Feeding and Nutrition :: New Diet :)

[Sora]

For two years now, since she was 5", I've been giving Sora Reptomin Pellets,Freeze Dried Shrimp,Baby Carrots and the occasional apple or loquat.
But now, she's a big girl at 7" and I'm planning on giving her a new diet. My grandpa has a vegetable garden in our backyard and I plan on using alittle of it as Sora's fresh food.
I want to give her,Parsley(she's already taking to it),Mature Carrots,Green Leaf Lettuce,Apples and some pellets here and there.(With the occasional shrimp) .
Would this be an okay diet? Because, I read that adult RES's need more leafy foods than meaty ones and I want her to get on the right track so when she gets to adulthood,she won't give me problems

[Ranger The Red Ear Slider]

Sounds good Try only giving her pellets a couple times a week.

[Sora]

Okay, thanks for the advice

[AmazingAlex]

For two years now, since she was 5", I've been giving Sora Reptomin Pellets,Freeze Dried Shrimp,Baby Carrots and the occasional apple or loquat.
But now, she's a big girl at 7" and I'm planning on giving her a new diet. My grandpa has a vegetable garden in our backyard and I plan on using alittle of it as Sora's fresh food.
I want to give her,Parsley(she's already taking to it),Mature Carrots,Green Leaf Lettuce,Apples and some pellets here and there.(With the occasional shrimp) .
Would this be an okay diet? Because, I read that adult RES's need more leafy foods than meaty ones and I want her to get on the right track so when she gets to adulthood,she won't give me problems

According to me u shoulnd't feed your res like this. It's bad for him. They should be feed like in their natural environment.
carrots-only time to time, like once a month but they can't make basic of turtle's diet
green leaf lettuce-the same.
apple-i wouldn't feed it my turtle
pellets-they should be like addition to right diet time to time aswell..

I recommend you:
snails, earthworms, dandelion, clover, plantain,little fishes (but u must know the kind, i dunno name in english)

ofc there are plenty more foods you can give, i hope someone with better english will give you more info than i can.

btw, im sorry for my english but i hope you can understand me!

[Sora]

Thanks Alex, I can understand your english. I would give snails, but we don't have water snails for sale here and dandelions don't grow in my area. I'm only going with what I have that's safe, because my pet store doesn't really sell things for turtles(besides reptomin canisters and docks). I would like to give her a wide variety, but it's kind of limited here .
But thanks for your advice though.

[Love of Animals]

If you can find water plants like anacharis your turtle may love it. Your new diet sounds good though.

[Sora]

Thank you LoveofAnimals, it's the best I can do for now. Funny enough, I was at the pet store(not for food) today and I glanced around and I remember seeing Mature Anacharis for sale,7$ I believe. Now that you reminded me I feel silly now, cause I forgot they liked Anacharis.
On monday, ill take a trip to the pet store and buy some to see how she likes it.

[steve]

The main part of her diet can be the green leaf lettuce (or red leaf, romaine, dandelion leaves). Mix or rotate for a little variety. If freshwater water plants are accessible to you, then you can add those into the mix. Add a small amount of pellets every other day. A small amount of carrots can be used everyday. Once a month, you can offer a small amount of apple, banana, strawberry or blue berry.

There are other ways to modify the diet as you do want to try to add variety yet use what is accessible to you.

[theartbook35]

^ What Steve said.

Also, when you read the list of recommended RES foods, then, if it is on the list, it is okay for your RES to eat it. They are omnivores, and need a balance of many different nutrients. Calcium and Vitamin D3 are the most important, and it's best to feed an RES a commercial pellet which contains Vitamin D3.

Now, a human can naturally produce calcium, however, a turtle must get it from an outside source, like how they regulate their body temperature. Leafy greens, like romaine/boston/butterhead lettuce, red leaf lettuce, parsley, will provide appropriate sources of calcium. I normally don't feed a calcium supplement (cuttlebone) unless I see my turtles searching for it. Turtles will bite inedible objects, like tank decor excessively when they need calcium. I also provide calcium during shedding, whether they are searching for it or not. Don't over do it with the calcium supplements though, too much of anything is never good, and, since overproduction of calcium in humans can cause kidney stones, I'd imagine it may do the same in a turtle. I have to take one of mine to the vet tomorrow, so, I'm going to ask if this is definitely possible or not.

I always break cuttlebone into smaller bricks, depending on the size of my turtles. For example:

Hatchling under 4 inches in shell length: 1/2 inch block of cuttlebone.
Between 4 and 7 inches in shell length: 1 to 2 inch block of cuttlebone.
Over 8 inches in shell length: 2 to 3 inch block of cuttlebone, or one third of the larger block you purchased.