Chopmeat?

[leigti]

Hello, I read in the box turtle section about people feeding their turtle chopmeat. What is that? Is it just ground up beef turkey or chicken or is it canned meat or what? I

 

[ascott]

I would not offer any processed meat unless it is organic...hormone, antibiotic free.....ick. Have you offered bugs for protein?

 

[leigti]

So chop meat is canned meat? I thought that might be what it is but I wasn't sure. I have not given any processed meat at all, just cooked chicken, raw beef heart once, sardines, mealworms, crickets, and nightcrawlers. My Boxturtle doesn't have much problem with eating the bugs and I do plan on adding some to her indoor enclosure when I move her in this fall. But I'm having a heckuva time getting her to eat anything else, sometimes she will eat banana and she took a couple bites of a mushroom but that's about it. I've been researching on a bunch of different websites so I am working on it. She may be eating a little more than I think because it's hard for me to tell what she is actually eating off of her saucer outside. It will be easier to keep track once she is inside. I make up mixes that include 50% protein 30% veggie, 10% fruits and 10% greens. Sometimes the percentages very but you get the idea. Don't worry, I will not feed canned meat but I may try a couple spoonfuls of cat food because that has been recommended a few times.

 

[ascott]

There are so many other options to cat food...ewww.....no judgement, just ewww...

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-hatchling-care-sheet.97144/#post-904278
(excluding the last ditch suggestion for cat food)...

You can also contact terryo and ask her what the yummy venison dish is she offers them.....sounds good....

@terryo

 

[leigti]

I have just seen canned cat food or dog food listed on a few different places. At this point I just want her to eat dang it! Eat something besides protein that is. She came to me in pretty rough shape, see my other threads, so I am doing what I can. I don't know much about her background except that she is an adult three toed Boxturtle.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Overripe fruits. Think windfall.

 

[Tom]

Definitely send a message to TerryO. She is a box turtle feeding wizard!

 

[terryo]

All we can do it try. Thanks for the compliments though. Recently someone gave me an adult Eastern Box turtle. I think she said he's about 7 years old and was kept in a plastic tub with no heat, lights, humidity...etc. Only fed lettuce. As you can imagine he is a mess. Had his nails clipped, beak trimmed. His legs were twisted too. Shell deformed. After setting him up in a little outdoor safe enclosure, he dug down and that was the last I saw of him for a week. After the week passed I started to take him out each day and place him in front of food dish. It took about another week but he started eating and toward the end of the Summer he looked much better. For a reluctant eater that he was, I offered only ground venison with sweet potato. Once he started to eat that, I added chopped fruit, and then some soaked turtle brittle, and eventually chopped greens and veggies. You should see him eat now. Again....this is just how I do things. Not saying it's the right way. I have to find a before picture, but this is him 1 year later looking good. His legs are still a little twisted looking, but much better. Ground venison is my favorite for getting turtles to eat, even the babies love it.

 

[Rob.harmon]

A ya q

 

[leigti]

Where the heck do you find ground venison before hunting season But I will definitely put the word out to some hunters I know. Actually I have seen venison on some websites for Raw dog food, maybe I'll try to look those up. I have been putting down some overripe fruit and mushrooms and some grated sweet potato but not much luck yet. When I look at the picture of your turtle I think mine is very skinny. What do you think? I have trimmed her nails and filed down her beak sense these pictures were taken. Maybe I am trying to give her too much variety? I will keep trying various options and I will try to find some venison. Has anybody tried rabbit? Cooked of course

 

[leigti]

A ya q

?

 

[Rob.harmon]

?

Sorry haha it was a typo..

 

[StarSapphire22]

So did we ever figure out exactly what chopmeat was?

 

[leigti]

So did we ever figure out exactly what chopmeat was?

No.

 

[Number1Platypus]

All we can do it try. Thanks for the compliments though. Recently someone gave me an adult Eastern Box turtle. I think she said he's about 7 years old and was kept in a plastic tub with no heat, lights, humidity...etc. Only fed lettuce. As you can imagine he is a mess. Had his nails clipped, beak trimmed. His legs were twisted too. Shell deformed. After setting him up in a little outdoor safe enclosure, he dug down and that was the last I saw of him for a week. After the week passed I started to take him out each day and place him in front of food dish. It took about another week but he started eating and toward the end of the Summer he looked much better. For a reluctant eater that he was,View attachment 92398 I offered only ground venison with sweet potato. Once he started to eat that, I added chopped fruit, and then some soaked turtle brittle, and eventually chopped greens and veggies. You should see him eat now. Again....this is just how I do things. Not saying it's the right way. I have to find a before picture, but this is him 1 year later looking good. His legs are still a little twisted looking, but much better. Ground venison is my favorite for getting turtles to eat, even the babies love it.

Do you cook the venison? Sorry if that's a dumb question xD

 

[terryo]

I buy venison and sweet potato in a can....a good quality dog food with no additives. There is NO such thing as a dumb question. You should see the questions I asked when I got my Cherry heads.

 

[Number1Platypus]

I buy venison and sweet potato in a can....a good quality dog food with no additives. There is NO such thing as a dumb question. You should see the questions I asked when I got my Cherry heads.

Cherry heads are so adorable! I don't have a tort I have a boxie would it be okay to try that for him?

 

[Number1Platypus]

Lol oops I forgot that you were talking about a box turtle first xD

 

[leigti]

Lol oops I forgot that you were talking about a box turtle first xD

 

[leigti]

That's ok. Try it!