What do tortoises eat. What do land turtles eat? What not to give aquatic turtles

Turtles are one of the least dangerous exotic reptiles that are easily adopted as pets and are especially popular. When choosing such a new occupant of your home, the first thing to do is to find out what kind of care and nutrition is needed for the type of this exotic animal you have chosen. In particular, it is important to know how to feed the turtle, because its health and longevity will largely depend on this. Most species of turtles are long-lived in their natural habitat, but can easily be on the verge of life and death when malnutrition at home.

How and what to feed the turtle: common features

Rational and balanced nutrition

Like the diet of other pets, the diet of any type of turtle should be rational and balanced. Harmonious menu from different types foods, including both plant and animal foods, are essential for turtles of all types. It is also important to ensure that these animals always have access to a shallow bowl of water, which must be changed daily.

Meal frequency

It is important to follow a regular diet. adult turtle average size should eat every day at least half a cup of salad or no less than the amount of other food. If your turtle eats almost nothing, you should definitely pay attention to this: it is likely that your pet is sick. It is advisable to get a scale and periodically weigh the animal, noting fluctuations in its weight in order to timely notice the occurrence of health problems in your pet.

The importance of having calcium in your diet

Turtles especially need the presence of calcium in the feed, which provides them with a strong shell and bones. Because in plants of this important element almost no, then it is worth buying vitamin supplements with calcium content and adding them to turtle food. It is important to observe the dosage of such additives, as their excessive use will have an adverse effect on the animal.

Feeding turtles at home

When wondering what to feed a turtle at home, you should first of all focus on the type of this animal, depending on which the choice of rational nutrition is made.

Choice not suitable for certain type turtle food can lead to metabolic disorders in the animal and digestive problems.

How to Organize Turtle Feeding

You can feed the turtle in different ways:

• putting food in the water of the aquarium;
• from tweezers;
• leaving food on an island of land in an aquarium;
• outside the aquarium if you do not want to pollute the water with food debris.

At first, it is worth feeding the turtle from your hand, so that the animal gradually gets used to independence and goes to eat to you. It is worth accustoming to new products gradually, and if there are several turtles, it is worth observing that food goes to all animals. Turtles do not eat cold food, so the food must be taken out of the refrigerator in advance and given to the animal to eat only when it reaches room temperature. It is advisable to feed the turtle in daytime when the animal is most active, or, alternatively, a couple of hours before bedtime.

Adult red-eared turtles should be fed once every few days, young ones - every day. A land tortoise should be fed once every 2 days - an adult and once a day - young. Dry food should only be used as a supplement to the main food. Young individuals and females, in anticipation of offspring, should eat every day, and their menu must certainly include calcium and vitamin D in significant volumes in such cases.

If you have just decided to become a turtle breeder, then the question of what aquatic turtles eat at home must inevitably arise before you even purchase these pets. After all, you need to weigh the pros and cons and decide if you can provide your new pet with a suitable and healthy diet.

What do aquatic house turtles eat?

Homemade ones are now the most popular, so we will consider the issue of nutrition using this example (their diet practically coincides with the nutrition of turtles of other aquatic species).

So what do aquatic people eat? red-eared turtles? The diet of red-eared turtles should include, first of all, a large number of animal food, as they are predators. The ratio should be approximately 70% for animal feed and 30% for herbal supplements. Lean meat, fish, seafood (shellfish, shrimp), freshwater snails are suitable as such food. Some owners also give boiled sausage and sausages, as well as cat or, but such food cannot be considered healthy. Various types of algae, dandelion leaves, cucumbers or slices of tomatoes, various varieties of salads are suitable as plant components. It is also worth paying attention to ready-made feed mixtures for turtles. They contain a diet balanced in terms of components, vitamins and minerals, however, it is still not worth keeping a turtle on a diet of dry food, it is better to add it from time to time to prevent beriberi.

Aquatic Turtle Feeding Mode

There are recommendations that small turtles need to be fed 1 time per day, and large ones - 3. However, experienced breeders recommend watching your pets. They themselves will let you know how many times a day they need to be fed. For some it's once every two days, for someone twice a day. Usually, when the turtles are hungry, they begin to move objects in the aquarium, fall loudly from the island into the water, push the glass walls. Turtles need to be fed at the same time each time, and given as much food as the turtle can eat at one time. This will save you from the development of putrefactive processes in the aquarium associated with the decomposition of food waste, the water will remain clear much longer, and many dangerous infections will not threaten the turtle.

