Getting box turtles to eat anything other than worms?

Anthony Hill

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I got my female 3 toed boxie 2 days ago and shes only wants to eat worms. Ive been offering her green beans, cantaloupe, blueberries, carrots , grapes and portabella mushrooms every morning and she has no interest any suggestions?
 

CharlieM

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There are specially designed pelleted food for turtles and tortoises. I'm not recommending replacing what you are feeding but rather mixing it together. Mazuri and turtle Reptimin are two foods that I use and my box turtles love. After soaking it until very wet I mix one or the other with some veggies and greens. I feed this in the morning and worms at night. Once they catch on you can offer those items plain or at least reduce the smelly foods. You can also occasionally mix a small amount of banana with new foods.
 

shellfreak

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Chop worms up and mix them up with those foods. Or skip 2-3 days of feeding and then offer those foods. Skipping days of feeding won't hurt your turtle.
 

Yvonne G

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I chop up the fruits and veggies into very small pieces, place a glob on a plastic lid, then put the worms on top of the pile. When the turtle makes a grab for a worm she'll get some veggies/fruit and eventually will become accustomed to the taste.
 
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leigti

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I got my female 3 toed boxie 2 days ago and shes only wants to eat worms. Ive been offering her green beans, cantaloupe, blueberries, carrots , grapes and portabella mushrooms every morning and she has no interest any suggestions?
I feel your pain :) my box turtle won't eat much besides worms either, I am continuing to try the suggestions people have given. But she is a stubborn little bugger!
 

johnsonnboswell

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If this is an adult, don't feed every day. Boxies are omnivores. There are so many foods you can try, so keep offering a variety.
 

Len B

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They can also learn to eat different things by watching other turtles eating whatever it is you want them to eat, but that can be kinda tuff if you only have one turtle though.:) I only have experience with one 3 toed, It was found in Md. and was cared for like the easterns found locally and as far as I know it is doing fine still.
 

WillTort2

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When I was caring for a friends Eastern Boxie, I found it was quite interesting to watch the turtle hunt crickets. He would strike at the cricket much like a snake would strike.
 

Eric Phillips

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I do the batter worm technique(not really, just trying to sound like I know what the hell I am doing:). I cut up some dandelion weed, kale, and red lettuce(which my little Eastern Box Turtle loves) into some really small chopped pieces, then put them in a ziploc bag. I then mix in a fruit, mushroom, or veggie of the day(of course all cut small and washed thoroughly). I cut up a red wiggler, night crawler, or meal/ silk worm(whatever the worm of the day is) and mix in the fruit/veggie mix. Mist it with water, then I take a whole worm, mist it with water and then I place the worm or worms in the ziploc bag and batter the greens on the worms(they stick pretty descent on the worm). Place the worms on the dish, then the fruit and veggie, worm mix, then the rest of the fine cuts in ziploc. Sprinkle some flukers calcium and vitamins, give it one last mist, and place it in the enclosure. I keep 1-3 gut fed small crickets in at anyone time. They usually try to eat off the dish, a nice trap for Chloe. I keep pill bugs, red wigglers and night crawlers in the enclosure also. I am raising brown garden snails to mix in a variety, she eats them like a champ. They are easy to raise, but you do need to file a permit with USDA if you were to move and take them from state to state.
 

Yvonne G

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I have also had good luck with the starvation method. Don't feed the turtle for a couple or three days or so, then when you DO feed it, give it the fruits and veggies you're trying to get it to eat.
 

Anthony Hill

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i did the starvation method I got him to eat a plate of plantain, rasberrys, corn, carrots and green beans
 

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