The Best Turtle Food
Being a responsible pet owner means ensuring that your animal has a well-balanced diet so they can live their healthiest and fullest life. This goes for your pet turtle as well, whether they're an aquatic or land turtle. The type of food needed in your pet's diet depends greatly on the type of turtle it is, but for the most part these animals are omnivores and require a combination of plant-based foods and insects or feeder fish. Whether you're a long-time turtle owner or you're new to the world of aquatic pets, we have compiled a helpful list for you. Keep reading to find some of our recommended turtle foods.
What to Look For
We focused on three key factors while rounding up our favorite turtle food: ingredient quality, cost value, and package size. For those who want to buy in bulk, Tetra’s ReptoMin is one of the best options out there. These floating food sticks are packed with nutrients, and they’re typically easy to digest. But in terms of digestion, none of the competition trumps Ultra Fresh’s Nutri Sticks. They’re formulated with probiotics and other nutrients to ensure that your turtle’s health is at its best. Read on to discover the rest of our favorite turtle food.
Fluker’s Freeze-Dried River Shrimp Pet Food
Everything you need
Packed with amino acids and protein, river shrimp are a wonderful addition to any turtle’s diet. These can be added in with daily meals, along with their other fruits, vegetables, or pellets for a well-rounded diet. River shrimp can be expensive and difficult to find as live prey for your pet, so Fluker’s has produced a one-ounce bottle of pet food to bridge that gap for pet owners. Simply pour a few on top of the water for aquatic turtles and they will snap them up in minutes. For land turtles, top their food dish off with a few of these shrimps for a tasty treat.
Pros:
- We love how these are packed with amino acids and protein, even more so than your usual turtle food.
- For such a high-quality product, this is an affordable price.
- This food can be used for any type of turtle, from box to painted varieties.
Cons:
- The one-ounce bag is relatively small.
Tetra ReptoMin Floating Food Sticks For Aquatic Turtles
Food for days
Reduce your trips to the pet store by purchasing this 2.64-pound bag of floating food sticks for your turtle. Made with calcium, amino acids, protein, and Vitamin C, these pellets are a great addition to your little buddy’s diet. From youth to adulthood, this food can be consumed throughout the whole life span as they are very easy to digest. Use once or twice a day with each meal for a healthy pet turtle.
Pros:
- These tend to be easier to digest than other types of food, making them great for picky turtles or those with underlying health issues.
- We love that these are rich in so many nutrients, including amino acids, protein, calcium, and vitamin C.
- The large bag size makes these a great value.
Cons:
- They’re a bit on the pricey side.
Ultra Fresh Turtle Nutri Stick
Happy tummy
You can’t get much better than this Ultra-Fresh Turtle Nutri Stick product. With a wonderful blend of 30% meat and 45% vegetables, it will help your turtle to grow healthy and strong. The ingredients of this pet food include Akiami paste shrimps and wild sword prawns for a natural, well-balanced flavor. With seaweed and vegetables included in this mix, your pet will get a healthy serving of calcium, protein, probiotics, and vitamins.
Pros:
- We like that this includes both meat and vegetables, which makes for a very well-rounded meal.
- In addition to the usual vitamins and nutrients, these also contain probiotics.
Cons:
- Given the size of the package and the price, it’s not the best value we found.
Amzey Dried Mealworms
Mealworms for mealtime
One whole pound of all-natural, high-energy protein is what you will receive with this product by Amzey. The appetizing mealworms are an essential source of protein for your pet turtle’s everyday diet. This GMO-free, completely natural pet food will boost their immune system and improve the overall health of your little four-legged friend. No need to worry about refrigeration or storage as this bag is resealable to retain freshness.
Pros:
- The resealable bag means we don’t have to worry about our turtle’s food going bad.
- Mealworms are extremely high in protein, making them a great choice for larger turtles.
- The all-natural, GMO-free ingredients won’t cause any digestive issues.
Cons:
- For a diverse diet, you’ll need to feed your turtle more than just mealworms.
Our Tips And Tricks
Just like every other living creature on earth, turtles require a balanced diet. Their daily meals should be a good combination of pellets, vegetables, fruits, and meats. Store-bought pellets are a great addition to your pet’s diet as they contain necessary minerals and vitamins that keep your turtle happy and healthy. As for the fruits and vegetables, it’s better to focus on less fiber-rich veggies such as kale, green beans, cabbage, and parsley. Keep the fruit intake to a minimum with items such as apples, bananas, pears, or grapes. When it comes to picking what meat to offer your pet, we suggest trying mealworms or crickets as these are things they would naturally come across in their wild habitat. You may choose either live or freeze-dried insects, both will be just fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods are not edible for turtles?
It’s important to note which foods to keep away from your pet to ensure they are their healthiest self. When it comes to pet turtles, it’s best to stay away from dairy products, poisonous plants, and processed foods. Reptiles are lactose-intolerant and do not naturally come across dairy in the wild, so keep your cheese, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products out of your turtle’s diet.
What plants could be poisonous to turtles?
When we say poisonous plants, specifically stay away from rhubarb leaves, avocados, potatoes, tomato leaves, and tobacco plants. All of these are harmful to your four-legged buddy and should not be offered in their food. Next, processed foods such as chocolate, lunch meat, and canned foods are all difficult for animals to metabolize and are not healthy for your captive turtle.
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