What to feed turtles? Tips for beginners

If you decide to get a turtle, first of all, you must clearly imagine that the turtle is not a toy but a living creature. This is a real wild reptile, which will not climb to its owner on his knees and will not purr like a cat, but rather just not be on you to react and may even hurt to bite.

However, turtles are often kept in apartments as Pets, since they do not require for a such care as a cat or dog, do not spoil the furniture, not the crap in the corners, not barking. And to walk the tortoise need only in the summer in solar weather, and even then not every day. It should be remembered that, being by nature a cold-blooded animal, the turtle needs heat and nutrition, with food that it receives in nature. Because the question of what to feed is one of the main.

The widespread opinion that the turtle can be given bread, cheese, milk, cheese and even cat food, is inherently incorrect. And yet, what to feed turtles?

According to the type of food the turtles can be divided into three groups.

• Predatory. Almost all of these species live in water, and therefore eat mainly food of animal origin (mainly fish and seafood), which is 70 to 90% of their diet, and only 10-30% of plant foods. A staple in the diet of these turtles is low-fat fish. Before you feed turtles fish meat should be cleaned from bones and cut into small pieces. Once a week you should give them low-fat boiled meat, which is rich in animal protein. As vitamins give the meat of snails or worms. In the winter time for prophylaxis, give a multivitamin. You can also use ready-made food for turtles sold in pet stores (for example, "Aquarius Turtle Menu" or "Tropical BioREPT").
• Herbivores. These turtles consume about 90% plant based and from 2 to 10% animal food. They are usually fed a mixture of vegetables, greens, fruits with added protein and vitamin-mineral supplements. Before you feed turtles, the mixture should be finely chopped. Turtles up to a year need to be fed daily, but don't leave food for more than 2-3 hours. Adult tortoises is recommended to feed 2-3 times a week. For turtles it's not dangerous, but rather, on the contrary, is only good. In any case it is impossible to give pet black bread, milk, citrus fruit peels and seeds from fruits, as they contain alkaloids. Also it is impossible to give the food some kinds of houseplants. Should not be abused sweet fruits, grapes, cucumber, cherries, spices. In the summer the turtles are happy to eat dandelion, mother-and-stepmother, clover, and wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Once a week should be given mineral (carbonate, calcium palmitate, borogluconate, glycerophosphate, bone meal, crushed egg shells) and protein (raw liver, bran, dry yeast, cheese, boiled egg, minced meat) supplements.
• Omnivores. Consume both animal and plant foods in combination is approximately 50-50. What to feed turtles in this group is clear from their names.

It is recommended to Contain turtles in terrariums. With a proper diet and proper care they can live more than 30 years.