Proper feeding of a land turtle at home

It is necessary to feed a land turtle at home correctly; the diet must be complete and balanced. After all, high-quality food is the key to a long and healthy existence for a pet.

• 1 Food in natural habitat
• 2 Feeding characteristics of species 2.1 Omnivores
• 2.2 Herbivores

Food in natural habitat

In the wild, land turtles obtain their own food. This is, for the most part, plant food - grass, plant roots, berries, algae from the edges of reservoirs. Some part of the diet of wild turtles is protein food. These are worms, small insects, small snails.

The peculiarity of this reptile is that it can remain without food for quite a long time, storing significant reserves of it in its body during favorable seasons.

These animals are well versed in what vitamins, micro- and macroelements they lack at a certain stage of life and successfully find the products they need in the animal and plant world.

Animal Species

Based on the way reptiles climb into their shells when in danger, two suborders are distinguished:

• Side-necked. The head is hidden in the direction of one of the paws.
• Hiddencervical. The neck is folded in an S-shape.

Experts identify several varieties of turtles living on land:

• Elephant (Galapagos). The weight of the animal sometimes reaches 390 kg, length 1.8 meters. The size of reptiles depends on the climatic conditions of their habitat. In arid areas, the shell is saddle-shaped and the limbs are long. In areas with high humidity, the carapace is dome-shaped.

• Egyptian. The smallest turtle. The size of males is no more than 12 cm. Females are larger. The shell has a brownish tint. Habitat: Middle East.

• Land Central Asian tortoise. Body about 19 cm. Carapace yellow with spots, round. The forelimbs have four toes. This is the most popular type for home maintenance. The land turtle lives up to 49 years. Habitat: India, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan. Due to capture for sale, the population has practically disappeared.

• Panther. The length of the animal's shell is more than 0.8 m, weight is about 49 kg. The carapace is dome-shaped and tall. Its color is yellow-sandy. Young turtles have a clearly visible dark brown spotted pattern. As the animal grows, it disappears. Habitat: Africa.

• Speckled Cape. The smallest turtle on Earth. The size of the shell is no more than 9 cm, weight from 96 to 164 grams. Lives in Namibia and South Africa.

Turtles live everywhere. The exceptions are: Greenland, Antarctica, Arctic, New Zealand.

Feeding features of the species

All natural species of turtles are divided according to their feeding method into three large orders:

• predatory;
• herbivores;
• omnivores.

Each of them has their own list of food products necessary for a full-fledged existence. But among the land species of turtles there are no predators, so it is important to consider only the diet of herbivores and omnivores. When purchasing these pets, it is imperative to find out what type of food they belong to.

The omnivorous species that are suitable for keeping at home and most often found in the world are the Mediterranean, musk, flat and Balkan.

Mediterranean

musky

Balkan

Flat

Herbivores include star, Indian, Central Asian, Egyptian, serrated, red-headed, radiated, Galapagos.

Indian

Star-shaped

Galapagos

Radiant

Redhead

Serrated

Egyptian

Central Asian

Omnivores

Their diet must necessarily consist of live food, for example:

• mice and small rats;
• frog;
• snails;
• insects - tubifex, bloodworms, daphnia, beetles, caterpillars, worms;
• slugs;
• fish and seafood.

The plant part of the diet should contain:

• vegetables;
• fruits;
• berries;
• aquatic plants;
• various herbs.

Herbivores

80% of the diet of these land turtles should be products of plant origin - various salads and spinach (leafy part), dandelion, cabbage.

Additional food:

• vegetable crops - pieces of carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet peppers;
• fruits - apples, pears, peaches, apricots, bananas, citrus fruits;
• berries - cherries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, currants, watermelon;
• other herbs - coltsfoot, sorrel, plantain, alfalfa, legumes;
• mushroom crops, such as champignons;
• special prepared food;
• bran and flakes from plant crops, sunflower seeds.

We recommend reading the article on what to feed pet turtles.

Home Diet Basics

At home, a land turtle does not have the opportunity to independently choose food, obtaining those products that its body needs at a particular moment. In addition, natural instincts are gradually dulled, which is manifested, for example, by the fact that it begins to absorb earth and small stones. Therefore, the owner of the reptile is responsible for the correct and balanced diet of the pet.

In order to prevent imbalances in nutrition, which can cause various diseases, it is recommended to keep a weekly diary of your pet’s nutrition. It creates a daily menu with the correct distribution of doses of vitamin supplements, calcium and amino acids.

The most correct diet would be the following ratio of products:

• herbs, greens - up to 75-80%;
• vegetable and fruit crops, berries - 10-15%;
• cereals, seeds, bread - up to 5%;
• vitamin supplements, micro- and macroelements, animal proteins, amino acids - up to 5%.

As herbs, the greatest preference should be given to the following plant crops:

• dandelion and lettuce (leaves);
• beans, peas, beans (stems and leaves);
• alfalfa;
• plantain;
• clover;
• parsley;
• aloe;
• lawn forbs;
• thistle;
• sorrel;
• sprouted wheat and oat sprouts;
• some flowering plants.

All types of land reptiles love vegetables:

• pumpkin pieces;
• fresh chopped carrots;
• small leaves of young cabbage;
• mature chopped zucchini, squash, cucumbers;
• radishes and beets - only in young fresh form.

