How much to feed at a time?

[TortMom6]

I have a male three-toed box turtle whose shell is approximately 6- 7 inches measuring from head to tail. I have had him for 3 years, but he was not a baby when I adopted him, I have no real idea how old he is.

I am looking for advice on how much to feed at one time.

I feed every other day right now. I am having a hard time finding out the quantity of food to feed at a sitting. I can't imagine his stomach is very large, but boy can he eat. And he'll eat anything, really I haven't found something he dislikes. He'll even eat manufactured turtle/tortoise pellets. He stole a chicken nugget out of my niece's hand once and ate it.

I feel like he is always looking for something to eat.

Thanks for the advice!!

 

[PJay]

I have a male three-toed box turtle whose shell is approximately 6- 7 inches measuring from head to tail. I have had him for 3 years, but he was not a baby when I adopted him, I have no real idea how old he is.

I am looking for advice on how much to feed at one time.

I feed every other day right now. I am having a hard time finding out the quantity of food to feed at a sitting. I can't imagine his stomach is very large, but boy can he eat. And he'll eat anything, really I haven't found something he dislikes. He'll even eat manufactured turtle/tortoise pellets. He stole a chicken nugget out of my niece's hand once and ate it.

I feel like he is always looking for something to eat.

Thanks for the advice!!

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At an every other day routine feed him as much as he wants to eat as long as he is eating a healthy, varied diet. Good proteins like night crawlers, insects, boiled chicken and turkey. When you feed insects gut load them with leafy greens first so he is getting some good vitamins and also add chopped greens to his chicken and turkey. Toss in some strawberries, blackberries, mulberries, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe and even mango now and then. There are some great manufactured pellets out there that offer complete nutrition in one package. I like Omega One and Hikari turtle pellets and so do my turtles.

 

[ColleenT]

Be happy that you have a good eater!

 

[TortMom6]

Be happy that you have a good eater!

You are right! And I am very thankful. I have heard tons of people who have picky eaters or have ones that go on hunger strikes.

I tend to worry and obsess about everything relating to my boy. I was worried that over feeding could potentially be harmful for him, but I was also worried about under feeding him too.

I'm very happy to have a place where I can get excellent advice and have my fears soothed. My turtles and tortoises are my babies, I worry about them more than I do any human.

 

[TortMom6]

At an every other day routine feed him as much as he wants to eat as long as he is eating a healthy, varied diet. Good proteins like night crawlers, insects, boiled chicken and turkey. When you feed insects gut load them with leafy greens first so he is getting some good vitamins and also add chopped greens to his chicken and turkey. Toss in some strawberries, blackberries, mulberries, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe and even mango now and then. There are some great manufactured pellets out there that offer complete nutrition in one package. I like Omega One and Hikari turtle pellets and so do my turtles.

So I took your advice and fed Juliet as many superworms as he wanted. He ate 37, then about a half hour later he vomited. Then he ate his greens. Is this normal?

 

[PJay]

So I took your advice and fed Juliet as many superworms as he wanted. He ate 37, then about a half hour later he vomited. Then he ate his greens. Is this normal?

Wow, what an appetite, I didn't realize you had a glutton! Try offering a variety of foods together. 37 super worms at once is too much. Maybe offer 5 or 6 large superworms, a little more if they are small and then some greens and fruit.

 

[TortMom6]

Wow, what an appetite, I didn't realize you had a glutton! Try offering a variety of foods together. 37 super worms at once is too much. Maybe offer 5 or 6 large superworms, a little more if they are small and then some greens and fruit.

Yeah, he definitely eats like he's never eaten before! I was thinking that was probably too much. Offering a variety of foods at the same time sounds like a good idea, i'll start doing that. It will probable make for a more rounded diet.

What is you opinion on pinkie mice? I've heard some people say they're good once in a while, some say they're good weekly....?

 

[ColleenT]

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

 

[TortMom6]

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

Thank you!!!!!! That is absolutely perfect. I am currently attempting to start a pillbug colony, so it is good to know they are good to feed. I bought 10 at a reptile show 2 weeks ago, and am hoping they will reproduce.

 

[PJay]

Yeah, he definitely eats like he's never eaten before! I was thinking that was probably too much. Offering a variety of foods at the same time sounds like a good idea, i'll start doing that. It will probable make for a more rounded diet.

What is you opinion on pinkie mice? I've heard some people say they're good once in a while, some say they're good weekly....?

Pinkie mice are great because they have a high calcium content but they are also quite fatty so not an every day feed. I offer pinkies about once a week.

 

[TortMom6]

Pinkie mice are great because they have a high calcium content but they are also quite fatty so not an every day feed. I offer pinkies about once a week.

I'll grab him a pinkie on the way home tonight, he's never had one, so I will be interested to see if he likes it. Do you use live or frozen/thawed?

 

[PJay]

I'll grab him a pinkie on the way home tonight, he's never had one, so I will be interested to see if he likes it. Do you use live or frozen/thawed?

Always frozen/thawed.