Doesn't want Romaine wants iceberg

[FilTorrtoise]

So, I just recently acquired an eastern box turtle and the previous owner had been feeding it iceberg lettuce and nothing more. I was told that feeding it iceberg wasn't good.
For the past week it wouldn't eat until I fed it pineapples and dried worms. What should I do? It won't touch the Romaine. Thanks in advance. Fil-

 

[wellington]

I don't know a lot about them but a diet of romaine is not good either. @Yvonne G or @maggie3fan or @terryo or @Jacqui can help with a proper diet

 

[FilTorrtoise]

@wellington thank you. I'm learning which is why I joined this forum. I appreciate all input. It nibbled on some mushroom a little ago.

 

[Jacqui]

See in a week alone you have expanded it's diet from one item to four. Slow and steady will get you there. Just keep adding new items along the way. It often helps if you cut new food types small and sorta coat it with a known liked food.

Curious, why dried worms rather live ones?

 

[FilTorrtoise]

Hi @Jacqui my gf and me went into the local Petco and the 16 year old behind the counter convinced her it was OK. She was grossed out by live worms.

 

[FilTorrtoise]

@Jacqui it won't touch the lettuce though. Is it ok to feed it fruit and supplements. I live in an apartment and we have no yards. I keep it in a 40 gallon terrarium and take it out every other day to the park for an hour. Its better than what it had.

 

[FilTorrtoise]

My schedule is busy but when I went over to see it, it was living in poor conditions with dirty water, no heat lamps, gravel, and iceberg.

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's a good article on how to get a box turtle to eat:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-wont-eat.42397/

Another trick would be to puree iceburg lettuce until it's just mushy juice then mix it all up with fruits and veggies so all the good foods are covered in the mushy juice.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Soak that turtle daily in Gerbers strained carrots, offer it cantaloupe, blackberries, blueberries, bananas, any kind of fruit really, forget the romaine. Box turtles eat live protein, nightcrawlers, mealworms, slugs, crickets or fruit. Tortoise food probably, but most box turtles wouldn't eat lettuce if they have a choice.
Get his substrate wet, keep a water dish big enough to soak in. An incandescent light bulb will be alright. Please keep asking questions, and remember, he can only eat what YOU feed him. So if you offer a good diet, that's what he has to eat...

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-care-sheet.93937/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-wont-eat.42397/


oh, and keep him warm 80 or so for a few weeks

 

[FilTorrtoise]

@Yvonne G and @maggie3fan you guys are awesome. I'm still learning to navigate around here. I appreciate your help !