Therefore, if such a turtle is kept at home, then you need to be very careful about its diet. People who faced a debilitating problem began to keep special food journals for their pets:

• daily;
• weekly;
• monthly.

As a rule, the menu is prepared in advance, with planning for every day. This takes into account all the necessary vitamin supplements, in the form of calcium and various amino acids. If you purchased a turtle, and you don’t know how to feed it, then for a start you should at least make a preliminary planning of its diet. In the process of feeding, it will become clear how to adjust her nutrition. In order not to risk it, it is better to seek information from a specialist or “dig” on the Internet, where there is a lot of useful information.

It is very important that nutrition is optimal and balanced. The turtle should not be overfed, but it should not be allowed to starve. Her diet should include foods rich in essential vitamins and trace elements to ensure the pet's normal development and growth.

If the turtle will eat a lot of different foods, then this can negatively affect the health and longevity of the pet. As a result of overeating, the turtle can develop diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract.

With insufficient amounts of food, the turtle will not receive the required amount of nutrients, which can lead to developmental defects.

Although land turtles eat mostly plant foods, care should be taken to ensure that the turtle consumes animal food as well. It can be no more than 5% of the total diet, but this is quite enough for its normal development.

Those who do not know how to feed this animal can purchase special artificial supplements with vitamins, proteins and other trace elements. How many such additives are required to the main diet is indicated on the package.

WITH complete list permitted plants and vegetables can be found.

• Greens - 75%;
• Fruits, berries and vegetables - 15%;
• Complex dishes in the form of various cereals - 5%;
• Vitamin supplements - 5%.

In the process of formulating her diet, one must take into account the fact that certain substances, such as vitamin D 3, can adversely affect her health. You should carefully study the list of substances prohibited for land turtles.

It should be remembered that in animals that fall into captivity, there is a shift in her behavior. With a lack of nutrients, she will start to eat everything, including the earth in the terrarium. To prevent this from happening, you should take great responsibility in organizing the nutrition of your pet. With the right and balanced diet the turtle will delight others for many years.

Therefore, before you start feeding the animal, you should draw up an approximate diet:

1. As stated above, the basis of the diet is greens, in the form of lettuce leaves and dandelion, plantain and alfalfa, thistle and sorrel, lawn grass, as well as leaves and stems of legumes (peas or beans). In addition to this greenery, turtles are happy to eat inflorescences of various plants. The main component must always be in the feeder, and the reptile will decide how much to eat.
2. Vegetables come second.. Turtles love to feast on pumpkin, fresh carrots, ripe zucchini, young beets and radishes. Once a month, the turtle can be given a cucumber or horseradish.
3. The list of berries and fruits must include apples and pears. From time to time, apricots, plums, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon can be included in the diet, but in small quantities.

Do turtles need to be watered?

As a rule, land turtles get the main dose of moisture from vegetables, fruits and greens. Most experts say that it is enough to provide the turtle with a bath of water once a week and it will not suffer from a lack of moisture. The fact is that turtles are able to replenish the lack of water through the skin. If a turtle swims in a bowl of water for 10 minutes, then this is quite enough for her.

There are times when, after acquiring a turtle, this small animal still suffers from a lack of moisture. In such cases, for some time you should provide the turtle with daily baths with water. Water should be poured up to half of the body so that the head peeks out of the water. To this end, at first, you can install a drinker with clean water so that the turtle can drink at any time.

The diet of land turtles consists of plant foods. Being in natural conditions, the turtle consumes all the necessary nutrients providing her normal development. At the same time, the turtle always feels which microelements it lacks at one stage or another of its life path, and it does an excellent job of this task, finding the food that it needs.

turtle can long time to be able to search for scarce food without harming her health. You can learn a lot of interesting things about these amazing animals by reading the relevant information on the Internet.

What should not be fed to tortoises?

