Reptomin: My Experiences (zoo/home) – What’s Your Opinion?

[BronxZooFrank]

Thanks the feedback; I've never had any of the turtles you mention refues it either, although alligator snappers have been slow in general , best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

I'm with wiggles, I've always used it as a staple for my water turtles and hatchling box turtles. I currently feed it to my Mud and Musk Turtles.

Thx fpr mentioning box turtles..I use it as part of the diet for all of mine as well, best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

I do not use it with most Turtles, I have noticed that those fed exclusively on it tend to have pyramiding, retained scutes, etc, while those feed on Mazuri and other foods when keep in every other way the same do not. This tends to be a bigger issue with Sliders and their ilk like Maps and Painteds, and not with Muds, nappers, softshells, Reeves, etc.

Thx for the feedback; I've not used it exclusively, good to have a report of your experience; We use mazuri in conjunction with reptomin at the Bx Zoo (most zoos do); a good product. Good dog names (I've worked in Japan..an aquarium paradise!) Best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

I'm a firm believer in a varied diet, especially during the growth period so feeding something exclusively is more likely to result in shell issues.

I think all around it's a good pellet to supply the basic nutrition that MOST species need but other additives have to be part of the diet. Turtles have too broad of a diet and to expect one pellet to cover all the needs of many different species isn't practical.

Yes, thanks...other than for testing purposes, I always use in conjunction with other foods in zoos and at home, and tailor diet to species' needs, best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

Agreed. I give my alligator snapper feeder fishes, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, frozen krill, plant matter, and other foods in addition to ReptoMin.

Thanks..algae wafers are a good idea for youngters. A 205 lb all snapper I cared for at the Bx Zoo( it is pictured in the lower photo in this article; 1st photo is of an 80 lb common snapper photo here) loved crayfish and acorns; Peter Pritchard writes of one captive that lived mainly on musk turtles, which it dispatched with a "sickening crunch"! Best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

I've actually had a hard time getting my (pretty carnivorous, as I understand it) turtle to eat the basic ReptoMin floating food sticks. Should I try one of the enhanced varieties? Or like, pre-soak them or do a sort of mix with food he likes the way I would to trick fish into eating pellets?

Don't mean to derail, haha. I saw this just as I was thinking about the issue, and I suppose I'm technically sharing an experience.

Interesting..it has a fishy smell that most go for right away; but turtles can grow picky and refuse new foods; keeping them hungry almost never fails, unless food is completely inappropriate; or mix a small amount of favorite in with it, gradually reduce favorite, best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

i have a painted and an alligator snapper. both eat reptomin and NEVER had a problem. in addition i feed nightcrawler, cichlid pellets, feeder fish, snails, lettuce, and sometimes beemoths and crickets.

Snails are an underused food item, thx for mentioning; there are some concerns re parasite transmission, as some species are an intermediate host to parasites that infect turtles; but in tests done over several years at Bx Zoo, on snails collected in the Se USA and New England, we found no probs. There are ways to pre treat (Meth Blue) if you ever have concerns, let me know, best, Frank

 

[BronxZooFrank]

I have had some bad experiences with Reptomin- it always turns the water this unnatural teal/green color and although it will keep the animals alive they are not as robust as they seem to be on other diets. I have switched over to a Mazuri turtle diet and a Gourmet pellet that I think is made by Zoo Med. You might be surprised how much of a difference it makes.

TThanks...It will break up quickly, so amount needs to be monitored; I've never seen vitality concerns at zoo or home, but diets were always varied, Reptomin as base for some species, part of others, etc. best, Frank

 

[probassfisher010]

I feed it to the crickets that I feed my frog... Don't known if gut loading principles apply here, but the frogs 11 years old.


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[Vicious_Fish]

I feed it to the crickets that I feed my frog... Don't known if gut loading principles apply here, but the frogs 11 years old.


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Sometimes I'll throw some in my cricket and roach cages to use as a gut load, too.