What does this turtle eat?*pics*?

Question

My dad just found this turtle who just almost got roadkilled so he brought it to me cuz he noes i love animals....but i dont noe what this turtle eats its my first time seeing it this is how it looks like this: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/2518937685_054f993605.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2234/2335369861_1644965a26.jpg?v=1205621552

http://www.wec.ufl.edu/research/conserv/i/chickenturtle.jpg

Answer 1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

Sliders, cooter, painted, map, yellow bellied , chicken cooters all are basically the same and require the same basic care.

I have had my 2 slider  girls for 36 yrs. Plus an 8 and 5 yr old and now a 2 yr old that was adopted last week from this site.... Been in a pond for almost 7 yrs now..

The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle.Remember he just came from and all the open space they had.  During the day maybe take him out side and get some real sun. Get a kiddy pool and fill with eater and some rocks to climb on to to bask and toss some guppies minnows or goldfish in and he will be happy.  Just know they consider you a predator and may never warm up to ya. My old 36 yr old girls just in the last 6 yrs don't run from me as much, and even swim to my hand and then sit in myhand and seem to smile. I wish you luck..email me anytime..tell your Dad he is a life saver for this guy.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also. They bask up to 10 hrs a day in the sun its what they live for to sun bathe and eat. They sleep at the bottom of streams and rivers to avoid the night predators and owls..

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear! This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They can have garden worm, meal worms, crickets, flies anything that moves!

In the wild they would be eating anything that moves babyfrogs,worms,bugs of all kinds, crickets crayfish, mine love those.

They need leafy greens( Romaine, Butter lettuce. Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles.

Answer 2

when you find a turtle in the road, and can safely do so, get the turtle across the road in the same direction it was going.  in order for this turtle to live a long life, you need to return it in the same area that it was found.  wild-caught turtles do not make good pets.  the turtle knew what to eat and where to find its food.  just let it go.  thanks.

Answer 3

First of all, you need to know which species of turtle you are feeding. The natural habitat of the each species of turtle determines its diet as well as other facets of its care. For example, Map Turtles prefer eating meat, on the other hand the River Cooter’s diet comprises primarily of plants, then the Malayan Box Turtle’s feed should include lots of plants with only a small amount of meat, while the American Box Turtle is an omnivore which eats just about everything, and the Chinese 3-Striped Box Turtle’s diet comprises mostly of meat. Then there is the Red-Eared Slider, which begins by eating worms and bugs, but turns into an omnivore as it matures.

One of the best ways to make sure that your turtle stays healthy and happy is to feed it its natural diet as much as possible. Turtles in their natural habitat eat a wide variety of foods according to the season; hence, variety is the key to feeding your turtle.

Minerals like vitamin D3, phosphorus, and calcium are extremely important for the health of your turtle. While turtles get enough phosphorus, since most of the food they eat contains it, it is their intake of calcium that you need to pay attention to. Crushed oyster shell, eggshells that are boiled and crushed, plaster block, and cuttlebone are all good sources of calcium.

However, merely providing enough calcium is not sufficient. Dietary calcium cannot be utilized properly if vitamin D3 is absent. Vitamin D3 is produced in the Turtle’s body if it is exposed to direct sunlight or any good reptile light such as Reptile D-Light or Reptisun. Or, they can be given vitamin D3 in their diet via a supplement.

However, certain foods can block calcium being absorbed because they contain high amounts of oxalic acid, hence care must be taken not to allow your turtle to eat too much of them, although being natural vermifuges, they could be somewhat beneficial. Certain foods, like cabbage, which have goitrogens can cause a deficiency in iodine if too much of them are given to your turtle. But, feeding your turtle with cuttlebone can overcome this problem since it has trace amounts of iodine.

Too much protein in the diet causes stress on the kidneys and is thought to cause deformities, like pyramiding, in the turtle’s shell. Therefore, it is advisable not to feed your turtle high protein foods like dog food or cat food or meats that humans eat.

When protein is fed sparingly along with a varied diet, it does not cause any harm, but it should not be a staple. In fact, it is recommended to feed your turtle as wide a variety of foods as possible, without overusing any single type of food. Keep in mind that plants too provide protein; hence, getting enough protein in the diet is not difficult.

Foods Omnivorous Turtles Eat

Protein - cooked fish,; boiled eggs; cooked turkey or chicken; mealworms; waxworms; slugs; shrimp; snails; crickets; earthworms; and silkworms. Lean beef, dog food or cat food can be given occasionally. Avoid using raw meats due to the danger of contamination and fatty meats like hamburger should be avoided.

Leafy Vegetables - tufted vetch; sow thistle; grape leaves; fig leaves; endive; red clover; carrot tops; plantain weed; chickweed; dandelion; lettuce, both green and red; turnip greens; collards; and aquatic plants like water lettuce, duckweed, and so on.

Vegetables - corn; wax beans; green beans; beets; sweet potatoes; carrots; okra; green peas; and squashes.

Flowers - rose; dandelion; chives; pansies; petunia; lilies; carnations; hibiscus; hyssop; borage; nasturtium; and geraniums.

Fruits - pumpkin; kiwi; mango; apple; strawberry; banana; tomato; blackberries; cantaloupe; blueberries; grapes; figs; and citrus fruits.

There is also commercially made food available for turtles as well as supplements.

Foods that Turtles Should Not Eat

    * Milk products cannot be digested by reptiles because they do not have the enzymes required for breaking down lactose, hence dairy products like yogurt and cheese should not be fed to turtles.

    * Processed foods and canned foods are usually high in preservatives and salt, the effects of which are not known fully. It is advisable not to feed your turtles these foods, or use limited amounts, if you must.

    * Even though turtles may eat certain poisonous plants in their natural habitat, the specifics of this feeding habit are not well known, hence, to be on the safe side, it is advisable not to have poisonous plants where you keep them, such as avocado plants, rhubarb plants, and poison ivy.

- If I were you, I would find out that species you got before you feed it anything different species would eat.

Answer 4

take him to the vet,ask what u should feed him.

good luck

Answer 5

Thats cool of your dad to do that :D. But try asking your local petstore for food and treats for your new pet turtle.

Answer 6

If your not sure what to give it, go to the pet shop and get some turtle food and make sure it has pellets and dried shrimp, they love it!!!

Answer 7

This is a river cooter turtle. I have one just like it. It's a turtle that most people would tell you to let go, because of the massive bite it can dish out. Just go find some crickets and worms. You will need to kill the crickets. You need to keep him in a BIG tank with water, with a spot out of the water he can get up on and dry off and bask. Put the crickets an that. I hope this helps..

Answer 8

I would take him to the vet.

Answer 9

Try live food when you can get it: earthworms, fishes (not goldfish), and soft-bodied insects. When you can't get live food, cut strips of liver and dust them in bone meal. You might get it to take some dark green leafy vegetables.