Risk of overfeeding?

vladyxz

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I bought a amazon sword for my river cooter and he seems to love it. Despite the fact that I feed him, he often bites and eats that plant. Is there a risk of overfeeding?
 

Tom

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I don't know if those plants are okay to eat, but no, there is no risk of over feeding.
 

vladyxz

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I found on several sites that the plants are safe for turts, however I might supplement in order for my cooter not to eat so much out of it.
 

Maggie3fan

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Not that I know of. Water turtles are so active they'd not gain weight. (I think). I have a water turtle and lately I have been buying feeder fish for him. In less than 5 minutes he caught 6 of the 7 fish. I get rosy minnows, guppies, goldfish(yes, Y, I know) and any other fish that look small enuf for him.
I don't have plants in his tank because he disrupts them in play and that just create a mess. I do feed him veggies at times. He swims around with a live fish head out of his mouth. Here he goes in for the kill, notice how he traps the fish in the corner.
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View attachment 319584
 

Relic

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Back when I was raising a newly-hatched clutch of red eared sliders, I found they had difficulty in catching feeder fish - they chased them incessantly, but nothing but fruitless exercise. I finally started cutting of a small portion of the tail fin on each fish which slowed them down enough for the turtles to feast. It seems from observation that water turtles are approximately 8,000 times more active (and hence, fun to watch) than land dwellers...
 

ZenHerper

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I bought a amazon sword for my river cooter and he seems to love it. Despite the fact that I feed him, he often bites and eats that plant. Is there a risk of overfeeding?

Turtles begin their lives as primarily carnivorous (eat meat), but become more omnivorous (eat everything) as they age. Plants are low-calorie, contain nutrients and minerals, and fiber to keep the growing digestive organs clean.

You could offer a leaf (or 2 or 3, depending on his appetite for it) of chicory/dandelion each day if you want him to stop biting your Sword Plant.

An active, healthy turtle with a large enough enclosure to exercise in will not become overweight. Letting him replace part of his animal diet with plants will actually help him manage his weight as he gets older. Offer him the same amount of meat items as you do now, but let him begin to choose how much he will eat and in what balance.
 

vladyxz

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Thanks everyone! I am glad that it is low on calories, since I am happy that my 4 months old cooter already eats veggies. He is active, he sometimes begs me to take him out of the habitat so I can get chased by my little buddy :D
 
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Thanks everyone! I am glad that it is low on calories, since I am happy that my 4 months old cooter already eats veggies. He is active, he sometimes begs me to take him out of the habitat so I can get chased by my little buddy :D
Aww that’s cute.
 

mark1

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138._HEPATIC_LIPIDOSIS_IN_REPTILES238.pdf (amasquefa.com)

HEPATIC LIPIDOSIS IN REPTILES

A. Martínez Silvestre DVM, MSc, PhD Dipl ECZM (Herpetology) Acred AVEPA (Animales Exoticos)


Hepatic lipidosis is a clinical condition commonly diagnosed in reptiles, particularly in turtles. In fact, it is a metabolic condition rather tan a true disease. The factors influencing such condition are the following (Divers & Cooper 2000):
1) Fat or too plentiful diets (associated to obesity and increased abdominal fat bodies). Diagnosed in badly fed crocodiles, lizards and turtles (Maccolini 2010).
2) Reduced activity. Absence of exercise. Diagnosed in monitors and turtles (Stahl 2003).
3) Physiologic disorder. Lack of hibernation. Lack of reproduction. Diagnosed in tortoises and iguanas.
4) Chronic hyporexia and stress. It decreases the glycaemia and increases glucagon. Both factors favour fat release into blood and storage of triglycerides in liver cells (Ware. 1998). Diagnosed particularly in invasive turtles grown wild.

Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease) in Reptiles - Veterinary Partner - VIN

Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease) in Reptiles

Brad Lock, DVM, DACZM

Date Published: 05/17/2017


Hepatic lipidosis, often called fatty liver disease, is defined as an increase in fat in the liver that is significant enough to cause disease and adversely affects liver function. The most common cause of fatty liver disease is over-feeding in any adult reptile. This disease is especially common in turtles and tortoises.
 
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