Unfortunately, the list of prohibited products is very extensive and should be read. This list includes cockroaches, crickets, eggshells, potatoes, garlic or onions, various meat products (including sausage and minced meat), bread, milk, various cereals (except oatmeal), citrus peels, cherries, seeds from any berries . These foods can cause liver disease, which will significantly reduce its life expectancy. Therefore, when starting to draw up her diet, one should take into account detrimental effect the above products on turtle liver and do not include them in the diet.

The full list of prohibited products can be found here.

Turtle food in winter and summer

Despite the fact that the animal is in captivity, it can feel the approach of cold weather, which contributes to a change taste preferences. IN summer period the turtle eats more juicy foods, then with the advent of a colder season, it prefers soaked hay and less juicy vegetables. In any case, you need to monitor the behavior of the turtle, as well as the fact that it consumes more from food.

In addition

Being in captivity, the turtle tries to follow natural instincts and may hibernate. Naturally, certain conditions of detention associated with a decrease in temperature can contribute to this. environment within the area where the animal is kept. It can be not only winter, but also summer hibernation. In nature, turtles hibernate for two main reasons - this is a cold snap or lack of required amount food. To prevent this from happening, you should maintain the temperature at an appropriate level, as well as provide the pet with a variety of foods. It should always be remembered that even a turtle should sleep in certain conditions which is extremely difficult to provide for her at home.

Not to risk health small pet, it is necessary to provide it with an appropriate regime located on the border maximum level. Under such conditions, the turtle is unlikely to think about its hibernation, especially if it has all the necessary products.

It is very important that the heating resembles the warmth that the turtle felt while under the rays of the sun. Indeed, in the sun, the turtle not only warms up, but also receives a dose of UV radiation, which helps to better absorb calcium in the body. Without calcium, the turtle will not be able to fully develop and this should always be remembered. Therefore, the presence of a UV lamp is mandatory, as is its inclusion for several hours throughout the day.

From this it should be concluded that the future of a small pet depends entirely on who cares for him. You should not think that the animal will grow up on its own, without proper care. Unfortunately, this is not so, considering what dangers lie in wait for a small turtle, if you do not pay due attention to its content.

The turtle can be attributed to one of the most ancient types of reptiles. Most of these reptiles feel great at home. Even a child can take care of them preschool age, therefore, there are no problems with nutrition, especially since they are practically omnivorous. But due to the specifics of the habitat, there may be some amendments to the diet.

Sometimes it happens that one type of turtle absorbs some food worse than another, therefore, in order to answer the question of what turtles eat at home, you first need to figure out which species it actually belongs to. These reptiles have quite a few distinctive features, but conditionally they can be divided into only two types - land and water. Depending on the species, the specificity of the diet also changes.

What do turtles eat in nature?

In the aquatic reptile species, the main interest is shown in protein foods, while land turtles are extremely partial to vegetable delicacy. But this does not mean at all that these two species do not want to diversify their diet with something special. IN vivo they eat whatever they like, but home environment there is nothing that the turtle eats wild nature.

For example, an aquatic reptile is used to getting its food underwater in the form of tadpoles, small fish or insects. Some species, such as the caiman tortoise, can easily feast on a frog or even a duck.

Individuals of the Kistudo family, or otherwise the marsh turtle, are a kind of intermediate version of the land and aquatic reptiles. She gets her food on land, hunting not for other animals and insects, but for juicy berries or other plant foods.

Land species living in Central Asia and the Mediterranean are in their burrow all day and come out in search of something to eat only after sunset. Their favorite food is fruits and various nutritious plants. It is this species that is most popular with lovers of these unhurried pets.

winter period

What does a turtle eat in winter? Actually, nothing, because with the onset of cold weather, food becomes less and less, therefore, as a clear representative of reptiles, the turtle simply goes into long hibernation.

The duration of hibernation itself directly depends on the surrounding climate, and in the wild it begins in October and ends around March. Land species wait out the winter in minks, and their aquatic species hide at the bottom of a pond or river.

The diet of tortoises

What do pet tortoises eat? Their main diet is fruits, vegetables and other plant foods. The main thing that the owner of the pet should take care of is that the whole range of products is as balanced as possible, and in no case should you leave your turtle for a long time without fresh leaves and vegetables.

But it is impossible for the sake of usefulness to introduce the same products into the diet, here you need a competent combination and a nutrition system.

