Sea turtles. What do turtles eat at home?

Principles of feeding aquatic turtles

Main set of products:

• River and sea low-fat fish (pollock, hake, cod, navaga, perch);
• Liver (beef, chicken, fish) – about once a week.

For adult animals big fish you need to cut it into pieces, crush the ridge, grind it, small fish can be fed whole. For young fish, the fish should be cut into small pieces along with the bones, after removing the ribs.
Addition to the main menu:

• Various raw seafood (shelled shrimp, squid, octopus - tentacles only, mussels, oysters);
• Meat (crabs, frogs, fodder hairless mice, baby rats);
• Snails (helix aspera terrestrial, large pond snails, apple snails, coils) - feed small ones whole, large ones - without shell;
• Some insects, other living microorganisms (bugs, food cockroaches, earthworms and mealworms, hairless caterpillars, daphnia, fillies, bloodworms, gammarus, tubifex, woodlice);
• Some plant components (aquatic plants, fruits, vegetables, some types of cabbage);
• Special industrial food for certain types of freshwater turtles (loose, granular, in the form of tablets, sticks, flakes, capsules).

Components of plant origin should not prevail over meat foods. For aquatic reptiles, plants are only one of the sources of vitamins and beneficial microelements. During cold seasons, it is recommended to introduce specialized vitamin complexes for aquatic and sea turtles.
Under no circumstances should predator turtles be fed beef, pork, lamb meat, their derivatives - sausage, minced meat, pate and others. In addition to these prohibitions, you should not feed reptiles cheeses, dairy products, baked goods, or food intended for other animals. Such products can have a detrimental effect on their well-being and health.

Main set of products:

• Fresh greens - plants that are not toxic to turtles (lettuce, cabbage, dandelion leaves, various flowers, grass) - approximately 80% of the menu;
• Vegetables (zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes) - about 15% of the menu;
• Fruits (bananas, apples, pears) – the remaining 5%.

Addition to the main menu:

• Champignons and other easily digestible mushrooms;
• Vegetable crops (a small amount of sorrel, plantain, coltsfoot, lawn grass, thistle - leaves, clover, peas, timothy, sprouted oats, speedwell);
• Fruits (citrus fruits - orange, tangerine, mango, plum, apricot, peach, melon);
• Vegetables ( bell pepper, beets, onions, carrot tops, squash, pumpkin, artichoke, horseradish - a small amount, legumes)
• Berries (watermelon, strawberries, wild strawberries, raspberries, edible wild berries);
• Bran, sunflower seeds (not fried), dry yeast, dry seaweed;
• Special dry food for land breeds (Wardley, Tetra, Sera);
• Hard-boiled chicken egg – once a week;
• Snails, slugs, insects - once a month.

Periodically add calcium supplements to your pet's menu, and during the cold season, special multivitamins.
Note! All plant food should be fed exclusively raw. Do not use heat treatment.
Never overfeed your pets, but also do not limit the list of products to 1-2 components. The food must be balanced and must include all the necessary vitamins, otherwise there is a high risk of dangerous diseases, growth disorders, development, obesity or exhaustion, and death of the animal.
Many breeders have a question: should a turtle be given water?
Land turtles are not adapted to take in water. Usually, when you try to give reptiles water, liquid flows out of their mouths. If dry food predominates in your pet's diet, animals may experience thirst more often than their relatives, who eat mainly vegetables and fruits.
To prevent dehydration, experienced owners advise using two methods:

• It is necessary to include succulent plant foods in your pet’s menu as often as possible.
• Another way to give an animal water to drink is to bathe it. The optimal bathing time for land turtles is 30-50 minutes. The water should not reach the level of the nostrils. At proper bathing The reptile's body is sufficiently saturated with moisture.

It should be borne in mind that in markets and also in pet stores, turtles usually experience dehydration, so after purchasing, the first thing it is recommended to do is give your new pet a bath so that it receives the required amount of water.

The main menu of omnivorous reptiles includes food of plant and animal origin in equal proportions.
It is important to select a menu depending on the subspecies of reptile. For example, animal food consisting of terrestrial inhabitants (feeding mice, baby rats, frogs, insects, snails, slugs) is suitable for land animals, and fish and seafood are suitable for aquatic animals.
The situation is the same with foods of plant origin. Land breeds should eat terrestrial plants, vegetables, and some fruits, while aquatic breeds are more suitable for algae and other aquatic plants.

