Turtles eat almost anything, which includes spiders and scorpions. They may even consume venomous ones, as venom is usually toxic only when it enters the bloodstream. Venom is digested in the stomach, at least for the majority of venoms, and thus has no effect on the turtle.
Many tortoises, terrapins, and turtles, even if they are vegetarian, will eat insects accidentally if the insect is on their food and does not move out of the way.
Then there are predatory turtles; many turtles, such as leatherback turtles, feed on jellyfish.
Herbivorous species typically consume snails for their calcium content. Thus, it could be connected to that.
The majority of insects are an excellent source of food.
ALSO SEE: How Long Can a Turtle Go Without Eating Food?
Moths are a little “fatty,” and should be treated as such.
Feeding lightning bugs, centipedes, and scorpions is not recommended. Turtles will eat virtually any type of insect they come across.
While your turtle may avoid certain types of bugs due to personal preference, they are not dangerous.
CHECK TO ENSURE THAT THE AREA HAS NOT BEEN sprayed or treated with insecticide, pesticide, chemical fertilizers, weed killer, or preemergent to inhibit seed sprouting.
Additionally, seek out bugs in “clean” areas, not areas frequented by other animals.
Indeed, live foods are, in my opinion, the best type of food for turtles.
If your turtle is small, he’ll prefer meat over vegetables. Additionally, you can feed him steamed fish, human-type shrimp, and chicken without adding spices, salt, or oil. He might also enjoy a bite of scrambled eggs! Simply discard any uneaten foods.
A turkey baster is excellent for cleaning out the tank of old food and poop.
Additionally, if your turtle is young, you can purchase ZooMed hatchling formula. It contains more protein than the majority of adult foods.
I have a butterfly net that I use to catch bugs for my box turtle. We don’t have a lot of good bugs here in the desert (she is not from here but should live in Florida or Los Angeles), but it’s always fun to catch something.
The following is a list of recommended foods, as well as a feeding schedule and recommended portion sizes:
This list was compiled by Pgigac, one of the site’s turtle health experts:
- Omega One Turtle Sticks Aquatic
- Pellets of Oemga One Shrimp
- Pellets of the Mazuri Aquatic Turtle
- JurassiDiet
- Turtle Sticks Sake-Hikari
- Pellets of Mazuri Platinum Koi enriched with wheat germ
For those who live at the bottom:
Tropical sinking wafers and sinking cichlid gold Hikari
Wafers of algae
The trick here is to feed one type of pellet one day, another type the next, and so on. This rotation provides the turtle with a wide variety of minerals and vitamins. Feed the wheat germ pellets on a weekly basis.
It is extremely beneficial for scute shedding.
(Use Google to determine what this normal process entails.)
Bear in mind that for juveniles/hatchlings/babies, feed only what fits inside their head, excluding the neck, once daily. Alternatively, you can divide the amount for a half-meal in the morning and evening. ZooMed produces an excellent hatchling pellet that is higher in protein.
Add steamed fish or chicken (cooled), small crickets, and cut up earthworms/nightcrawlers to the pellets.
Adults should also be fed every OTHER day what would fit inside the turtle’s head, minus the neck.
Consuming an excessive amount of food, particularly protein, can result in a condition called shell pyramiding, which is not desirable. (Use Google to determine the appearance of this condition.)
Continuously float a piece of romaine lettuce. Maintain it in a fresh state. You can purchase a clip at a pet store to prevent lettuce from entering the filter. Iceberg lettuce, spinach, and kale should be avoided. Avoid goldfish and any other red-colored fish, as they can contribute to vitamin B deficiency.
Additionally, float chunks of cuttlebone 24 hours a day as a good source of calcium. REMOVE THE CUTTING EDGE FROM THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE CUTTING EDGE. Take care as it is quite sharp.
It has the potential to cut a turtle and also cause it to choke.
They may or may not consume the cuttlebone, but it is available for them to munch on.
Always send an email with any questions.