PetTurtle.com

[blondie]

How often and how much should we be feeding a 4.5" Red Eared Slider? She seems to be hungry 2 times a day, or at least that is how many time she is frantic when we get near the tank.

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

They tend to beg alot, but they should not be fed too much it messes with their shell later on. A teaspoon once or twice a day should be enough with a snack in between.

[blondie]

Thanks a bunch!! I've added some water lettuce pond plants and she seems to just tear them apart. I've never seen her actually eat them.

[anonymousturtlehelper]

At that size, they only need protein (a good quality pellet) 2-3 times a week. Feed them the amount that would fit in their heads if they were hollow. Every day, they can be fed dark leafy greens and aquatic plants. If you feed things like spinach and broccoli, only do so in very little quantities and not very often either as they are high in oxalic acids and will bind with calcium. Foods high in protein like, crickets, fish, worms, etc should be fed sparingly as a treat. Remember that turtles need a varied diet.

As Stray said, they will always beg. Just be strong and don't give in.


Toxic and non-toxic plants can be found here: http://www.anapsid.org/mainplants.html

[blondie]

Thanks for all your help. What type of aquatic plants should I have in the tank? I have water lettuce and I did have water Hyanthis but they plugged the filters. In the mornings I find the water lettuce torn to bits and floating on top of the water, should I take those out or leave them?

[anonymousturtlehelper]

I would just leave them in the tank. They'll get eaten. If they start looking nasty though, or fouling the water, remove them.

All good to try:


· Water Lilies

· Water Hyacinth

· Duckweed

· Anachris

· Water Lettuce

· Water Fern

· Pondweed

· Water starwort

· Hornwort

· Water milfoil

· Frogbit