Distinctive feeding features of small and adult individuals

There are some differences in feeding between small and adult reptiles. Young turtles grow very quickly, so you need to feed them daily, while adults need to eat 2-3 times a week, eating all the food to the end.
The diet of young animals should be as varied as possible, be sure to include vitamin D, which prevents the development of rickets, calcium, necessary for proper shell growth, multivitamins, and minerals.
There are situations when a pet is forced to go without food and moisture for some time. There are also our own here distinctive features, relative to the age of the individual. Adults can go without food for up to two weeks without experiencing any discomfort. Young turtles, including three-day-old babies, can go without food for up to a week.

• You need to feed your pets regularly. You cannot starve them for no apparent reason (such as moving, forced absence of the owner, etc.);
• Under no circumstances should you overfeed your turtle. If your pet is full and refuses an additional portion, do not insist!
• Pregnant individuals need to be fed at least once a day, similar to young animals. They require vitamin D, calcium, and multivitamins appropriate for their species;
• You cannot give a land animal specialized food for aquatic turtles, and vice versa!
• Food is not recommended to be given cold; it must be brought to temperature environment before feeding your pet;
• For aquatic turtles, food can be thrown directly into the aquarium, but be sure to make sure that there is no excess that will force you to change the water.
• Land animals can be taught to eat from tweezers.
• If your pet refuses to eat for more than two weeks, you should take him to the vet immediately.
• If possible, it is advisable to put turtles in the aquarium aquarium fish(guppies, goldfish, swordtails) to maintain the hunting instinct.
• In the absence of algae, it is permissible to feed aquatic reptiles with lettuce or dandelion leaves.
• Young individuals prefer mainly food of animal origin, while older individuals are more inclined to eat plant foods.
• To maintain adequate levels of minerals, turtles are given bone meal daily, which is available in pet stores. For an adult reptile, the daily dose is 5 g of flour;
• To maintain the shell in healthy condition it is sprayed with a special spray “Nature’s vita-sprey reptile” once every two days;
• Dry food should be selected based on its composition. Low quality feed is not recommended due to the lack of vitamins. Feeds consisting of fishmeal, buying is not recommended. You can give dry food to your pet no more than 3 times a day;
• It is preferable to feed vitamins before the main meal, when the reptile feels hungry;
• Oil vitamins can be dripped onto dry food. After it is saturated with the solution, throw it into the water.

Video

If you have just decided to become a turtle breeder, then the question of what aquatic turtles eat at home should inevitably arise before you even before purchasing these pets. After all, you need to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether you can provide your new pets with a suitable and healthy diet.

What do aquatic pet turtles eat?

Domestic turtles are now the most popular, so we will look at the issue of nutrition using this example (their diet is almost the same as the diet of turtles of other aquatic species).

So, what do aquatic red-eared turtles eat? Diet red eared turtles should include, first of all, a large amount of animal food, since they are predators. The ratio should be approximately 70% for animal feed and 30% for herbal supplements. Suitable foods for this type of food include lean meat, fish, seafood (shellfish, shrimp), freshwater snails. Some owners also give boiled sausage and frankfurters, as well as cat or chicken, but such food cannot be considered healthy. Various types of algae, dandelion leaves, cucumbers or tomato slices, and various types of salads are suitable as plant components. It is also worth paying attention to ready-made feed mixtures for turtles. They contain a diet balanced in terms of components, vitamins and minerals, but it is still not worth keeping your turtle on a diet of dry food all the time; it is better to add it from time to time to prevent vitamin deficiency.

Feeding regimen of aquatic turtles

There are recommendations that small turtles should be fed once a day, and large ones – 3 times. However, experienced breeders recommend monitoring your pets. They will let you know how many times a day they need to be fed. For some it is once every two days, for others twice a day. Usually, when turtles are hungry, they begin to move objects in the aquarium, loudly fall from the island into the water, and push the glass walls. You need to feed turtles at the same time each time, and give as much food as the turtle can eat at one time. This will protect you from the development of putrefactive processes in the aquarium associated with decomposition food waste, the water will remain clear much longer, and the turtle will not face many dangerous infections.

Today, not only dogs and cats are popular pets. It is not uncommon for animal lovers to own turtles. These reptiles do not require complex care. But even for them it is necessary to create certain living conditions and correctly formulate a diet so that the animal is healthy and receives everything necessary for the body useful material.

Before purchasing a reptile, all beginners wonder what turtles eat. Land, freshwater and marine representatives need different products. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of turtle species, as well as the individual preferences of each individual.

