Feeding and Nutrition :: How to actually feed carrots

[Cim*Forever]

My little guy hasn't ever had veggies in his diet until I bought him from the pet store. I understand he won't be overly excited about them, but we're working on it.

I leave a leaf of lettuce to float around in his tank, and that seems okay to me (even though he doesn't eat it, at least the opportunity it there.)

Then there was the carrots.... at first I just cut them up into tiny pieces about the same size as his pellets.... I learned that carrots sink, not that I really thought of that before. Then, I thought I would get clever and leave them on the ramp to his basking dock, he managed to dump them all off.

Now I decided, long and thing should float! So, I peeled the skin off a carrot and then used a skin peeler to peel a long skinny piece of carrot off. This didn't feel the need to float either.

So in short, how do I actually feed carrots? Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the help from everyone

[csmiley]

For food that will not float I just place my turtle in separate container and put the veggies in there. That way his main tank does not get quite as dirty. Once he is done he can go back to his tank and the tupperware just gets dumped out.

[SpotsMama]

The long skinny strips are good. They aren't too hard to pick up off the bottom if your turtle doesn't eat them.

Alternatively, you could put carrot stripes, or even chunks of carrot, in a veggie clip. You can get veggie clips in the fish section of the pet store. If you're not sure what they are, they are like clothes pins with suckers that you can attach to the wall of your tank.

[FLhaven4strays]

I've grated a small pile (cheese grater ) and left it on the basking rock. I know it was at least tried, though most was just knocked off. This worked best w/ my turt that was used to climbing up on the rock to get pellets (ie: the GOOD food ) that I'd leave there. I wouldn't be too afraid of letting small thin strips stay on the bottom for a little while before scooping out - I've seen all 3 of my guys scavenging the bottom for scraps. Maybe they'd like waterlogged carrot the best? Good luck!

[Tenodera]

I just get an apple peeler, peel off the skin, then peel off thin flakes and wash those and dump them in Roca's tank. I don't think they NEED to eat food that is floating... Roca loves his carrots.

[emma]

When I feed my turtles carrots, i usually cut them in to small pieces like you, then just drop them at the bottom of the tank. My turtles will eventually find and eat them all.

[Starchick]

Since the bottom of my tanks have been clear, the turtles hunt down every little scrap. When I had rocks stuff would get trapped and dirty up the tank, but so long as the turtles can find it, it doesn't really matter if it sinks.

[Cim*Forever]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I peeled of some carrot and I see little nibble marks! So I assume he must be munching a little bit!

[KellyP]

I just cut them into tiny little pieces and hand feed them to the turts. However if your turtle isn't friendly, that probably wouldn't work for you.

[untsmurf]

I slice them with a potato peeler then hold it partly in the water for Mikey to start munching on. Once he starts eating it, I drop it all the tank. This is just so he knows it's their. He'd find it eventually, but this is so he doesn't have to wait.

[Cim*Forever]

Hum, I never thought of hand feeding him carrot, seems like a good idea! This way i'll know for sure right away that hes actually eating it. Thanks guys