What’s on the menu?

[GreenFire719]

Hello everyone! I’m just more curious than anything else, but what kind of food do you feed your box turtle(s)? This could be like an everyday kind of meal or like a special treat you give every once in awhile. I know boxies are typically picky and have varying personalities, but I thought it would be interesting to see how everyone serves and what they feed their box turtles. It’s also nice to get some fresh ideas on how to make mealtime a little more interesting for them. I’m also curious about how much of each meal your turtle(s) eat and how frequently they munch. I look forward to seeing some responses from everyone!

I don’t have a good picture of it yet, but io’s favorite meal she gets on occasion is an egg scramble with peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, and tomato topped with calcium. She will eat every last bite by the end of the day, making sure to nap in between snacking.

 

[Cmv]

I feed cucumbers, squash, strawberries, leafy greens (mustard, collard, etc) dandelion flower heads, roses (just the bloomed flower, no leaves or stems) cilantro, carrots, superworms, hornworms, dubias (I have to tong feed the dubias to the turtles since they run everywhere), and earthworms. I don’t have a staple that I feed mine. I just rotate the different foods each week but they all really enjoy the roses and squash out of the rest of the veggies. They aren’t picky with the proteins in the least bit though.

 

[ColleenT]

http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Feeding_North_American_Box_Turtles.pdf

 

[GreenFire719]

http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Feeding_North_American_Box_Turtles.pdf

I have seen this doc floating around the forum but never gave it a good read through. And wow, I wish I known this existed when I first got her. It was so difficult breaking her of tomato only diet. Of course now she’s a pretty good eater when fed every other day or so.

 

[SouthTexasTurtleOwner]

I like to replicate their diet in nature as best I can honestly. I want them self-sufficient to a degree so they don't lose their natural hunting and survival instincts. I feed 3 -4 times per week. Ear of corn, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, collard greens, & romaine lettuce, I dump a tub of 50 worms in their soil about once per week but make them find them. I alternate between, red fishing worms, superworms, and mealworms. I will occasionally give them a can of tuna and/or canned chicken breast meat. I know they eat mushrooms in the wild but haven't quite figured out in the dry arid South Texas environment how to ensure they get the right ones. Considering raising pinky mice as an occasional treat as Box turtles eat them in the wild.

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's what I have on hand to add to their fresh veg, fruit and greens:



I also add a few wax worms, but I'm out of them right now to add to the picture.

In a large plastic tub I start with a mixture of the same greens that I feed the tortoises, chopped up into small pieces (kale, collard, dandelion, romaine, butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce, turnip and mustard greens, etc). I add a bit of all pictured above to the greens, including some chopped up fruit. I mix it loosely. I occasionally add some hard boiled eggs including the shells, or some uncooked chicken. I normally buy the Wellness brand venison and sweet potato dog food, however last time I shopped for it they were out, so I bought the flavor pictured.

(I soak the dried foods and spikes until they're soft before adding them)