What do turtles eat in the wild?

In his natural environment habitat, turtles can always find food for themselves. Land-dwelling varieties prefer plant-based treats. Aquatic reptiles typically feed on foods containing protein. Since turtles are omnivores, their diet may include other foods. In nature, they eat whatever they find tasty., but at home this becomes a problem for them.

Aquatic reptiles hunt underwater, where they often encounter small fish, tadpoles and insects. Snapping turtles even eat ducks and frogs.

Individuals belonging to the Quistudo family are freshwater turtles that thrive both on land and in water. Therefore, their diet is quite varied, since they can not only hunt aquatic insects and fish, but also prey on land different kinds berries and plants.

Land turtles that live in the Mediterranean and Central Asia, during the day they hide in their burrows, and at sunset they crawl out in search of food. These animals feed on fruits and various nutritious plants. It is fruits and vegetation that are the main delicacies of land long-livers.

What to feed turtles at home

Everyday human food includes very few foods that will be beneficial for a particular species of turtle. For your pet you need to purchase certain treats and delicacies.

What do sea turtles eat?

Red-eared turtles, which are representatives of the marine environment a habitat. At each stage of development, the animal is given a proper diet.

Young turtles need to be fed foods containing protein, which can be supplemented with a small amount of vegetation. At the age of two, reptiles are switched to plant foods, not excluding squirrels, since sea turtles are predators and cannot do without this main element.

The main food for aquatic turtles is:

You should definitely dilute this diet with plant foods.: tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, beets, pears, apples, bananas, lettuce, dandelions.

Large pieces of food must be cut into small pieces. In the diet of predator turtles meat food should prevail over plant food: animals receive only vitamins and beneficial microelements from fruits and plants. In cold seasons, reptiles are supplemented with specialized vitamin complexes.

Diet for land turtles

The basic set of products for land varieties should include:

Greens should make up at least 85% of the total diet. You can add to the main set edible mushrooms, sunflower seeds, bran, dried seaweed, soybean meal, dry food intended for land turtles. Additional foods should be given to your pet no more than 1-2 times a week, but the main food can be fed every day.

Food for freshwater reptiles

Freshwater turtles are omnivores. Their diet mixes plant and animal foods in equal quantities. For each variety, certain products are selected.

In nature, young individuals get their food under water, so freshwater turtles Meat, fish, aquatic insects and algae can be given as the main food. Protein foods should be diluted with fruits and vegetables.

Swamp turtles, which spend most of the day on land, feed mainly wild berries, and on hot days they are more often underwater and hunt small marine life.

Dangerous products

We now know what different types of turtles eat. But still, some owners share food with their pets that may be dangerous for the animals.

The following foods should never be given to any turtles:

• Beef, pork, lamb and their derivatives (sausage, frankfurters, pate, minced meat);
• Cheeses and dairy products;
• Bakery products;
• Potato;
• Corn;
• Citrus;
• Feed intended for other animals.

All these food products may worsen the well-being and health of pet reptiles. Dangerous plants for reptiles there will be azaleas, dieffenbachias, oleanders, elodeas and euphorbias.

Features of feeding individuals of different ages

As you know, a growing body needs a lot of food. Young turtles are fed every day as they grow quickly. Adults eat 2–3 times a week.

Young reptiles need to get enough vitamin D, which prevents the development of rickets, and calcium, which promotes proper shell growth. Turtles also need a large amount of multivitamins and minerals.

Sometimes situations occur in which pets go without food for a long time. Adult turtles can survive without food for 2 weeks. Young reptiles can go without food for about a week.

Pets should be fed regularly. You should not leave them without food for a long time unless there are any significant reasons for this.

Products must not contain toxins.

Large pieces of meat, fish, vegetables or fruits must be cut into small pieces to prevent the turtle from choking.

Berries and fruits must be pitted.

Overfeeding a turtle is strictly prohibited. If the animal does not finish eating the food, then the leftovers should be removed.

Pregnant individuals are fed at least once a day. They require large amounts of vitamin D, calcium and multivitamins.

Specialized feeds should be given to the species of turtles for which they are produced.

Food for a turtle should be room temperature.

Typically, aquatic turtles are fed using tweezers, but food can be thrown into the aquarium provided that excess food is removed from the water in a timely manner. Experts recommend feeding aquatic turtles in a bowl of water specially designated for them, which will help avoid rapid contamination of the aquarium. Land species You can feed without tweezers.

