What to feed the river turtle at home?

Water turtles live exclusively in the water, and only the need to bask in the sun or lay eggs causes them to get out on land. It is at such moments that they are picked up by people who are not always aware of what it is necessary to feed a river turtle, and how to keep it at home. Nature endowed this reptile with great patience and endurance. But, getting into unfavorable conditions of existence, she is unlikely to reach the hundred years of her life.

River Tortoise Ration

Experts do not advise a turtle on the way to carry a home, except for some cases when its appearance indicates that it is difficult for itself to feed itself. To keep reptiles you need a terrarium with a sortie and perfectly clean water, because the turtle can eat only in water. To make the pond less contaminated, a separate container is taken for feeding.

Predatory turtles belonging to predators are often fed plants intended for land species, complaining that they live half-starving. This in no event can not be done. The percentage of plant foods that can be fed a river turtle at home should be much less than animal origin.

Nutrition of the turtle at home by its diversity is inferior to living nature. The main food is considered to be fish, although this is not entirely correct. The water turtle eats with pleasure frogs, worms, shrimps, squid and small rodents. In no case should food be subjected to heat treatment.

How often should you feed a water turtle?

Growing young people should eat daily, and older individuals should be fed once every two or three days. Once in seven days the turtles are fed with chicken or beef liver. Not more often it is given additional food, which is a variety of insects, invertebrates and mollusks.

For water turtles special dry food containing vitamins and microelements necessary for the body has also been developed. But, most of all they need calcium, which is absorbed only when there are special lamps that replace natural sun rays. A small portion of plant food often consists of algae, duckweed, dandelion and soft parts of plants growing near water bodies.

What can not feed the river turtle at home?

A dangerous turtle is food from our table, including vegetables and fruits, as well as everything that is consumed by pets. Do not recommend giving her meat products and fish containing a lot of fat. You must be extremely careful when selecting insects and plants, as some of them may be poisonous, while others may interfere with calcium absorption or can cause iodine deficiency.