Having got a turtle in your house, the first thing you should know is what this reptile eats. Not every food will benefit the animal; moreover, you should not give the same product all the time. Ask what kind of turtle food contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Turtles
The terrarium, which contains reptiles, is made large so as not to hamper the animals. Land species may be contained in an organic glass container . For water turtles, it is worth looking for an option from food grade plastic. However, it is better to opt for ordinary glass. Specialized outlets offer a wide range of reptile equipment. Sales consultants will help you choose among them. The animal in it should be comfortable. To do this, you need to organize a special temperature and light conditions, to control air humidity.
Keeping tortoises outside the equipped area is a common occurrence. Specialists do not advise doing this because:
- The animal runs the risk of being injured or stuck under furniture, between legs, etc.
- Drafts and cold floors harm the turtle's health.
- Household chemicals used in cleaning rooms cause poisoning in reptiles.
Owners of turtles are advised to irradiate pets with UV lamps. Applied for these purposes low power devices. The exposure time is increased gradually, carefully observing the reaction of the turtle. Restless behavior is a signal that the procedure should be stopped immediately. Excessive UV light causes burns.
Turtles at home feel great alone, so there is no need to maintain several individuals. To acquire 2 females and 1 male makes sense only for breeding.
Features of feeding turtles
Turtles are animals that lead a daytime lifestyle, so they eat in the daytime. At first it was believed that the marsh turtle is nocturnal, but later studies have disproved this theory. They have the greatest appetite at high ambient temperatures. For this reason, turtles at home will not eat immediately after turning on the heat in the morning. At an ambient temperature of 30ºC or more, their digestive processes occur one third faster than in a colder environment.
It is better to start feeding turtles after 1.5-2 hours after turning on the heating, and to finish no later than 3-4 hours before turning it off. Feeling of hunger betrays the behavior of the animal. The movements of land turtles become restless. Water animals constantly look for edible objects, but the hungry do it too actively. Well-fed turtles lead an unhurried search.
Land turtles
The main component of the diet for them is food of plant origin, which contains natural vitamins, minerals and from 70 to 90% of water. Food for land turtles should be diverse, its main components are as follows:
- Cabbage, dandelion and salad. The last two give only in the summer, they are useful for digestion and contain many essential substances.
- Carrots, beets. They are rubbed or finely cut.
- Cucumbers, tomatoes. Tomatoes are cut in half so as not to make the turtle "chase the ball." Crumpled and soft fruits are preferred.
- Fruits and berries. Give all edible, previously divided into two halves.
- Melons and gourds. Turtles eagerly eat them, but after feeding it is necessary to wipe their mouth from sticky juice with wet cotton wool.
- Egg. Hard boiled and cut after cooling.
- Cottage cheese, boiled fish.
- Chicken and beef meat of any kind.
- Worms, bloodworms, garden snails, crickets and grasshoppers (immobilized).
Water turtles
Food for land turtles is not used in the diet of aquatic. They require a different ratio of animal and plant components. Small turtles feed on bloodworms, tubule mumps, earthworms and dry food (daphnia, gammarus, etc.). These components are enough for young individuals of large species.
Larger feeds for aquatic turtles should include:
- Beef and chicken in any form.
- Fish without heat treatment no more than 1 time per week, cut into pieces. You can boil more often.
- Insects and snails. From the water you can take only a horn coil and a large pond.
Turtle food should contain the right amount of vitamins. They are purchased at the pharmacy and a few drops are added to the finished food.
Rubella turtles
These animals are picky in food, which complicates the task of the owners. The owners have to protect the pets from eating harmful or inedible objects. In nature, food for tortoiseshell is mollusks, tadpoles, small fish and algae. In captivity, their food should be brought as close to natural as possible: small snails, squid slices and crustaceans.
Food for red-eared turtles may partially consist of plants from the garden: leaves of dandelions and cabbage, beet tops and carrots, hay. In the aquarium with animals plant duckweed, ludwig and filamentous algae. Turtle can be given aloe, hibiscus, peas, clover, dry and sprouted seeds. To prevent the growth of a long beak, branches of garden trees are laid on animals.
