Red Eared Sliders: What Do Turtles Eat?

By Johnny Bravo

All About Red Eared Sliders

Red eared sliders are among the most popular turtles you probably will see as pets. These are hardy turtles which usually live for a very long time, sometimes nearly 70 years. Their scientific name is Trachemys scripta elegans.

Even though they are by no means an endangered animal, FDA regulation title 21 prohibits the sale of turtle eggs and turtles with a shell length of under 4 inches. The ban was enacted in 1975 so as to curtail the issue of Salmonella infections in kids.

Remember it was becuase wild turtles had been being picked up and handled by youngsters. As with every pet, it is best to wash your hands immediately after playing or handling your pet. Red eared sliders are no different.

Fun Fact: Females are often larger than their male counterparts.

Where Can They Be Found?

Although their natural environment is the Southern USA, red eared sliders are commonly seen in all parts of the US because people rush into getting a pet without discovering the resonsibility included. Once they decide turtles aren’t for them, they frequently release their undesired pet turtles in the wild.

This can be a serious problem becuase releasing any pet into the wild can spread diseases and plant an invasive species in to a habitat which may harm native animals and plants. In addition there are moral issues in that you may very well be releasing a pet which has lost most of it’s survival skills and it’s unable to feed itself, that may likely bring about starvation and death.

What Do Red Eared Slider Commonly Eat?

Red-eared sliders are omnivores and often will enjoy various animal and plant materials in the wild. Even if this list isn’t exhaustive, red ear sliders will certainly eat:

Most Fish

Tadpoles

Crayfish

Flies

Slugs

Grosshoppers

Most Worms

Kinds of Worms

Insects

Aquatic Plants

Because red eared sliders are fresh water turtles, they can be naturally seen in small rivers or water bodies and will eat whatever they can find or scavange in water, and which will easily fit in their mouth.

But of course you are still wondering, what do turtles eat (that’s inside my house). Well there are quite a few choices to think about. For instance:

Small fish from a pet store

Fresh, COOKED, unseasoned proteins (stick with poultry and shrimp)

Fresh vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, celery, etc)

Aquatic plants

Deceased insects

You can even go the route of purchasing commercially made turtle foods which are excellent sources of nutrition if you need something a little more stable for a pet turtle.

No matter what it is you think would be best for your own turtle remember that they are like all animals and possess tastes and preferences.

You shouldn’t be upset if you notice that your turtle isn’t taking a preference with their meal immediately. Have patience and if after days they’re still not interested, consider making a change on their behalf.

Things To Avoid When Feeding Red Eared Sliders

As with any pet, you need to ensure that your red eared slider is as healthy as it can be. Additionally you want to ensure your household is as healthy as possible simultaneously.

Here are a few helpful suggestions to balance the both of best worlds.

No Fried Foods: Avoid giving your turtle any sort of oily food. No french fries, donuts, onion rings, etc.

No Sugary Foods: No candy, chocolate, or other forms of sugary foods. As well as being unhealthy for a turtle, a lot of these foods are usually hard and may pose a choking hazard for the little friend.

No Dairy Products: This includes milk, cheese, butter, etc. Turtles don’t have the necessary enzymes to correctly digest lactose.

No Sharing Foods: Avoid sharing foods or snacks with your turtle. Many turtles, like several aquatic animals, carry salmonella bacteria. Salmonella doesn’t affect them as it does humans.

No Kissing: No seriously, don’t kiss your turtle. Even though they are extremely cute when they are young or small, they carry salmonella and the one thing you don’t want is to become sick from your own turtle.

No Dirty Hands: Whenever you handle your turtle make sure you wash both hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap.

And there you have it. What do turtles eat you may well ask? For Red Eared Sliders you now have the Do’s and Don’ts of a happy healthy turtle. Like most pets, red eared sliders make excellent companions when taken care of properly.

If you’d like to read further about pet turtles and other great food choices be sure to check out the #1 turtle food resource on the web.

Article kindly provided by UberArticles.com

Topics: Reptiles | Comments Off

Tags: animals, feeding, pet food, pet turtles, Pets, red eared sliders, Reptiles, turtle food, Turtles, types of turtles, water turtles, what do turtles eat

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