only protein,,??

[Beeliz]

Hello!
My 6 week box turtle only eats earthworms and slugs and mealworms(all alive),I sprinkle calcium on them,,but he won't touch the pellets that have more vitamins in them I float them around in the water while he's soaking,but nothing,will he be getting enough?? He gobbles the other stuff within seconds,,I just worry about the other stuff he should be getting in his diet. Is this normal? what can I do to get him eating pellets? I don't want to take away the worms because he loves them so much...

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Libby:

I put my baby box turtles in their soaking water first thing in the morning, then while they're soaking, I prepare their food. First I put down a bed of red leaf lettuce. Onto that I'll add chopped up fruit or veggies (different every day). On top of that, I'll place the worms or pin head crickets with their legs pulled off, or meal worms...whatever protein I'm feeding that day. Then I put the babies in front of the food and quickly step out of sight. They usually get a taste of the food as they bite the worm and eventually they start eating the food too.

 

[yagyujubei]

I feed mine earthworms, pill bugs, reptomin and zoomed soaked (fed in water and out) I think that they're almost exclusively carniverous at this stage. I never hide when I feed them. I want them to associate me with their food.

 

[Saloli]

blueberries, strawberries, grapes, squash, corn, raspberries, blackberries are all generally accepted

 

[dmarcus]

You can crush the pellets up then just make sure the worm is wet then place it in with the crushed pellets. The pellets will stick to the worm and if your little one eats the worm he will eat some of the crushed pellets... Good luck.

 

[Beeliz]

You can crush the pellets up then just make sure the worm is wet then place it in with the crushed pellets. The pellets will stick to the worm and if your little one eats the worm he will eat some of the crushed pellets... Good luck.

Excellent idea! Thanks everyone,,I'll keep you posted!

 

[zesty_17]

mine so far have only been eating live, until yesterday... i tried some baby food(beef broth flavor) and caught one of em head first in it chowing down.

 

[Beeliz]

Well I tried rolling the worms in mashed up baby turtle pellets,,and worked like a charm! Awesome idea,makes me happy he is getting what he needs,,he has absolutely no interest in veggies or fruit yet,,I will wait a little longer for that.(he's 6 weeks) As long as he gets his vitamins and protein, I'm happy

 

[dmarcus]

Congrats on the success, mine won't touch fruit either, if it's not moving they don't want it..

 

[Beeliz]

Haha,At least I don't feel alone , I can't wait till he's eating everything!

 

[dmarcus]

Mine are only a few months old and I too can't wait until they will want to eat more then things that wiggle. I still try even though they don't touch it...