What do land turtles eat?

Here is a combined and organized list of pet turtle favorite treats:

• main diet: apples, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, eggplants;
• any plants that are not poisonous to the turtle;
• dandelion is one of the most favorite delicacies among land reptiles;
• barley, sorrel, oats, plantain and simple lawn grass;
• vegetables: green onion, legumes, radishes;
• fruits: banana, plum, peach, melon;
• berries: strawberries, watermelon, raspberries and blackberries;
• dry seaweed, champignons, young sunflower seeds and bran.

Products from the main diet can be given to the pet at least every day, and the rest of the list can be pampered no more than once or twice a week. If you want to diversify the turtle's diet with dry food, then they should also not be abused and overfed.

The diet of aquatic (red-eared) turtles

What do red-eared turtles eat in the water? It is this breed of reptiles that is recommended to be purchased as pet. Any marine animals have their own specific nutrition on different ages. If you have a young pet, then at first he will have to give more protein food than plant food.

After a two-year milestone, the turtle can begin to be fed plant foods, but protein cannot be completely excluded from the diet.

What the turtle eats early stage of her life, is very important for her growing body. Therefore, it does not hurt to add earthworms, tubifex or bloodworms to the finished feed or concentrate, and already mature individuals can be given fish, chicken and beef.

There is one point that all lovers and owners of aquatic individuals need to pay attention to. In no case do not give your pets fatty protein foods in the form of capelin, mackerel or sprat. To replenish calcium, it is better to give simple shrimp and tubifex, that is, what river turtles eat in the wild, or, as an option, add beef liver or heart to the diet.

It is also necessary to include various plants in the diet. If your pet feels a lack of plant food, then he will simply exterminate the algae in the aquarium.

In order to avoid such excesses, aquatic turtles should actively eat the following plant foods:

• tomatoes;
• dandelion;
• pear;
• lettuce leaves;
• apples;
• bananas;
• cucumbers;
• cabbage;
• beets.

There are foods that are prohibited for all individuals, regardless of the type of reptile. In no case should you give your pet bread, porridge, citrus peels, grains or dairy products, except for cottage cheese.

Be careful when giving fruits and berries to the turtle! Be sure to check what the turtle eats for the absence of bones. Foods in which the pet should be moderately limited are cabbage, cucumbers, onions, garlic, spices and sweet fruits. To replenish calcium and other minerals, bone meal can be included in the diet.

As an option for saturation with calcium, you can use crushed eggshell. The method for calculating the optimal portion is quite simple: for each kilogram of a pet, include 100 mg of shells.

The turtle is a beautiful, interesting and safe animal for humans, which belongs to the order of reptiles. Scientists have long proven that turtles are the only ancient creatures still living today. The age of the animal is 220 million years. They live both on land and under water. They prefer tropical latitudes and temperate zones.

A characteristic feature of the turtle is the presence of a shell. It protects the animal from various enemies. It consists of two parts, the upper one is called the carapace and the lower one is called the plastron. This is a protective case that can withstand a weight two hundred times the mass of the turtle itself.

If we talk about weight and size, then it all depends on the species and habitat. Some individuals reach a weight of one ton and a size of about 3 meters in diameter.

The head of turtles is most often small and smooth. Thanks to this, she can quickly hide it in her shell, feeling a predator. But there are rare species with big heads. The neck can be either long or short.

Tortoises bite off food with a powerful beak. They don't have teeth. For chewing food, they use the rough surfaces inside the beak. In predators, these places are sharper, while in herbivores they are blunt. The tongue is very short and is intended only for pushing food down the throat.

The paws of these animals differ in their habitat. If the turtle lives in the water, its limbs have special membranes for fast swimming and the right pair is much larger than the left. In terrestrial individuals, the front paws are adapted for digging the soil, and the hind legs for movement. They are bigger and stronger than the front ones.

After hatching, the animals are completely helpless and do not leave the hole in which they were laid. In a broken shell, they sit for 1-3 days. If during this time the baby turtle does not hatch, his mother helps him.

Types of domestic turtles

Domestic turtles can be divided into two large "families" - freshwater and land. And now more about their representatives, which you can get and keep at home.

