nutrition question: modern dog foods

[nyoom]

So I found this recipe of Solid Gold (Fit and Fabulous), and I was curious about whether or not this could be used for feeding box turtles. Namely as an additive or mix in, not as a standalone staple. The reason I think this might be an interesting option is because it contains a wide assortment of vegetables like some of the more modern dog food mixes do, so I wondered if it was more viable as a food source than older style dog or cat foods. Disclaimer: I'm still figuring out the nutritional balance for Box Turtles so this question is purely for research purposes, I'm not currently feeding this to a turtle or anything.

Nutritional breakdown:

 

[Relic]

You could run the vegetable list against The Tortoise Table that gives thumbs up and down to a variety of items. I seem to remember spinach was on the do not feed list, but I can't imagine the amount in this mixture would be problematic, especially fed as a supplement. Box turtles seem to really like canned dog food. You can always use Mazuri - a dry tortoise food that you can moisten with water before feeding.

 

[ZenHerper]

Bit heavy on legumes, but a teaspoon here or there for a supplement is fine.

Stick with meat-based, grain-free. Most brands are much lower in fat than dog foods used to be (cat foods as well), but the 3-7% as fed range is reasonable.

Turtles like to drink, so keep plenty of clean water available.

 

[Len B]

My eastern box turtles have the run of a large yard and mostly forage for themselves but I also offer them mazuri water turtle diet and multi species pond fish food. Some will also eat moistened mazuri tortoise diet. I've heard that the 17 year cicada are coming up this year in my area. If it's true they will put a hurting on them as they come out of the ground.

 

[Relic]

In our region, it's the copperheads that feast on the newly emerged cicadas. There have been news stories in the past about groups of copperheads gathering around the bases of large trees, waiting for the little critters to try and climb the tree and shed their exoskeleton. This usually occurs at twilight, just about the time my box turtles are bedding down for the night.

Gulp! Arkansas photographer snaps images of snake eating bug

A photographer has snapped some startling gone-in-a-gulp images of a venomous snake devouring an unlucky bug at Ozark National Forest in Arkansas.

www.naplesnews.com

 

[KBeam]

So I found this recipe of Solid Gold (Fit and Fabulous), and I was curious about whether or not this could be used for feeding box turtles. Namely as an additive or mix in, not as a standalone staple. The reason I think this might be an interesting option is because it contains a wide assortment of vegetables like some of the more modern dog food mixes do, so I wondered if it was more viable as a food source than older style dog or cat foods. Disclaimer: I'm still figuring out the nutritional balance for Box Turtles so this question is purely for research purposes, I'm not currently feeding this to a turtle or anything.

Nutritional breakdown:

View attachment 296449

With a kitchen scale, you can make perfectly proportioned “turtle meatballs” then freeze. I use ice trays with lids. As they thaw they get mushy and gross, just the way box turtles like them ?. I make 48 at a time and then supplement with what we’re having for dinner if suitable and in season fruits and veggies. It will be cheaper and you will know exactly what is in it.

 

[Yvonne G]

I like to use Wellness brand venison and sweet potato canned dog food as an additive to my box turtles' veg and fruit diet.

 

[ColleenT]

This article might help.

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

 

[enchilada]

With a kitchen scale, you can make perfectly proportioned “turtle meatballs” then freeze. I use ice trays with lids. As they thaw they get mushy and gross, just the way box turtles like them ?. I make 48 at a time and then supplement with what we’re having for dinner if suitable and in season fruits and veggies. It will be cheaper and you will know exactly what is in it.

we would like to know some details on the ingredient? thank you so much