If a pet has not reacted to food for more than two weeks, he urgently needs to be taken to a veterinarian for examination. Lack of appetite usually indicates that the animal is sick with something.

Young turtles need to be given more animal food, adults - plant food.

In order for the turtle's body to maintain enough level minerals, the reptile must be fed with bone meal, which can be purchased at a pet store. Daily norm for an adult it is 5 g of flour.

To prevent health, the turtle shell can be sprayed with a special spray once every 2 days.

You should feed your pet dry food no more than 3 times a day. Experts do not recommend buying low-quality products that lack vitamins.

The turtle should be given vitamins before eating the main meal, while the reptile is still hungry. If oil vitamins are used, then they are dripped onto granules or sticks of dry food and, completely saturated, thrown into the aquarium.

At first it may seem that keeping a turtle will be difficult, but knowing the basic rules of feeding, it will not be difficult for you to create a diet for your pet. With proper nutrition, your turtle will live a healthy, long life.

IN natural conditions the turtle chooses its own food, as necessary, replenishing its diet with protein foods and minerals, which are necessary for the shell to form correctly. At home, the owner should take care of the correct diet of the turtle.

As a rule, a person who decides to get a turtle is not always aware of the rules for preparing a diet for his pet. Our article will help you understand all the nuances.

The most common mistakes turtle owners make:

1. They offer turtles that live on land and feed on grass food of animal origin, and aquatic turtles, on the contrary, only plant food;
2. An incorrect feeding regime, very often or very rarely, can lead to dire consequences, namely, in the case of overfeeding, to obesity, improper formation of the shell and body growth. If malnourished, the turtle may die from exhaustion;
3. do not include vitamins, minerals and calcium in the pet’s diet, this can lead to the turtle becoming a frequent “guest” of the veterinarian due to repeated fractures, vitamin deficiency or irregular shape shell;
4. include in the diet of aquatic turtles only gammarus, bloodworms and similar foods, which cannot in any way be called the main food.

Proper diet for feeding turtles

Feeding land turtles

As a rule, by household we mean Central Asian turtles that feed primarily on plant matter. Exactly because of this reason proper nutrition animal - the process is quite labor-intensive, and the diet requires a lot of variety to get all essential vitamins. Let's figure out what exactly can and cannot be included in the diet of land turtles.

Let's start with what can and should be included in a balanced diet. First of all, these are almost all fruits, vegetables and citrus fruits, namely: apricots, watermelon pulp without rind and seeds, eggplants, seedless grapes, melon pulp without seeds and rind, zucchini, kiwi, carrots with tops, nectarine, mixed vegetables ( after defrosting), sweet peppers, peaches, parsley, lettuce, plums, pumpkin pulp, dill, persimmons, apples, and finally, almost all berries. In addition, turtles love simple dandelions, both the leaves of the plant and the flowers themselves.

There are foods that need to be given infrequently and small quantities, but they must be present in your pet’s diet. These are pineapples, peeled seedless orange, unpeeled bananas, basil, cherries, peeled peas, mustard seeds, peeled seedless grapefruit, mushrooms, pears, cereals, cabbage leaves, onion feathers, peeled seedless tangerines, cucumbers, peeled seedless pamela fruits , tomatoes, sprouted beans, rhubarb berries, radishes, radishes, lettuce, celery root, ground pumpkin and sunflower seeds, beets, asparagus, turnips, beans, cauliflower, thyme, garlic cloves, spinach, sorrel. All of the above products should be given only raw, not fried, boiled, or stewed.

Now let's talk about those foods that should never be given to turtles as food. These are yogurts, potatoes, any dry or water-soaked cereals, cereals, dry or canned food that is not intended for turtle consumption, corn, milk, dairy and fermented milk products, including cottage cheese, any nuts, fish, cheeses, dates, bread and bakery products. products, raw or boiled eggs.

Feeding aquatic turtles

Aquatic turtles can be considered predators, so their diet is a little easier to balance than land turtles. Of course, the diet of an aquatic turtle should include fish, preferably lean and not large, so that the turtle can eat it whole. Live fish desirable, but not required. Suitable fish species for food include hake, blue whiting, cod, crucian carp, and perch. For infrequent feeding, you can choose fattier fish, such as capelin, sprat, herring or sprat. But before serving, such fish should be kept in a hot water. You can also please your pet with caviar; turtles simply adore it. Fish is the main food for turtles. It is very healthy, the bones contain calcium, and the insides are rich in vitamins. Adults can be offered the whole fish, without even cutting off the head, but for smaller species it is advisable to cut the fish into pieces, but do not remove the bones.

