box turtle diet info

[JennK]

How many crickets are too many crickets? I have an older three toed that I recently got. The previous owner thought it was a Russian tortoise and had been feeding it spring mix salads for the past year at least. She had gotten it from a guy off craigslist who also thought it was a tortoise. So. I am very concerned about its nutrition. Also, she did not have a UVB light. At first, she refused to touch any of the live crickets I have her. So I got cricket croutons and offered that on her salad as long as some box turtle pellets. she ignored them for a few days, then tried them and LOVED THEM. Then last night I noticed her chasing and catching the water dragons crickets and she cannot get enough! So now. I am not sure what todo. Everything I read about box turtles it mixed and confusing. I would like to know what ratio protein, veggies, fruit, and greens I should be giving her. Also, should I keep pellets available? And which supplement should I use and how often?

 

[lismar79]

I giv mine 50% protein: bugs, worms, hard boiled eggs, chicken breast. 20% leafy greens 20% veggies 10% fruits. I leave a cuttle fish bone in there for cacium. I supplement once a week with a calcium and d3 and one a week with a multi vitamin mineral. Twice a week I give some sort of pellet food just to round it off. If you can get her out in the sun a couple times a week for an hour or so you will not need the d3 and can just give straight calcium.

 

[JennK]

She has a UVB light in her enclosure and do I taken them outside almost every day.

 

[Dean Wirth]

Box turtles are finicky eaters, young ones are more carnivorous, older ones more vegetarian. Honestly a list of what they DON'T eat would be shorter than a list of what they do eat. Mine eat super worms, earthworms, slugs, snails, and strawberries, blackberries, mixed lettuce, peas, beans, and the occasional banana chunk for a treat. And love nibbling on cuttlebone for birds, and whatever plant I have in the terrarium. And dry oatmeal. Live crickets too but I hate rolling them to break their legs.

 

[JennK]

i have never heard of rolling them to brake their legs? I either keep them in a shallow stainless steel dish or let them free roam... My turtles LOVE chasing them! But my question is more how much protine to allow her to eat since she hasn't received any in over a year! Most likely many years

 

[Dean Wirth]

My turtles aren't fast enough to catch crickets. As for the protein question I would guess a lot of protein is needed, but all box turtles are different,

 

[tortdad]

I give mine 80% protein. Mine can't catch crickets so I would rip there back legs off.