Eating just worms

[mchong9606]

Could I get some advice on how to switch my female ebt from just worms? Problem is I've had her for just 9 days now and she has been a shy reluctant eater. She didn't eat for 6 days at first, but on day 7 she finally ate 3 earthworms. Presently she is offered fresh fruit, vegetables, superworms, Mazuri, crickets, hard boiled egg and TerryO's venison mix. Nothing seems to work except for earthworms. She is given a warm soak for 30 mins everyday, and for the last two days a carrot and squash baby food soak. She's always warmed up prior to food being presented and her enclosure temps are 85 one side and 75 cool side. She doesn't seem to mind eating worms under the mvb. I put her in a separate tub that is in her enclosure for feeding because the worms would just disappear into the substrate. Other than that, there is always food offered in her enclosure which she doesn't touch. I've read all the different threads regarding picky eaters, but I feel that if I just play hard ball with her and stop offering worms, she'll stop eating and I'll have worse problems to deal with. Should I just keep offering earthworms and the other foods, and if she just eats the earthworms so be it until she becomes more settled in?

 

[katelyn0974]

I would (& I'm not an expert) after a soak, put her in a tub and cover it half way. Offer thinly cut pieces of squash, strawberries, zucchini, raspberries, kale and leave her alone for about 10-15 minutes keeping a watchful eye then give her the worm. Continue to repeat that until she eats it. I cut the worm into pieces too after a few days so the turtle gets use to non moving food. Hope it helps.

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Also white mushrooms. My turtles seem to just love the mushrooms.

 

[Saloli]

what age groups is she in (adult, subadult, juvenile, hatchling)? Try some blueberries or raspberries. if she is anything but a hatchling as hatchling generally will not eat fruit. though she has only ben with you for a little while give her time.

 

[mchong9606]

I'll try your food presentation Katelyn and the white mushrooms too. Just wondering, why slice it thin? I figured the bigger the piece of food the more tempting it would be. I'll toss in some cut up worms on top afterwards too. By the way, she's an adult.

 

[SailingMystic]

Mine goes through this twice a year-- they love worms and well-- they should. Since its fall I slow down on the worms... I put one on her greens and it usually borrows and she now eats the greens to get to the worm. I do that every three days. It's taking over a week, but she's finally eating other things on the "non worm days "!! She is soooo picky

 

[fbsmith3]

When mine get picky, if I feed her a rotten banana mixed with the greens she is eats a lot better. I read that the more brown spots on a banana the healthier it is. I use part of the banana for a smoothie for me and the other part for her salad which I break up into small portions and freeze in little bags for later meals.

The only problem is rotten bananas attract fruit flies almost instantaneously. So if she will not eat it, dump it after an hour.

 

[katelyn0974]

I'll try your food presentation Katelyn and the white mushrooms too. Just wondering, why slice it thin? I figured the bigger the piece of food the more tempting it would be. I'll toss in some cut up worms on top afterwards too. By the way, she's an adult.

I have young turtles and it makes it easier for them to eat. More accessible I figured the more tempting. Also I would smash up some veggies and rub it on the worm so the turtle gets a taste when eating the worms. Just little things I did to get my turtles interested.