Aquatic Turtle Diet

(Taken from Mader’s Reptile Medicine)

Feed adults one to three times per week, hatchlings daily. Feed as much variety as possible.

Majority of the diet. Whole animals such as mice, earthworms, slugs, and thawed frozen goldfish, guppies, trout, bait fish, and some smelt.

Minority of the diet. Trout, Catfish , or Shrimp Chow (Ralston Purina), Hikari Chichlid Gold pelleted fish food (Kyorin Co., Ltd.), Reptomin Floating Food Sticks (Tetra), Tender Vittles or Happy Cat semi-moist cat foods (Ralston Purina), Gaines Burger semi-moist dog food (Gaines), various commercial turtle diets (not desiccated insects.)

Insects such as crickets, waxworms, mealworms, flies, moths, and grasshoppers.

Small amounts of lean raw beef, liver, gizzards, or chicken. Hamburger and shellfish not recommended.

In older omnivorous species gradually increase dark leafy greens (kale, romaine lettuce, cabbage, watercress, endive, bok choy, escarole, spinach), duckweed, and fruits (apples, oranges, carrot, grapes, melons, bananas).