Help with feeding box turtle

[Debbie2662]

So now I'm trying to get my box turtle off meal worms and eating fruits and veggies. After reading an article that someone on this site sent me, it stated to just offer the other foods and completely cut out the live food. So now he doesn't seem interested at all in eating. So far I've tried red leaf lettuce, banana and cantaloupe. I'm assuming if he gets hungry enough he will eat but is there anything else I can do at this point.

 

[Yvonne G]

Wait him out. He won't starve himself.

I buy those little black worms you buy at the aquarium fish store. Chop up some veg and fruit and pile it on a feeding tile, then take a pinch of the black worms (alive) and put it on top of the pile of food. Put the turtle in front of the food and quickly step out of his sight.

 

[dmmj]

a healthy turtle will not starve itself. It will eat sooner or later. any particular reason why you don't want to feed it mealworms anymore?

 

[Debbie2662]

He was only eating mealworms since I got him. Yesterday I posted some problems I was having with him (under a different thread) and someone sent me an article to read. Part of it stated: "Use a different food at each feeding, and completely stop using wax worms and mealworms until the picky eating habits have cleared up. Overuse of live foods has done a lot of damage to captive turtles, and may be implicated in the deformities that are developing in captive turtles. Live foods are highly enticing to many box turtles, leading to picky eating habits and vitamin deficiencies".

So that is why I have stopped. I sure hope he starts eating these other foods soon.

 

[lisa127]

But live foods are what they eat in the wild. It's an important part of the diet.

 

[Debbie2662]

I will add it back to his diet once he starts eating other things. Going by what I read and what people are telling me on here just mealworms alone are not good for him, his shell is starting to become deformed so I need to get him eating other things besides bugs.

 

[dmmj]

not trying to change your mind but you could always gutload the meal worms. to be honest with you I wouldn't stop completely feeding live food just cut way back and I would switch from mealworms to a soft bodied like food

 

[lisa127]

Nightcrawlers! Personally, I don't get why live food would cause shell deformities when it's what they live on in the wild while growing.

 

[Debbie2662]

What other foods would you recommend that are soft and turtles like? I think Nightcrawlers would be way too big. He is still so small.

 

[Eric Phillips]

What other foods would you recommend that are soft and turtles like? I think Nightcrawlers would be way too big. He is still so small.

The pet stores are now keeping calci-worms, which are larvae from the black soldier fly. They are very high in calcium and disease free. My yearlings tear them up. The cons of calci-worms are they do not last as long in the frig as meal worms and of course if one gets loose in the enclosure, a fly will be buzzing around before you know it. Easier to kill the beetle than the fly. Just be sure to check the container before you purchase. Hatchlings love pill bugs or sow bugs, red wigglers are also a favorite(smaller than night crawlers). I keep quite a few in my enclosure, see babies being born all the time.....same with the rollie pollies. I don't personally feed alot of crickets to my guys, more of a pain in the rear for not much nutrients but I am sure others would feel different. Just my opinion. I do cut the heads off of superworms and feed them every once in awhile. I do feed them small roaches ever once in awhile, virtually remove a few legs before feeding(same as crickets). I do have a garden snail farm also, but you virtually need to get to the 3rd generation before you don't have to worry about parasites. Its been time consuming to get to where I am at, but it is well worth it. All my guys love snails. Well, hope some of this helps and good luck!

 

[lisa127]

What other foods would you recommend that are soft and turtles like? I think Nightcrawlers would be way too big. He is still so small.

Red wigglers are what mine ate. If this turtle is still a baby he absolutely should be eating mostly live food to the exclusion of other foods. And I wouldn't use the wait him out method either if he is a baby. How old/big?

 

[Debbie2662]

He's about 13 months old. I'm having a heck of a time trying to get him to eat any fruit or veggies. My pet store does not carry red wigglers, just meal worms and waxworms and of course crickets.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Walmart has red worms and night crawlers. Much cheaper then pet stores. And welcome to the forum!

 

[Debbie2662]

I don't think my walmart carries them, but I will have to double check. Thanks

 

[Cheryl Hills]

They should be in the fishing or hunting area.

 

[lisa127]

He's about 13 months old. I'm having a heck of a time trying to get him to eat any fruit or veggies. My pet store does not carry red wigglers, just meal worms and waxworms and of course crickets.

So use each of those for variety and add other protein. Mine loved reptomin sticks when babies. This turtle is much too young to hold back on the live food and protein. You can also try eggs, plain cooked chicken. What pet stores are near you? Petsmart caries worms. If nothing else cut up nightcrawlers.

 

[Gray Chilton]

So now I'm trying to get my box turtle off meal worms and eating fruits and veggies. After reading an article that someone on this site sent me, it stated to just offer the other foods and completely cut out the live food. So now he doesn't seem interested at all in eating. So far I've tried red leaf lettuce, banana and cantaloupe. I'm assuming if he gets hungry enough he will eat but is there anything else I can do at this point.

I’m having the same issue with my three toed box turtle hatchling. He’s only about 5 months old and all he will eat is mealworms. I’ve tried pellets and fruits and veggies. He refuses them. I don’t want to starve him because he’s so small. Is it okay to just feed him mealworms or are there any other live foods that I should try to feed him?

 

[lisa127]

I’m having the same issue with my three toed box turtle hatchling. He’s only about 5 months old and all he will eat is mealworms. I’ve tried pellets and fruits and veggies. He refuses them. I don’t want to starve him because he’s so small. Is it okay to just feed him mealworms or are there any other live foods that I should try to feed him?

Nightcrawlers, calci worms, red wigglers

 

[ColleenT]

http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Feeding_North_American_Box_Turtles.pdf