new turtle keeper

[TheBloodyIrish]

Loco, if I am not mistaken, there is nothing wrong with variety as long it is healthy for them. A lot of time, different veggies have different nutrients and so does meat. Some veggies give potassium, while others give calcium. It may sound complex, but it not really. I had a awesome rescued BTS and she was used to that diet, although I laugh when people say that their skinks won't accept whole veggies. I would imagine turtles are not that far different other than what their nutriental needs are and some people treat them like that as well. Not to mention there are lot of MFKers (and turtle owners) that give their fish/turtles varied diet for decades, and they don't suffer from it.

For example, my monitors get a nice variety of different cockroach species, snail and slugs species and two or three different kind of crickets. I used to have locusts but a draft killed them. The reason being is sometimes I don't have enough to provide a staple, so I grab some from other colonies. I am still trying to figure out where to put a little bit of mice or degus. I am still not motivated to go out and get them since I am not breeding them anymore.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Tell me how my list is any different from yours, it has a mixed diet of pellets and other stuff? I don't understand why you're always right and everyone else is wrong Mr. Wizzard. Next you'll being telling me how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop.

Pizza has all 4 food groups in it, that's why I used it as an example. It's a well known fact that a well balanced diet is important to all living creatures, not just humans. What exactly goes wrong if you vary the diet? I have never had any problems in the 20 years I've had turtles. And I would never give my box turtles just pellets and a few worms. Maybe that works at your "Nature Center" but who say's what they do there is right? Anyways most turtle pellets out there are just ground up corn meal and fishheads. I choose the organic diet. And if you can afford to feed a varied diet, then who really cares! I don't know why this bothers you that much.

Turtles I've breed:

Eastern Box Turtle
Gulf Coast Box Turtle
Three Toed Box Turtle
Midland Painted Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle
Wood Turtle
Stinkpot Musk Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle

Other species I've kept

Ornate Box turtle
Common Snappers
Blanding's Turtle
Spotted Turtle

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Vicious_Fish..you told me to feed tuna but are you talking about raw or canned? since you told loconorc canned tuna isn't expensive.

also, his pellets ill be zoomed & reptomin. Give him vegies/fruits once a week. gave him carrots today, he loved them..he even picked up the mess from the bottom. I think he likes the color orange, haha only the orange goldfish seem to be disappearing.

and occasional crickets. and always have fish in the tank.

what else should i put on his diet list?

Because I eat tuna once or twice a week for lunch (weight lifting, gotta bulk up) I give my musk turtle a small pinch of the tuna and he loves it! That's why I feed him tuna, Loco.

Give him some earthworms if you can, I haven't met a native water turtle who didn't like them. In the wild they eat a lot of aquatic insects. Crickets are a pretty good substitute. They don't eat a lot of plant material, but giving your Mud turtle veggies once a week won't hurt if he likes them. Most water turtles love freeze-dried shrimp as well. The rest of his diet sounds fine, but goldfish aren't the best fish to feed him. See if you can get some rosy reds instead. You can also feed him small crayfish and snails. Mud and Musk turtles aren't picky eaters.

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Anyways most turtle pellets out there are just ground up corn meal and fishheads.

Ain't most pellets designed for RES, and with other species prolonged period of being on the diet can cause health problems in other species of turtles? I think there was an article on this somewhere. If anyone knows what I am talking about, please post it.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Ain't most pellets designed for RES, and with other species prolonged period of being on the diet can cause health problems in other species of turtles? I think there was an article on this somewhere. If anyone knows what I am talking about, please post it.

I'm not sure BloodyIrish, I don't belong to any "Reptile Forums", so my opinion doesn't matter. But I can believe it's true!

 

[JEAE21]

Because I eat tuna once or twice a week for lunch (weight lifting, gotta bulk up) I give my musk turtle a small pinch of the tuna and he loves it! That's why I feed him tuna, Loco.

Give him some earthworms if you can, I haven't met a native water turtle who didn't like them. In the wild they eat a lot of aquatic insects. Crickets are a pretty good substitute. They don't eat a lot of plant material, but giving your Mud turtle veggies once a week won't hurt if he likes them. Most water turtles love freeze-dried shrimp as well. The rest of his diet sounds fine, but goldfish aren't the best fish to feed him. See if you can get some rosy reds instead. You can also feed him small crayfish and snails. Mud and Musk turtles aren't picky eaters.

Lol, are you talking about canned then? Can I feed him RAW tuna and other fresh/saltwater fish?

And can the worms be nightcrawlers from the baitshop?

hey and vicious_fish, I think you already answered this but, what is the diet of a wild sonora mud turtle? his main diet.
can you answer too loconorc?

 

[Miguel]

I will not gointo the diet, except to suggest you add some snails and some raw fish slices ( prefereably FW fish ) Mine love Nile Perch, which is the only FW fish i can get hold on near me.

Watch out for those lovely African Sidenecks, BECAUSE THEY STINK!!!! ( having said this, I love them )

 

[at2]

i'm no expert but i think african sidenecks get pretty big...you might need to upgrade in the future.

as for your heater..it's supposed to keep a constant 78F.. damn thing only goes to 75.3F in my tank..room temperature is not the problem either..

yes this tank would be temp. i have a 75g that i am upgrading for my dovii, so the 75 will be used for a turtle and my wife and I have a large outdoor pond to setup this summer also.

 

[at2]

That's a 20 gallon long, right? Just be prepared to upgrade it fast! Most young turtle species grow fast when given warm water, good lighting and a varied diet. The smallest species of turtle that could live in there the longest would still probably be a Stinkpot Musk Turtle.

it will be upgraded by spring

 

[at2]

well guys i am done with this thread. ill repost a new one if and when i get a turtle. thanks again for all the advice.