Land turtles:

1. Central Asian. Very slow and clumsy creatures. They have 4 toes on their forelimbs. If we talk about wildlife, then this species lives only in Central Asia. Listed in the Red Book. They do not like limited spaces, because of this, the life expectancy in an apartment or house is very short. The best temperature for a terrarium is around 30 degrees.
2. Mediterranean. They live in various climatic conditions. These individuals are thermophilic. love to lie under sunbeams. The size of the largest animals of this species does not exceed 35 cm. There are 5 fingers on the forelimbs. Optimum temperature for keeping 25-30 degrees.
3. Egyptian - representatives of this species are very small. Grow up to 12 cm in length. In nature, they are found in the vastness of Egypt, Libya and Israel. They are very fond of sand, due to the fact that they consider it protection. When danger arises, the turtle will hasten to dig under it. best temperature- 26-30 degrees.
4. Balkan - similar to the Mediterranean. The size of adults reaches 20 cm. hallmark of this species, is a spike at the tip of the tail. The temperature in the terrarium should not exceed 32 degrees.

Freshwater turtles:

1. European swamp. Numerous species of amphibious turtles. The shape of these individuals is slightly flattened. Grow up to 35 cm in length. Weight no more than two kilograms. The fingers have sharp claws. A long tail. They live in lakes, ponds and wetlands. Listed in the Red Book.
2. Red-eared. Near the ears of these animals, there are red, yellow or orange spots. They grow up to 30 cm. These are very slow and lazy creatures. They love warmth. In the terrarium, you need to maintain a temperature of 30 to 32 degrees.
3. Far East. These turtles do not have the classic hard shell. Their “shelter” is soft to the touch. Its surface resembles skin. The size of an adult can reach 20 cm. long neck. A dangerous species for humans. Difficult to educate. They can bite. Bred only in rare cases.
4. Caspian. The shell of this species is flat, oval shape. The maximum length is 30 cm. Males of this species have more a long tail than females. They love salt and fresh water. In the wild, they rise to great heights. These are centenarians among domestic turtles. Their average age- 25 years. When keeping, you must observe two temperature conditions: water-22 degrees, air - 32 degrees.

What do turtles eat at home?

Many turtle buyers, after creating a terrarium or buying an aquarium, are interested in: what do turtles eat?

In this paragraph, we will consider the feeding of terrestrial and omnivorous turtles (aquatic, red-eared, marsh, prickly):

1. Feeding a living being implies the preparation of a special regimen.
2. At one time, the animal must consume a certain amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
3. Don't let your pet starve or overeat. An excess of food will lead to the development of many diseases and a short life expectancy, a lack of food, on the contrary, inhibits general development body and ability.

The diet of land turtles should consist of 95% plant and 5% animal food.

How to feed a land tortoise at home

• lettuce leaves;
• dandelions;
• aloe;
• stalks of peas;
• plantain;
• rhubarb;
• barley;
• thistle;
• sorrel;
• vegetables (pumpkin, zucchini, beets, carrots, radishes, cucumbers);
• fruits (bananas, tangerines, apples, oranges);
• berries (blueberries, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, strawberries, blackberries).

• potato;
• spinach;
• insects;
• garlic.

Eating any type of food should not exceed the norm. Always choose other products.

What to feed river turtles at home?

River and marsh turtles are omnivorous, but not only vegetables, fruits, herbs and berries should be present in the diet. They need regular meals. It is recommended to give food of animal origin. Sometimes offer your pet pieces of fish, special shellfish, which can be purchased at a pet store. This species can eat insects. Their favorite treats are earthworms, grasshoppers and locusts.

Feeding in summer and winter

In the summer, try to give your pet only fresh vegetables and fruits. Often pick up fresh plants that are suitable as food on the street. So the turtle will easily receive the necessary components.

In winter the situation changes. There are no fresh plants, vegetables and fruits in stores are treated with chemicals. Experienced owners are advised to buy special food and vitamin supplements at pet stores along with it. So, the animal will not feel the lack of anything.

Do turtles drink water?

Turtles consume water in an unusual way. It enters their body through the skin. To drink a pet, dip it in water (30-32 degrees) to half the shell. Do this process at least once a week.

These leisurely animals have become popular for keeping at home. However, not every species is suitable for these purposes.