Feeding and Nutrition :: Feeding an older RES veggies

[Karawr]

I recently got an older Turtle (probably more than 4 years old) and he has had a... "limited" life. All he's lived off is reptomin sticks. Now that I've got him, I'm trying to incorporate the veggies.

I ripped up Romaine lettuce and let it float around but he doesn't eat it. At first he touched it and I thought he was eating it, but then he spit it back out. If I leave a giant leaf in his tank will he rip off pieces eventually or should I leave cut up pieces?

How small do these pieces have to be? I've tried cut up carrots as well and he always tries to eat them but then spits them out, as if he can't chew it. They are very thin, small pieces but he doesn't seem to swallow.

He's also not eating the cuttlebone. Help?

[steve]

You can leave a larger leaf and he will nibble on it and you can use a veggie clip to hold it in place.

[Karawr]

I'm thinking about not feeding him anything but lettuce over the next few days. I've got a piece of lettuce floating around in his tank now and will change it when it gets gross and slimy. Hopefully, this way, he'll start to eat it.

[untsmurf]

that approach has worked for several people. Also try different types of veggies. Mine is a big fan of aquatic plants and turnip greens but he doesn't really seem to like the leaf lettuce.

For the carrots, try peeling it with a potato peeler instead of cutting it, that might help him eat it.

[Karawr]

I've got romaine and radish leaves in there. I don't think he likes the radish leaves though because he didn't touch at all. At least with the romaine, he poked at it a bit and sometimes takes a bite out of it.

For aquatic plants, is there any you recommend? The list (on the main site) is a bit long for me to try out every type.

He's taking bites out of cuttlebone but I can't tell if he's actually getting enough. A lot seems to get spit out of his mouth and then small bits float to the bottom... but he still bites onto it (when I trick him with my fingers).

[steve]

For the plants, you might want to see what's available locally. Some of these plants are prohibited because they might be invasive. The most common one used is probably anacharis (also see what else is recommended).