musk turtles

[hali]

hello i have just joined as have been bought 2 baby musk turtles for my birthday. I have been reading a lot and from what i can gather should feed them once per day whilst babies then every other day - is this correct?

Also how much do you feed - they always seem hungry...

i have only had them for 3 days but everytime i go up to watch them they are there - waiting.....

 

[Yvonne G]

Water turtles of any kind are VERY good at training their "food goddess." What are you feeding the babies and how much. Once a day is fine. They will always act hungry, that's just the name of the game.

 

[hali]

thank you for your reply...

have got frozen bloodworm (feed 1/3 cube) or
JBL dried turtle food (feed 6 dried bits)

 

[Itort]

Bloodworms, num num. As they grow larger try krill or small fozen fish (silversides I think). The turtle pellets are good as is trout or catfish pellets.

 

[Kristina]

I also feed Hikari Carnivore sinking food. Good stuff. My Stinky won't eat fish. He lives with 5 Zebra danios, two Rosy Reds, 4 Shiners, 6 Central Mudminnows, a Brook Stickleback, a Blue and an Opaline Gourami, a Synidontis Lace cat, and two Farlowella cats. (Funny mix of native and tropical, huh? LOL.)

I feed my adult Stinkpot every day. He gets as much as would fit inside his head if it were hollow. Just because they can go every other day or longer between feedings, doesn't mean they should. It is fine to feed daily, just monitor the amount.

My baby muds are most in love with bloodworms, but it is good to vary it a bit. They also love small snails, and the calcium is great for them.

 

[hali]

dont think im feeding thrm enough then - at least with pufferfish you can tell when they are full

 

[Kristina]

Exactly how big are they?

 

[hali]

they are about 2 inches long

 

[Scooter]

Congrats on your new babies! Can we see pictures?

 

[Kristina]

2" is not that young... As I said, would feed daily, about the amount that would fit in their heads if they were hollow. I would look into the Hikari also.

 

[Chelsea]

I second the Hikari comment. My musk is around 4 months old and gets a few sinking Hikari pellets each day. I have a few different kinds mixed up in a tub so he (or she) gets a variety of foods. My other turtle is a year old Mississippi Map who gets fed enough to fill his head, every other day. Turtles gorge themselves and will always appear hungry. It's so hard not to give in!! I have loads of snails in the tank, though, and if they come across one they will treat it as a snack! Pond weed is also good to keep in the tank. They will eat it as and when they want to. Do you have any cuttlebone in there? My turtles love it

 

[hali]

thank you chealsea - have just put a cuttlebone in there (have parrots)- have puffers as well so know about them pleading for food so dont give in would red ramshorn snails be ok in tank?

 

[Chelsea]

Ramshorn snails are what I have, they'll be fine I caught one sitting on my musk's head earlier!

 

[hali]

they are funny arnt they ive just put in a piece of cooked chicken - they both devoured it lol