Seafood should also be present in the diet of an aquatic turtle. They can be either the main meal or alternate with meat or fish. Foods that need to be given frequently are: squid, unpeeled shrimp, frogs (preferably raw, but if you decide to include them in the diet, be sure to consult a veterinarian herpetologist, not all frogs can be given), mussels, raw scallop, octopus .

Products that must be present in a balanced diet for turtles, but should not be given often: caviar, crabs, crayfish (only the tail part, can be combined with caviar).

Meat should also be included in a sea turtle's diet, but in small quantities and about once a week. Why is that? Yes, because meat does not contain the same amount of calcium and vitamins as fish, but it is rich in proteins. It is better to use poultry or beef, it is less fatty. It is better not to give pork and lamb, these are fatty meats. You can treat your turtle to raw chicken or beef liver, as it contains vitamin A, which is essential for turtles.

Turtles also need plant food, but it is more suitable for adult turtles who have already accumulated the required amount of protein and do not need it as much as young, growing turtles. A turtle should consume plant food no more than 1-2 times a week. Fruits even less often, only once a week. Not all types of turtles prefer plant foods; for example, Trionics do not eat it at all, but marsh turtle, a big gourmet, eats very, very rarely. The food should be thrown in small pieces into the water in the feeding area. Please note that not every adult turtle will eat plant food.

The following plants are suitable for an aquatic turtle: salad or cabbage leaves, plantain leaves, dandelion and any plants that are not harmful to turtles, algae that are also not poisonous to turtles, dried seaweed (unsalted), apples, pears, bananas, carrots, pumpkin pulp and cucumbers (vegetables and fruits should be cut into thin slices) , you can also offer parsley or dill (but not every turtle will agree to eat them, since these are spicy herbs).

Never, under any circumstances, should you “treat” your pet with food for warm-blooded pets.

Additional rules for feeding turtles

The size of the food plays an important role in nutrition, it all depends on the size of your pet, that is, the food should be cut small, medium or large, according to the size of the turtle. To be precise, the size of one piece should not exceed the size of half the pet’s head. The aquatic turtle is able to take care of itself; it tears large pieces with sharp claws, so size is not important for it.

You definitely need to remember how much food your pet eats within half an hour, and give that much at each feeding. You can roughly calculate it like this: the amount of food per feeding should not be more than half a turtle shell.

The temperature of the food you offer is also important; food should not be chilled or frozen, only at room temperature and, of course, it should not be heat-treated.

Juveniles under 2 years of age and pregnant females should receive calcium-rich food every day. Mature turtles feed 2-3 times a week. The food should not be allowed to remain in the terrarium for more than 2 hours.

You cannot feed turtles with just one type of food; offer a mixture of foods. It is also not advisable to pamper pets and offer only “goodies” or only what they like. If it happens that your turtle prefers only one of the foods, try offering her a mixture of her favorite and least favorite foods. As a last resort, arrange a fasting period; a few days will usually bring the capricious woman “to her senses.” And don’t think that if your pet eats cottage cheese with pleasure, then this product can be good for him.

Caring for a turtle (video):

Feeding pet turtles should not cause much difficulty for their owners. These animals are practically omnivores. When preparing a diet for your pet, you need to take into account what species it belongs to, because food for land and aquatic reptiles will be different.

Food - very important point in keeping any animals. In the wild, turtles choose their food based on their body's needs and what they can find.

At home, a pet's diet depends entirely on its owner. The owner must develop a complete balanced diet for your pet, so that his body does not need any useful substances. Otherwise, the reptile may develop health problems.

Turtles are usually divided according to the type of food into three large groups:

Predatory. 70-90% of their diet is animal food, 10-35% is plant food. Predatory reptiles eat primarily meat. This species also includes aquatic turtles, which mainly feed on fish and seafood.

Omnivores. Their food consists of 50% animal food and 50% plant food.

Herbivores. Their diet includes 95% plants and 5% animal foods.

Diet of aquatic turtles

are considered predators. In his natural environment they primarily feed on fish. At home, they should first of all be fed with low-fat fish, without cleaning it of small bones and entrails. It may be alive or defrosted.

Fish products. Young reptiles should be given fish with bones, chopped into small pieces. For adults - whole or in large pieces. It is better to crush large bones or chop them very finely.

