Turtles' Unique Eating Habits: Understanding Their Food Sources

Turtles are fascinating creatures with diverse dietary habits. From the approximately 280 species of turtles worldwide, some are carnivorous, some are herbivorous, and others are omnivorous. Their diet varies depending on their species and whether they are aquatic or terrestrial. In the wild, turtles eat a variety of foods, including clams, crayfish, fruit, leaves, insects, crabs, and even carrion. In captivity, their diet should be carefully curated to meet their nutritional needs, including commercial pellets, live food, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

What do turtles in the wild eat?

Turtles are omnivores, meaning they eat a combination of plant and animal matter. Their diet depends on their species, size, and habitat.

Freshwater turtles, the most common type, live in swamps, rivers, ponds, and lakes in Asia, America, Africa, and Europe. They feed on insects and small organisms, as well as plants. Examples of this type of turtle include the red-eared slider, the yellow-bellied slider, and the spotted turtle.

Sea turtles are found in warm and temperate waters worldwide. They feed on aquatic plants, primarily algae, and jellyfish.

Land turtles, or tortoises, are the slowest-moving type and can live on any continent except Antarctica. They are herbivores, eating a diet of herbs, fruits, and green leafy vegetables, grasses, and flowers. Examples include the Texas tortoise and the leopard tortoise.

Turtles in the wild can also eat vegetables, fruit, fish, molluscs, insects, worms, and meat.

What do pet turtles eat?

The diet of a pet turtle depends on its species, age, size, and other factors. Generally, pet turtles are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and plants.

Animal-based foods

Animal-based food sources can include processed pet foods like drained sardines, turtle pellets, and trout chow. You can also feed them cooked chicken, beef, and turkey. Live prey can include moths, crickets, shrimp, krill, feeder fish, and worms. Make sure you get insects from a pet store or undeveloped field, or raise them yourself, to ensure quality and safety.

Plant-based foods

Plant-based food sources should mostly be leafy greens like collards, dandelions, and mustard greens. Some vegetables, such as chives, parsley, and spinach, contain high levels of chemicals called oxalates, which turtles should avoid.

Fruits

Turtles can eat fruits like apples, cantaloupe, bananas, berries, and mangoes. You can also feed them non-toxic aquatic plants like water hyacinth, water lettuce, and duckweed. However, fruit should be given as a treat, making up no more than 10-15% of their diet.

Pellets

Commercially available turtle pellets are important for a balanced diet and typically make up about 25% of a turtle's diet.

How much and how often to feed

The amount of food to give your pet turtle depends on its species. As a general rule, especially for pellets and other non-living foods, only let your turtle eat as much as they can within about 20 minutes, and then remove any leftovers. Feed an adult turtle once every day or two, and a juvenile one to two times a day, though this can vary depending on the species.

How do turtles chew their food without teeth?

Turtles have varied diets, consuming food such as clams, crayfish, fruit, leaves, insects, fish, and pellets. Interestingly, turtles are the only reptiles that do not have teeth. However, they have adapted to biting and chewing their food without them.

Turtle hatchlings are an exception to the rule, as they are born with a single egg tooth, which falls out a few months after they hatch. This modified scale is located at the front of the upper jaw and helps the turtle break out of its egg.

So, how do turtles chew their food without teeth? Well, most species of turtles have sharp edges along both their upper and lower jaws or beaks. The muscles in their heads exert a lot of pressure, enabling them to bite off chunks of vegetation or meat. The tongue then moves the food to the back of the mouth for swallowing. Some turtles, like snapping turtles, are incredibly strong and can even bite through a broomstick.

Other turtle species, such as soft-shelled turtles, have soft lips instead of sharp beaks. These turtles swallow their food whole, sucking it into their mouths and using their tongues to help swallow. Some aquatic turtles, like sea turtles, use their tongues to lure small fish or insects into their mouths before swallowing them.

The shape of a turtle's beak can also indicate its diet. For example, carnivorous turtles have a hooked beak for piercing and crushing shells, while herbivorous turtles have broad, flat beaks for cutting and mashing plants. Omnivorous turtles have a combination of these features, with slightly pointed beaks that allow them to eat both meat and plants.

What foods are toxic to turtles?

It is important to be aware of toxic foods and plants for turtles and tortoises. While turtles will eat almost anything, they need to follow a specific diet.

Most turtles are omnivores, but their diet varies depending on their species. For example, aquatic turtles have different dietary requirements from tortoises or box turtles.

There are many foods that you should never feed your turtle, such as chocolate, cheese, French fries, and raw meat. It is also a good idea to avoid most fruits and feeder fish. The high-fat content of some feeder fish can be dangerous, and their bones may get stuck in a turtle's throat.

Some plants are also toxic to turtles, including:

• Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum)
• Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
• Calla Lily (Zantedeschia sp.)
• Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
• Tomato leaves and vines
• Avocado (leaves and seeds)
• Azalea, Rhododendron species
• Bird of Paradise shrub (Poinciana gilliesii/Caesalpinia gilliesii)
• Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
• Buttercup family (Ranunculus sp.)
• Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)
• Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
• Columbine (Aquilegia sp.)
• Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)
• Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
• Daffodil (Narcissus sp.)
• Larkspur (Delphinium sp.)
• Oleander (Nerium oleander)
• Philodendron (Philodendron sp.)
• Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
• Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)

It is best not to feed turtles anything you aren't certain is safe, and to consult a veterinarian for advice on your turtle's specific dietary needs.

How often should turtles be fed?

The frequency with which turtles should be fed depends on their age, size, and species. For example, the dietary needs of a baby turtle will differ from those of an adult turtle. Similarly, the feeding habits of aquatic turtles may vary from those of tortoises or box turtles.

In general, juvenile turtles require two small meals a day, while young adults can be fed once a day, and mature turtles once every other day. However, it is important to note that the specific dietary requirements may vary across the different species of turtles.

For common pet turtles, it is recommended to feed adult turtles up to three to four times a week to prevent unwanted weight gain, as obesity is a common problem for turtles. For juvenile turtles, it is advised to feed them small amounts every day. Consulting a veterinarian is the best way to understand how often your particular turtle needs to be fed.

The dietary composition of a turtle's food will also vary depending on its age. Juvenile turtles (up to 3 years old) need more protein for growth and development, so they are usually more carnivorous. As turtles mature and reach their full size, they require less protein and more leafy greens and vegetables.

For aquatic turtles, feeding frequency depends on their age and size. Smaller or juvenile turtles in good health will eat every day, while adult turtles may be fed every two to three days.

Frequently asked questions