What should I feed my turtle?
Turtle owners of all stripes want to feed their pets a healthy, nutritious diet to ensure their turtles live their best lives. Generally speaking, aquatic turtles are omnivores, and all tortoises are herbivores (and all tortoises are turtles). This means aquatic turtles can eat produce and meat.
Turtles can and should be given a variety of fresh food, live food, and pellets to ensure a balanced diet. Young turtles typically are carnivorous and consume predominantly animal protein. As they age, they become more omnivorous — eating both plants and animals. As always, it's best to consult a veterinarian or animal care professional who can provide you with an individual diet tailored to your pet's needs. Keep reading to learn all about the different types of foods, from veggies to insects, that can be healthy for your turtle.
Fish
Shrimp and feeder fish like guppies, bait minnows, and smelt can be fed to turtles. Feeding live fish can provide your turtle with protein and mental stimulation. It's worth noting that feeder fish, like goldfish and rosy red minnows, contain high quantities of thiaminase, which can cause nutritional imbalance and should be fed sparingly. A more convenient option is packaged dehydrated shrimp. Because the shrimp are dehydrated, the food doesn't have to be prepared or refrigerated, making it ideal if you're short on time.
Fruits & Vegetables
Turtles can consume some fruit and veggies, but it's best to offer fresh produce as a treat and to help provide variety at mealtime. Sliced fruits and vegetables will float on the water, providing enrichment plus extra vitamins and minerals for your pet turtle. Be sure to remove any uneaten produce after a few hours (before veggies start to wilt and fruit starts to turn) to ensure the water stays clean.
Some fruits to give your turtle include berries and apple slices, and fresh veggie options include squash, zucchini, and cucumber. A dehydrated fruit mix can also be fed to a turtle as a fun way to interact with your pet.
Insects
Turtles can eat insects like mealworms, crickets, and waxworms. If feeding insects, it's best to purchase these from a pet food store. And avoid using insects from the outside world as they might have pesticides on them. For added nutritional benefit, you can feed live insects a nutrient-rich diet before giving them to your turtle — a process called gut loading. Try giving the pre-blended Gut Load Cricket Drink to live crickets. If you're looking for more information, check out this comprehensive guide on how to store and feed insects to reptiles.
Cooked Meat
Provided it's cooked to kill off any bacteria, you can feed your turtle meats like turkey and chicken in small amounts. Meats also shouldn't contain any seasonings as these can upset your turtle's stomach.
Pellets
Pellets are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. They're essentially like a turtle multivitamin. Turtles need calcium and vitamin D3 to ensure their bones and shells remain strong. And a diet that includes pelleted food will include these essential nutrients.
The Land Turtle and Tortoise Extruded Food Pellets are intended for both land turtles and tortoises, while the Aquatic Turtle Extruded Food Pellets are made specifically for aquatic turtles. Or try the freeze-dried Reptile Munchies Omnivore mix pellets, which can be fed alone, as a treat, or with the other foods mentioned above. Simply mix water with the munchies, and it's ready for your pet to eat.
You Have a Variety of Options to Feed Your Turtle
Feeding your pet turtle a balanced diet doesn't have to be boring. Mix up mealtime with fresh veggies, meat, and treats to entice your pet. A mix helps provide all the nutrients they need, and it helps keep them curious.
