Only eat bloodworms

[Leana]

And she eats crickets. I have a box turtle 2 yr old. Female and will not eat veggies or fruit what else can I feed her she only likes blood worms and crickets. I tried cat food, ran from it. What else?

 

[tortadise]

Your at the time when they can be picky. This is critical to get them to consume greens and ween the protein. It's not harmful, but can cause odd growth if only feeding protein. It's quite scary, but don't feed them for a few days, and offer greens, blackberries and raspberries are a natural diet of box turtles leaves and fruit. They also like squash, diced apples and assorted other greens and vegetables. I'd make a salad and offer it. If that is not consumed then keep offering the same salad but mix in the worms in the salad to force them to consume the other diet items

 

[Leana]

Thanks so much for your replay. I want her to be healthy and eating just protein won't do it. I do put calcium powder in her water everyday, so she is getting calcium.
Thanks again
Leana

 

[tortadise]

Your very welcome!

 

[Wolfie]

Small dead frogs. I once found a wild box turtle eating a run over frog.

 

[Lemonade]

They do remain a high protein eater all their lives, but favorites of mine, are blueberries, cantelope, peaches,

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Leana:

What I do, right out of the egg, is to always give them fruits, veggies and greens...every feeding. I chop up the greens and veggies into very, very small pieces. To that I'll add a tiny bit of chopped up fruit. I place a glob of this on the feeding tile, then I put a couple worms OR pinhead crickets OR bloodworms on top of the pile. As they bite the animal protein, they also get a bit of the fruits and veggies, developing a taste for it at an early age. All my box turtles eat fruit, veggies and greens right from the start.

 

[HI Tortoise Rescue]

Animal protein contains very little vitamin D, & usually not enough calcium for proper bone & shell growth. I mentioned in another thread that my wife & I were able to save our son's two EBTs by getting them onto a proper diet, but we had to be very firm, even when they were obviously very hungry, to only offer fruits, dark-leaf vegetables, & Mazuri. Turtles may be stubborn, but they're very smart, & they were eating properly within two weeks, although it took nearly six months before they were healthy enough to return them. We made him promise to never feed his hatchlings or adults animal protein, except as a very-occasional treat.

Ken