Suitable the following types fish:

• perch;
• crucian carp;
• cod;
• whiting;

Sometimes the animal can be treated to fatty fish. Suitable sprat, herring, capelin or sprat. Before feeding, it is kept for some time in a container with hot water. Turtles love caviar. From time to time you can pamper them with this expensive delicacy.

Seafood Be sure to include in your pet’s diet: shrimp, squid, mussels, octopus, raw scallop and frogs. But before throwing it into the aquarium, you need to keep in mind that not all species can be given to turtles. Therefore, you should first consult a veterinarian. A small part of the food of aquatic inhabitants should consist of crabs and the tail part of crayfish. They can be given once every seven days.

Meat products. In second place is lean meat. Boiled chicken, chicken or beef liver are suitable. Pets will not disdain small mammals: Domestic predators will enjoy hunting naked mice, baby rats and runners once a week.

Fatty meat - beef, pork and lamb - must be excluded. Minced meat, sausage, frankfurters, dog and cat food are not allowed.

The reptile diet additionally includes:

• dry food (sticks, granules, tablets, capsules, flakes, etc.);
• insects (bloodworms, grasshoppers, crickets, feed cockroaches, etc.);
• amphibians, mollusks and invertebrates (tadpoles, slugs, small snails with shells, etc.).

Plant food should be given to your domestic predator periodically. If the pet feels a lack of it, it will begin to consume algae from the aquarium. In this case, you can give the following plants:

• lettuce and dandelion leaves;
• cabbage;
• carrot;
• cucumber;
• beets;
• tomato;
• apple;
• pear;
• pumpkin pulp;
• parsley or dill (but not all turtles like them).

In winter, your pet needs multivitamins to prevent diseases.

Balanced diet for land turtles

composing a diet is a little more difficult than their aquatic counterparts. They mainly feed on plants. The food should be varied so that the pet, in addition to the gastronomic pleasures of food, receives other useful substances: vitamins, minerals.

80% of all feed should consist of greens: lettuce, edible leaves, flowers, herbs, succulents, parsley, dill. Reptiles especially love dandelion, both the greenery and the flower.

15% of diet- these are vegetables. Cucumbers, pumpkins, carrots with tops, zucchini, sweet peppers, etc. are suitable.

The rest(about 5%) - unsweetened fruits, such as apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches. You can give seedless watermelon pulp and citrus fruits.

In small quantities, the food can include peeled orange and grapefruit, pineapples, cherries, basil, banana, mushrooms, pears, cabbage, green onions, peeled peas, sprouted beans, radishes, radishes, asparagus, beets, sorrel, spinach, garlic cloves, etc.

All these products are given only in raw form. They cannot be boiled or stewed.

Once a week, the turtle must be given dry food - edible mushrooms (russula, boletus, champignons), seaweed, yeast, soybean meal and bran.

The animal must not be fed meat, milk and any fermented milk products, potatoes, cereals, corn, fish, dates, eggs, bread and any bakery products, cheese, citrus peels, cat and dog food.

The reptile needs to be given water periodically. But here everything is not so simple. Some pets drink once every 30 days, others once a week. It depends on the diet. If your pet's gastronomic preferences consist of large quantity juicy fruits and vegetables, then you need to water it less often than a turtle that eats a lot of dry food.

To improve performance digestive tract and for hygienic purposes, once a week the animal needs to have baths. Pour just a little water into the container and place the turtle there for half an hour. During this time, the pet will drink and bathe. Water should not flood the reptile's nostrils.

The diet of omnivorous turtles should consist of animal and plant foods. They eat the same foods as their aquatic and land-based counterparts.

Exist general rules for feeding all turtles without species:

• young individuals are fed daily;
• older reptiles are given food 2 or 3 times every seven days;
• You can’t starve;
• It is strictly forbidden to give food intended for aquatic turtles to their land counterparts and vice versa.

Calcium should be present in your pet's diet; it should be given once a week, not more often. Carbonate, ground, is suitable as a top dressing. eggshell, bone flour, calcium palmitate, etc.

It is unacceptable to add calcium by eye. It is given at the rate of 100 mg of fertilizer per 1 kg of weight.

It is not difficult to prepare a complete diet for a turtle. She loves affordable foods, many of which are in everyone's refrigerator. But this does not mean at all that you can give everything indiscriminately and in unlimited quantities. The main thing is that the food is suitable, varied and, of course, fresh.