How do you make EBT eat Zoo Med Box Turtle Food?

[Nijia_Tortoise]

I feed them meal worms and Crickets now. But Zoo Med Box Turtle Food looks have more balanced nutritions and
Calcium, my EBT babies won't eat. How to let them eat?

 

[wellington]

I think you need to add more to their diet then just the box turtle food. They need to be fed as big of a variety as possible. To get them to eat something they are not used to, as for pellets, I would crush them and mix them with what they do like and maybe spritz water in it so that it sticks.

 

[wellington]

Maybe @terryo can give more advice

 

[cmacusa3]

I have 10 boxies and have never seen any of mine eat it, I still put it out to use it up, but they could careless.

 

[Nijia_Tortoise]

I think you need to add more to their diet then just the box turtle food. They need to be fed as big of a variety as possible. To get them to eat something they are not used to, as for pellets, I would crush them and mix them with what they do like and maybe spritz water in it so that it sticks.

Thank you. I would find more food, but want to use box turtle food as a mix.

 

[wellington]

Thank you. I would find more food, but want to use box turtle food as a mix.

Yes, that would be fine to add to a varied diet.

 

[terryo]

I make a mix with greens, mushrooms, veggies and fruit. I always add cooked sweet potato and cooked carrots, but change the mix each week. To that mix I add some kind of commercial turtle food, like turtle brittle or water turtle pellets. I've also added the Zoo Med many times to the mix. I find that baby box turtles like live food more than anything, but if I add ground venison to the mix they will eat some of it. For the babies I grind it up in a blender, but for the adults, I just chop it up in small pieces.

 

[terryo]

Here's a picture of the mix. I'll try to get a picture of a baby bt that I have inside eating this tomorrow. He only takes a few nibbles and then goes for his worms though. These are two of my adults eating the mix I make with the ground venison.

 

[Nijia_Tortoise]

I make a mix with greens, mushrooms, veggies and fruit. I always add cooked sweet potato and cooked carrots, but change the mix each week. To that mix I add some kind of commercial turtle food, like turtle brittle or water turtle pellets. I've also added the Zoo Med many times to the mix. I find that baby box turtles like live food more than anything, but if I add ground venison to the mix they will eat some of it. For the babies I grind it up in a blender, but for the adults, I just chop it up in small pieces.

Yes, they like live food very much!

 

[Nijia_Tortoise]

Here's a picture of the mix. I'll try to get a picture of a baby bt that I have inside eating this tomorrow. He only takes a few nibbles and then goes for his worms though. These are two of my adults eating the mix I make with the ground venison.View attachment 118885

Wow! Thanks! Can they eat all these?

 

[terryo]

Most babies won't even eat greens or anything but live food. That's why when I start them off with veggies and greens I throw in some venison.

 

[terryo]

You mean do they finish it? lol I have 11 turtles in that garden, and I have to put about five or six dishes in different places around the garden, and every plate is finished. If they could lick the dish they would.

 

[TortsNTurtles]

Most babies won't even eat greens or anything but live food. That's why when I start them off with veggies and greens I throw in some venison.

Do you feed raw or cooked venison & sweet potatoes? Thanks

 

[terryo]

I cook the sweet potato and the venison (if I can't get any ground fresh venison) is Wellness or Smart Balance dog food. I have a friend who sometimes gives me some fresh ground venison for my turtles. Not often though, mostly the dog food.

 

[Nijia_Tortoise]

Most babies won't even eat greens or anything but live food. That's why when I start them off with veggies and greens I throw in some venison.

How much do your babies eat normally?

 

[terryo]

In the Summer when they're outside, they will eat every day. In the Winter when I take them in they usually start off eating every other day, but they will go through a period in the Winter where they won't eat for two or three weeks. New hatchlings I feed every day and if they won't eat I soak them for a bit in warm water and put their food in the water.

 

[Nijia_Tortoise]

In the Summer when they're outside, they will eat every day. In the Winter when I take them in they usually start off eating every other day, but they will go through a period in the Winter where they won't eat for two or three weeks. New hatchlings I feed every day and if they won't eat I soak them for a bit in warm water and put their food in the water.

Thank you! Very helpful.

 

[bouaboua]

Here's a picture of the mix. I'll try to get a picture of a baby bt that I have inside eating this tomorrow. He only takes a few nibbles and then goes for his worms though. These are two of my adults eating the mix I make with the ground venison.View attachment 118885

Blueberries and served on a plate! ! ! !

WOW..What a life..........