It is desirable to exclude meat from the diet. Worms are a good source of protein. Artificial vitamins are also not recommended for them. The percentage of plant foods should increase with age.
Composition of dry feed
The package in which the dry food for the turtle is located contains promising inscriptions: “the balance of substances is maintained”, “developed by scientists”, etc. Inside it is a granular dry substance consisting of natural feed, vitamins and minerals.
The feed intended for land turtles consists of granulated legumes, vegetable fats and proteins, and a vitamin-mineral complex. Their content meets the needs of land species. However, the composition does not always contain amino acids of animal origin, vitamins A and E and the necessary trace elements.
The disadvantages of dry feed
Their taste qualities quickly deteriorate, and reptiles with great difficulty get used to them. The price of turtle food is much higher than the original ingredients purchased in the store. 100 g of dry mix will cost about 50 p.
Chemicals can be present in feeds to extend shelf life, and sometimes the proportion of calcium content may be disturbed. Making a diet for land turtles is possible without the use of concentrated mixtures, given the wide variety of available plant ingredients. Food for aquatic animals is more difficult to organize, so commercial products are more in demand.
Dry feed quality
The quality of industrial feed is poor. The basis of the mixture for water turtles is fishmeal, small crustaceans and plant matter. During the production process, the feed is exposed to high temperatures, which destroy part of its components. Even the main vitamins may not remain in the composition.
The quality of the raw materials and the technology used affect the nutritional value of the obtained fish meal. In some cases, food based on it does not even cover the current needs of the animal. There is no need to talk about normal growth. The composition of the mixture resembles a modified fish feed, in which vitamins and minerals are added. As a result, turtles do not eat them.
How to introduce dry feed into the diet?
Zoos, professional terrariums try to avoid industrial mixtures, making a menu for reptiles on their own. The food for the turtle contained in the house may be dry. This solution saves time and effort to the owner. This is much better for a turtle than a diet that is not tailored to the needs of the animal or consisting of a single ingredient.
Reptiles with great reluctance eat even high-quality dry mixes. It is necessary to accustom to them purposefully, gradually adding granules to vegetable or live food. Caring for a turtle that has switched to granular mixes is much easier.
Dry food "Tortilla"
The food was created on the basis of scientific research with the participation of veterinarians from St. Petersburg. Cabbage, berries, dandelion, insects, fish meal are far from a complete list of the natural ingredients of the Tortila mixture. Food for turtles must contain them necessarily, because such products are included in the natural diet of reptiles. The vitamin-mineral complex present in the mixture helps pets feel better in isolation from their natural habitat.
The tortoise feed under the Tortila brand is available in two versions:
- "Tortila-M Granules" is intended for water turtles. It can be used in the nutrition of other reptiles that are not herbivorous. In one pack is 90 g of product.
- Tortilla Granules is designed for land turtles. It contains a small amount of components of animal origin. The basis is plant processing products. In one pack is 150 g of the mixture.
Tetra dry food
This is one common feed for captive turtles. The granules are made in the form of sticks. It is used as the main battery, because it contains:
- Minerals that reptiles require are in full force. Participate in the process of bone and shell growth.
- Easily digestible proteins in large quantities. Strengthen smooth muscle tissue.
- Substances that accelerate growth.
- The complex of vitamins.
- Microelements.
Turtles perceive this dry mix well. Reptiles are not able to distinguish taste, so when choosing food they are guided by their sense of smell. Not the last role is played by color and motor activity of future food. The fishy smell of food attracts turtles. Sold in packs of different volumes, from 100 ml to 1 liter. The key advantage is calcium saturation and a well-chosen combination of the components of the Tetra mixture. Food for turtles does not lead to turbidity of the water, because it does not emit dust.
Despite the good composition, a dry mixture should not be the only one in the diet. Fruits, fish, worms and greens should fall on the table for reptiles. A detailed menu is compiled individually for each type of turtles.