What do river turtles eat, how to feed at home

When purchasing a turtle for home keeping, many believe that it does not need special care. Of course, compared to cats and dogs, the needs of reptiles are more modest. However, they need a properly equipped place and a thoughtful diet.

What to feed river turtles

River turtles eat fresh fish willingly, and with pleasure use almost all of its species. However, it is desirable to select varieties with a minimum number of seeds. Cutting small pieces from the carcass, they are given in portions until the animal is completely saturated.

In addition, reptiles are fed with the following food:

• all kinds of larvae;
• small insects;
• algae;
• earthworms;
• vegetation.

River turtles have a predatory nature, which is the main reason for the reluctance to eat dry food. Therefore, it is not advisable to spend money on the purchase of such mixtures.

The turtle eats meat with great pleasure, whether it is fresh or frozen. To maintain the strength of the shell, the menu of reptiles includes aquarium mollusks, which are freely sold in pet stores.

Attention! Shellfish are considered the main source of many useful elements, among which is calcium. Such food is a vital need for a turtle.

For a pet, the following products should always be in stock:

1. Lean meat, always raw. The turtle will cope with the piece offered to it on its own, even if it is of a decent size.
2. River fish. You can feed inexpensive varieties of fish without stones or with a minimum number of them. The product is given raw, without heat treatment.
3. Sea cocktail of shrimp and squid will be an indispensable source of calcium. Considering that there are practically no fresh seafood on sale, they buy frozen ones. To feed the turtle, it is enough to defrost them.
4. Lettuce or cabbage leaves, dandelions. Plants cannot be the main food of reptiles. Therefore, they are added to the diet for a change.

The main thing is to correctly organize the food menu. Every day it is recommended to offer the turtle a different kind of food.

What not to give river turtles

The most dangerous products include human food and pet food. It is not recommended to feed the turtle at home:

• fruits, especially citrus fruits;
• fresh vegetables;
• fatty meat or fatty fish.

When choosing plant foods and insects, special care must be taken. It must be borne in mind that many representatives of fauna and flora may be unsafe for reptiles. They are able to provoke poisoning, lack of iodine, disrupt the process of calcium absorption.

Feeding frequency and portion sizes

Young individuals and the younger generation need to be fed daily. Adult reptiles are fed every other day, sometimes after two, less often after three days, it depends on the animal’s need for food. Considering that the river turtle belongs to predators, its portion eaten per day should contain about 70% lean fish, 20% raw meat and 10% insects or shellfish. Once every five or six days, you can give raw beef or chicken liver.

In addition, turtles are fed with special supplements containing a large number of useful components, mainly calcium. But you don’t have to do it often. Sometimes vegetable food is added to the diet, which is given no more than once a week. Reptiles love to eat dandelions, duckweed, algae and vegetation that lives near water bodies.

How to make a river turtle eat

Although turtles are quite voracious, there are times when they categorically refuse to eat, hide in their shells and do not react to the owner. An animal’s refusal to eat is not always a cause for concern. This may indicate that it is time for the reptiles to hibernate. If the hibernation period has not yet begun or the reptile is not going to go to bed, but stubbornly refuses to eat, you can try to offer it to eat dandelions or salad. Perhaps the turtle is simply tired of the constant diet, and you want something new.

To get a river turtle to eat, you can give it a small piece of bread. In general, reptiles should not be given bread, as it can provoke liver pathology. But a tiny piece, designed to whet the appetite, will not bring harm.

Reluctance to eat food can cause an overgrown beak that interferes with the animal. This problem is solved with the help of pedicure or manicure tweezers. After the procedure, the appetite is restored.

Of no small importance for the life of reptiles is their body temperature, at a decrease in which the animal begins to freeze and lose appetite.

Knowing what river turtles eat at home, as well as following the necessary feeding requirements, you can always keep your spirits up and keep your pet healthy. The main thing for him is a complete saturated diet.