Box turtle protien?

[RedfootsRule]

I understand ornate box turtles need about 60% of protein in there diet. What do people usually use for protein? I catch as many earthworms and millipedes as I can, and give them some raw chicken, but would things like moistened low fat cat food work for protein or would it be unhealthy? Just looking for another way to provide the protein they need.

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My only concern is all of the grains...Flaxseed and lecithin also...

 

[AustinASU]

Small frozen mice work as well!

 

[RedfootsRule]

Small frozen mice work as well!

I had that thought, but they're very expensive, for three adult ornates.

 

[Saloli]

I use Organix turkey and vege wet dog food as bulk protein plus I buy bulk crickets and breed various worms. I have twelve turtles mostly adults. They are ebts though. You can also buy grasshoppers if they will eat prekilled they are cheaper. You can also order bulk earthworks, silkworms etc.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

For the animal portion of a box turtle's diet, you can offer the following:

- Rollypollies
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Earthworms
- Slugs
- Snails
- Cooked chicken
- Cooked venison
- Canned box turtle food
- Non-beef canned cat food

 

[kimber_lee_314]

You can use high quality low fat cat food now and then. I give mine cooked turkey, chicken, fish, shrimp, blood worms and trout chow. Sometimes I order freeze dried crickets, and add them to the mix. If I have eggs to get rid of - I boil them and offer them to them. For live foods (which I don't do very often - at most once a week) I use super worms, meal worms, night crawlers, butter worms and sometimes silk worms (kind of fatty!) The latest delicacy is june bugs. When the cats catch them, I toss them into the pens and there is usually a race to see who can get it first! Hope that is helpful!

 

[bmt123]

Saloili said to feed grasshoppers but I can't figure out where to buy them.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Saloili said to feed grasshoppers but I can't figure out where to buy them.

You can buy freeze dried grasshoppers too.

 

[shellfreak]

Try Goliath worms (aka horn worms). You can buy them at mulberry farms. Just google mulberry farms. These worms come small and grow to about 4 inches in 5 days. It's amazing. And they are full of protein. I feed all my box turtles a bunch of these when they come out of "hibernation". Not to mention they are cool looking worms. And mulberry is a trusted site. Great products.