat in his container. Just keep trying!

what kind of container should i feed him in?

It doesnt need to be too fancy. Since you areonly doing this for the feeding, i would just put in a rock for baksing a bit, a light over top, in just a small container. i wouldnt go over the top with decorations since its a feeding area that you would want to be able to clean easily.

he will get used to it after a while just wiat and see

I'd skip the basking rock, you want him to eat and not lounge around (and if it takes a while for a turtle to bask when he's new to a tank, I don't think he's going to want to bask in a completely new environment like a feeding container). I have used a light to make it easier to see the food as well as a light-colored container to contrast the food better. I use a dishpan with my RES and have for a quite a while. When he was a hatchling, I used a similar but much smaller container. You don't need to have deep water, just enough for him to comfortably grab the food.

I would think that It would depend on your personal preference.
Although It's easier to feed them in their tank, some people don't like to do this because of the cleanliness of the tank.
I have chosen to feed our RED (Mable) inside her tank. I also am very adement about keeping her tank clean.. so that's something you always want to remember.