Overripe, Mushy Cantaloupe?

[ktrent]

I have half of an overripe, mushy cantaloupe which is nearing the point of rotting. It is slimy and mushy and is defintely not something I would eat, but would it be safe to feed it to the box turtle? How far gone is too far when feeding overripe fruits to boxies? Can they eat fully rotting fruit with mold and all? If they eat carrion and poisonous mushrooms in the wild, why not rotting fruit? Thoughts?

Also, is there anyone who does feed their boxies carrion (i.e. roadkill) or poisonous mushrooms?

 

[Len B]

Over ripe fruit is fine, and a little fungus wont hurt.over ripe bananas are usually not eaten by my box turtles or mountain tortoises, but other over ripe fruits are, in some cases I don't offer it until it is really ripe and getting soft.I also offer mushrooms but don't think any are poisonous. Len

 

[Jacqui]

I found a dead sparrow on our pickup and did just feed it to the Ornate group this weekend. Normally the carrion is more prekilled mice that I will sometimes toss in to them.

 

[tortoises101]

Turtles often take overripe and mushy fruits in preference to fresh.

 

[terryo]

Years ago my turtles had the run of the whole yard, and that included the veggie patch and some fruit trees. If any fell to the ground the boxies would be there in a flash and eat the peaches, figs, plums, apricot, and any veggies that fell. There was always a birds nest someplace, and if a baby fell, and if it was dead we would leave it and they would eat that too. I think box turtles eat just about anything.

 

[tortoises101]

Years ago my turtles had the run of the whole yard, and that included the veggie patch and some fruit trees. If any fell to the ground the boxies would be there in a flash and eat the peaches, figs, plums, apricot, and any veggies that fell. There was always a birds nest someplace, and if a baby fell, and if it was dead we would leave it and they would eat that too. I think box turtles eat just about anything.

They don't call them oppurtunists for nothing!

 

[ktrent]

So I can go ahead and feed him that overripe, mushy cantaloupe? I have attached a pic of it. My father fears it may make the turtle sick.

 

[Nay]

Dead sparrows?? Poisonous mushrooms? Fallen Baby birds?? are these all food groups???
Nahhhh just kidding, but gee these are things I NEVER would have thought to feed to my torts>.
Yuk!(But thanks for the info, I am all for recycling!
Nay

 

[Jacqui]

So I can go ahead and feed him that overripe, mushy cantaloupe? I have attached a pic of it. My father fears it may make the turtle sick.

Yep feed it.

 

[dmmj]

Looks ok to feed, my boxes have not yet eaten a bird, but my water turtles (RES) have eaten baby birds that I assume either fell in or were dragged in when they thought it was a bird bath. ( jaws theme starts)

 

[zesty_17]

I personally would not feed it to them, although it normally shouldn't harm a healthy box.

 

[ktrent]

I personally would not feed it to them, although it normally shouldn't harm a healthy box.

Would not feed what - the cantaloupe or carrion/birds?

 

[zesty_17]

I personally would not feed it to them, although it normally shouldn't harm a healthy box.

Would not feed what - the cantaloupe or carrion/birds?

I wouldn't purposely feed either to my turtles-they are not used to consuming "wild" carrion or overripe fruit. I use a wide variety of foods for them, usually seasonal produce, commercial food, calcium supplements (seasonally), and live ectotherms that they absolutely love. If they were to eat overripe food or carrion, i probably wouldn't worry too much, as they are all in good health, but i wouldn't actively feed it to them.

my group & how long i've had them

1.2 Texas Ornates 2-15yrs
1.1 Three Toed Box 8-17yrs
3.0 Texas River Cooters 9 yrs
1.1 Florida Softshells 1 yr
0.1 Florida Musk 1 yr

 

[Jacqui]

I wouldn't purposely feed either to my turtles-they are not used to consuming "wild" carrion or overripe fruit. I use a wide variety of foods for them, usually seasonal produce, commercial food, calcium supplements (seasonally), and live ectotherms that they absolutely love. If they were to eat overripe food or carrion, i probably wouldn't worry too much, as they are all in good health, but i wouldn't actively feed it to them.

Interesting and a different approach then mine. So what brand of commercial food do you use? I with my turtles, much like with the tortoises, prefer to stay away from commercial food (except as more a backup food source for emergencies) and go with things they might find in the wild. I guess I should change that from turtles to just the box turtles and spots, not my other turtles.

 

[Saloli]

yeah mine have eaten carrion including a few frogs and mice oh thats something i forgot to put on my list. also when i raise frogs and the occasional taddy frog (a frog in the process of changing not a technical term just one i use) that drowns they get it wit the exception of grey tree frogs which the dont seem to be able to safely eat though toads are fair game despite being deadly to humans, but then again they eat destroying angels. as far as over ripe fruit they sometimes will eat it with fruit fly maggots in it. mine eat stuff i collect as well as buy usually organic but not always or grow. Jacqui you have Spotted
Turtles are the American Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) or Asian (Geoclemys hamiltonii)? If they are the American I have a few questions what pH do you keep yours at also does yours eat on land (mine does something I didn't know they could do)? Also what sort of fruit does yours eat? mine likes blueberries.

 

[dmmj]

fruit with maggots in it? that is like ice cream cake to box turtles.

 

[Saloli]

yeah i know it looks gross and i've eaten some traditional Tsalagi foods but I guess it tastes good to them. iI take by your reaction to that you've seen them do it too?

 

[zesty_17]

I wouldn't purposely feed either to my turtles-they are not used to consuming "wild" carrion or overripe fruit. I use a wide variety of foods for them, usually seasonal produce, commercial food, calcium supplements (seasonally), and live ectotherms that they absolutely love. If they were to eat overripe food or carrion, i probably wouldn't worry too much, as they are all in good health, but i wouldn't actively feed it to them.

Interesting and a different approach then mine. So what brand of commercial food do you use? I with my turtles, much like with the tortoises, prefer to stay away from commercial food (except as more a backup food source for emergencies) and go with things they might find in the wild. I guess I should change that from turtles to just the box turtles and spots, not my other turtles.

In addition to seasonal produce, live stuff, and hibiscus,

Commercial products I use are:

T-rex Box Turtle Dry Formula: (they all love this stuff, I usually use this if I am not going to be around for a few days. My torts don't eat every day.)
Flukers: various freeze dried crickets, mealworms, snails
Mazuri herbivore-they generally will not eat this.

Supplements:
Rep-Cal Calcium powder (with d3 indoors & without outside)
Repti Calcium (it is much finer gradient than rep-cal)
Cuttle-bone usually year round in habitat
Sometimes Calcium grit
Vita-flight added to water-used very infrequently

I don't mix any of the supplements in the diet, I offer them individually & the torts choose which they consume. Pretty funny sometimes when they look at me with their white noses after investigating the supplements. But this has worked for me.

 

[Saloli]

is that an aldabra or galapagos in the picture?

 

[Yvonne G]

Some fruit-eating tortoises actually prefer the over-ripe fruit. I feed my box turtles and Manouria rotten water melon and cantaloupe with no ill effects, and that includes the rind and the seeds. They love it. The box turtles actually clean out the "meat" down to the rind and leave that there.