It is advisable to give your pet pieces of apples or pears every day, and occasionally watermelon, strawberries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, peaches, and apricots.

All stone fruits are cored and the products themselves are cut or torn into small pieces.

As a protein component, you can give both worms, insects, snails, and small pieces of boiled or raw meat.

An approximate menu for the day might look like this (in grams):

• sprouted sprouts (for example, wheat) - 50;
• raw young beets, chopped - 30;
• chopped white cabbage leaves - 30;
• chopped boiled potato tubers - 30;
• raw minced beef or chicken or earthworms - 5-10;
• pieces of wheat bread - 25;
• fish oil, vitamins, microelements - 1-3.

It is necessary to give foods containing calcium a couple of times a week. For example, cottage cheese mixtures, cereal porridges - buckwheat, milk semolina or oatmeal.

At least once a week, the diet includes small quantities of seaweed, various bran, sunflower seeds, yeast, soybeans, mushrooms, and ready-made nutritional mixtures.

Consequences

If a turtle is fed too often and if protein foods predominate in the diet, then the turtle’s body grows faster than its shell and slowly “bursts” it from the inside.

• Wide growth lines appear on the shell (the carapace is a different color and width than in natural turtles)
• The carapace (upper part of the shell) begins to bulge
• Protruding groins and armpits

A typical overfed Central Asian turtle at home with an incorrect diet resembles a pie or a hamburger. This is one of the reasons why natural turtles look so different from those turtles that live at home.

The turtle knows no limits and loves protein foods, since this is a huge rarity in the desert. But a reptile cannot rebuild its metabolism and body to suit an inept owner. The photographs show the result of such “care” in the form of overfeeding. Some photos also show rickets, but this is a separate topic.

Do land turtles need water?

These reptiles, like other animals, require water for normal functioning. In nature, they get it from the stems and roots of plants, and also drink it when swimming in ponds.

There is no need to install special drinking bowls for a domestic reptile, but regular bathing should be organized. For some species, weekly water procedures are needed, for others it is enough to carry them out once a month. But it is still optimal to bathe pets once a week, and even more often in the hot season.

It is enough to pour warm water into a small container, not lower than +25 °C, and lower the pet there so that the liquid covers the entire upper shell and reaches at least the middle of the neck.

Drink

These reptiles do not require daily water intake. Reptiles obtain the necessary fluid by consuming succulent food - greens, vegetables and fruits.

They have the ability to absorb the right amount of water through the pores of the skin. It will be enough to place a water tank in the terrarium 1-2 times every week for 15 minutes. The water level should not be too high, about halfway through the shell. The head is located above the surface of the water. The reptile will not suffer from thirst. The water balance in the body will be at a stable level.

Food in summer and winter

Summer feeding of land turtles is usually not difficult, because fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and berries can be easily picked or purchased.

Food should be prepared for the winter. Greens can be cut and frozen in the refrigerator, dividing them into daily portions. You can do the same with fruits and vegetables. Forbs can also be prepared in the form of hay.

If there are fish in the house, then you can plant an abundance of aquatic plants in the aquarium and feed your land pet with them in winter.

In the terrarium you can also install clay pots in which alfalfa, oats, wheat stalks, plantain, dandelion sprouts, and cultivated varieties of greens grow. All types of land turtles happily eat sprouted carrot tops.

Mr. Tail explains: foods prohibited for land turtles

The owner of these reptiles should be well aware of the foods that should never be given to pets:

• stone fruit seeds - apricots, peaches;
• citrus peel;
• plants that are poisonous and medicinal, such as buttercup, nightshade, potato and tomato tops, crocus, narcissus, milkweed, delphinium, hydrangea, mistletoe, dieffenbachia, azaleas, lilies, elodea;
• sausages and canned goods.

Porridge, baked goods, dairy products, eggs and eggshells, meat, onions, garlic, celery, spinach stems, radishes, and spicy herbs are allowed only in minimal quantities.

Feeding rules

It is advisable to eat at the same time every day, preferably in the morning.

When feeding turtles, you must follow simple rules:

• Up to a year of age they are fed every day, after two years they can be fed every other day.
• Food utensils should always be washed clean before each feeding.
• Portions should be made small, and excess should be removed from the terrarium so that it does not spoil.
• Try to ensure complete rest for your pet while feeding. The turtle is frightened by loud sounds and sudden movements.
• Reptiles should not be taught to eat from their hands. They very quickly get used to this method of feeding, and then refuse to eat from the bowl.
• You should not overfeed your pets, that is, give food too often, this can lead to obesity and distortion of the carapace and plastron.
• Feeding too infrequently is also unacceptable, as this can cause exhaustion and death.

Errors

1. Feed your reptile too often. This will cause overeating and indigestion.
2. The reptile body is adapted to consume a certain type of food. You cannot feed a herbivore only meat, and a carnivore only fruits and vegetables.
3. Giving your pet food too rarely. The individual will be weak, lethargic, inactive and susceptible to disease.

If you follow the rules of feeding land reptiles, they will have good health and longevity.

Most pet turtles have one common problem. The name of this problem is overfeeding

. In fact, the problem is no small one, since it is very important, to the extent of the turtle’s physiology, to feed it in moderation and in a balanced manner. A big mistake is how newbies treat turtles, believing that they need to be fed the same as other warm-blooded pets. You can't do that with turtles. It is very important to limit what they eat and this article will describe why.