There are a large number of species of water and land turtles. Our advice is only approximate recommendations for your pets feel good. Each owner must be a book on content and feeding of exactly that kind of reptile, which it contains.
Follow common sense. With regard to feeding, it is best to rely on common sense. Some people begin to feed the turtle so well how to feed a cat or a dog, and it is a huge mistake. Dogs and cats were domesticated thousands of years ago, while the anatomy and physiology of the turtles was formed millions of years ago. Millions of dollars are being spent on the study and clinical trials of a balanced enriched fodder for cats and dogs, but only for them. And there are hundreds of species of turtles, each of which has its requirements to the feed.
The turtles - the wild animals. They are not domesticated. That is, these are wild animals living in captivity. Therefore, in order to provide them a good power supply should be as precise as possible copy of their diet in a natural environment. It needs to know as much as possible about their habits, preferences and requirements to the feed.
Birds of prey, herbivorous and смешанноядные? The most important thing that we need to know about his pupil is whether he herbivorous and carnivorous or всеядным. Feed травоядную turtle meat it is unnatural and harmful, all the same, that the giving of the steak chicken or a cow. At the same time, to feed the carnivorous freshwater turtle fruit and lucerne is the same as to try to grow the cat on the salad and vegetables.
The diet of various species of turtles
Land turtles. Land turtles, as a rule, herbivores. Some experts are calling for adding the animal protein in their diet, but this moment is questionable and is not a necessity for a balanced diet.
Water turtles. Most aquatic turtles are carnivorous and depending on the type of require a diet containing from 65 to 90% of the meat. The remaining 10-35% of the vegetables.
Semi-aqueous turtles. Most of the semi-aquatic turtles are omnivorous, they need to about 50% of meat and 50% of the plant food.
Samples of diet
For herbivores:
On the base of mixture of leafy greens (90%)
Dandelions, cabbage, leaf clover, lettuce, parsley, plant carrots, various tough grass, heads of the flowers and other natural fodder plants.
Fruits and vegetables (not more than 10%)
Melon, tomatoes, mango, pineapple, cauliflower, apples, pears, red and green sweet pepper, cucumbers, zucchini.
Do not let a lot of fruit, because their consumption can lead to an increase in the level of sugar in the intestines and cause colic.
For carnivorous:
Components of animal origin (65-90%): earthworms, frozen newborn mouse, snails and clams, low-fat oceanic fish, insects, seafood with a low fat content (less than 5 % of the total diet).
Components of plant origin (approximately 35% , depending on the type): Salad, grated carrots, chinese cabbage, red clover, dandelion, a little fruit (see diet for herbivorous species).
Not all water turtles carnivorous. Some types of aquatic tropical turtles require a large amount of fruit in the diet, and the other almost completely they turn herbivorous, preferring so check to what kind is your animal.
For omnivorous species:
Components of plant origin (50%): berries and strawberry, rome and red lettuce, shredded carrots, dandelion greens, cauliflower, plums, a small amount of cabbage, heads of the flowers.
Components of animal origin (50%) earthworms, frozen newborn mouse, snails and clams, low-fat oceanic fish, insects, seafood with a low fat content (less than 5 % of the total diet).
The food should always be fresh and enriched vitaminized additives with calcium, developed especially for water and land turtles. In поилке should be kept fresh clean water. For good digestion also need good conditions of detention turtles and the absence of stress.
