TOO Fat? Snapping turtle outgrowing his shell???

[Red Devil]

The good part is that (unlike people) it is a LOT easier to get your pets to loose weight.

If we had someone controlling our diets and how much we eat and we couldnt get snacks, we would find it much easier to loose weight.

So just cut back on feeding and feed less fatening foods and let him walk around a lot more. The same as people.
Portion control

I would still feed him everyday at first, but cut his portions in half. Then in a couple of weeks, try feeding every other day, but the same portions (half of what he used to get)
as well as letting him get out to walk around.

Dont let those puppy eyes get the best of you.

He'll shed the pounds. Just make sure he's not shedding weight TOO fast.

Excellent advice.. i personally like the idea of giving him a little something every day but a lot less instead of making him go a whole day with nothing..but once he gets used to eating less it won't be as bad for me to skip a day..and feed every other.. thank you so much and i am so thank full i finally noticed how fat he was..geez he was on his way to obese..god i hate that word..but he sure looks obese in this picture..

 

[Z Trip]

That turtle is a form of animal abuse.

 

[Red Devil]

You are so right.. but i did not know it was happening.. i will do everything in my power to correct it.. but yes i am 100% to blame.. i overfed him.. plain and simple!

 

[RadleyMiller]

Do NOT feed reptiles everyday, it is a lot better to feed 3 times a week. Cut him back a lot and he should be fine. BTW, he should be about 3-4 inches right now, not 7 and a 1/2

 

[Ang]

That turtle is a form of animal abuse.

A little nicer. Jeez.

She realizes whats going on, you dont have to say crap like that.

Do NOT feed reptiles everyday, it is a lot better to feed 3 times a week. Cut him back a lot and he should be fine. BTW, he should be about 3-4 inches right now, not 7 and a 1/2

I aggree that reptiles should not be fed every day. But theres nothing wrong with cutting him back progressivly and not taking the food away all together.
Cut him back, then over the course of the next few weeks, cut back more and more until he's only eating every other day to every 2 days and so on.

 

[Red Devil]

Do NOT feed reptiles everyday, it is a lot better to feed 3 times a week. Cut him back a lot and he should be fine. BTW, he should be about 3-4 inches right now, not 7 and a 1/2

wow I feel like i have power fed him.. i feel so bad ..are you sure he will be alright if i back off alot ..the last thing in the world i wanted to do was hurt him in any way...my husband says he will do his feedings from now on.. I always wanted to do it..but i definitly was wayyyy to generous and now i definitly do not mind bowing out ..thank you!!

 

[Red Devil]

A little nicer. Jeez.

She realizes whats going on, you dont have to say crap like that.



I aggree that reptiles should not be fed every day. But theres nothing wrong with cutting him back progressivly and not taking the food away all together.
Cut him back, then over the course of the next few weeks, cut back more and more until he's only eating every other day to every 2 days and so on.

Thank you for your imput.. your sweet but i do deserve this.. i know it would bother me if i saw this turtle in a picture too.. the truth is though i did not see it until i saw the photo too.. you just don't see it when your doing him everyday ..the photo jumped out at me and i was mortified that his shell looked so small.. I almost always look down at him..never to the side of him..so this view was totally different..and i am really really thank ful it happened even if it is all on the forum... because i am thank ful that i can still hopefully fix it...and that it was not too late.. when you rescue and nurture something you want to see it thrive.. so yes i am embarrassed but i am also grateful to all on MFK..

 

[smmfish]

That turtle is a form of animal abuse.

Yeah, don't worry about what Z Trip says, he was pretty rude to me too when I asked for advice about my turtle. Just cut back on how much you feed everyday and you will be fine. I also was feeding my turtle everyday and then I read something that said you should only feed 3 times a week and thats what I do now.
You will get him to shed the pounds and be healthy again. Good Luck and dont fall for those puppy dog eyes and give in and feed him. He will get used to the reduced feedings.

 

[Red Devil]

Thank you..i love to cook and my husband always says if you ever opened a restaurant we would go broke because you feed so good.. learned my lesson this time!

 

[Red Devil]

I am posting a couple more pic's i took of snappy this am.this is the view i have of him every day.. in this view he did not appear that fat.. good thing i took a picture of him up close and on his level yesterday.. so from now on i learned a good lesson..to really look and examine your animals..