Adult Ornate Box Turtle is a picky eater.

[gerberwoman]

I have had Bernie for about a month now. He is at least 10 years old and has lived at least the last 7 years in a small tank at a childs 'aquarium' here in california.
I have yet to see him eat anything that isnt alive.
The said he ate lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries but nothing Ive offered him ( i have NOT offered him iceburg!) has gotten his attention. Dude loves his worms and crickets though.
He loves to come out early morning and early evening to hunt, very active and healthy as far as I can tell, just totally disinterested in anything green or red that isnt trying to get away from him.

 

[Irwin4530]

Not sure why he is doing that, others may have some good ideas about that.....
If this were happening to me I would continue to offer fruits and veggies (in small portions so as not to be wastefull)
everyday along with the protien he is so obviously craving...maybe they didnt offer him much/any in the past. I would not be to worried, after all he is eating and he is active. Give him a chance to settle in...in my opinion

 

[terryo]

My Ornate was fussy too. I had her for 32 years, and she loved anything that moved the best. I make a mix for my box turtles once a week. I chop up very small, greens, veggies, cooked sweet potato, cooked carrots, some kind of fruit, some soaked turtle brittle, and some ground venison. I like the Wellness dog food for the venison. The turtles love this mix and will eat it every morning. They next week I will change it and add different things. You could try this and chop up some worms and put them on top of the mix.

 

[gerberwoman]

terryo,
am i offering too too much trying daily? do you feed your weekly only? what is 'turtle brittle'? the 'wellness' venison, is this the canned? i have some natural balance duck and potato canned, ( as well as kibble) for my dogs, could i try that?

 

[terryo]

The duck and potato is good...if I don't have the venison and sweet potato I sometimes give that with the mixed greens and fruit. I chop everything up very tiny. (sometimes in a food processor). NOT MUSH...tiny pieces. I feed the mix every AM and in the late afternoon, I give them some worms or butter worms as a treat. Mine live in a big garden, and usually find worms and slugs and other buggy things on their own, besides the food I give them. Turtle brittle is small pellets for water turtles that has lots of nutrition in it.
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