What to feed a land turtle at home?

Land tortoises have long been popular as pets. They are fascinating to watch, live long lives, recognize their owners, and move quite quickly. To ensure a land tortoise's well-being and health, it requires proper care and feeding.

Types of land turtles

Living on land Turtles are divided into approximately 300 different species, but not all can adapt to home conditions. The following species of land turtles are highly adaptable and easy to keep:

• Egyptian;
• radiant;
• panthers;
• Mediterranean (Caucasian or Greek);
• Central Asian steppe;
• red-legged;
• yellow-legged;
• Balkan;
• yellow-headed.

Each species on this list has a high ability to adapt to different living conditions and requires the same maintenance.

Features of keeping a land turtle

At home the turtle can be kept in a terrarium, an aquarium, or a plastic box. The most important thing when choosing a pet house is its durability, otherwise the turtle may escape.

A single animal requires a terrarium measuring 60 x 130 cm. In a cramped space, the pet will either obsessively dig in the corners or become lethargic.

Because Land turtles love to digIt's recommended to line the bottom of the turtle's habitat with a layer of soil and coconut shavings. Sand is not suitable, as turtles eat it, thereby clogging their stomachs. The substrate must be deep enough to allow the turtle to dig.

Turtles love to hide in shelter, so the terrarium should be equipped with some kind of suitable box, half a pot, etc. The shelter should be of such a size that the pet can turn around in it.

The air temperature in the terrarium should be between 25°C and 27°C. Additionally, a separate area heated by a lamp should be provided, where the temperature will remain between 30°C and 33°C.

Living In sunny countries, turtles in captivity need an additional source of UV light.For this purpose, you can purchase a special lamp for reptiles at a pet store. Without UV rays, your pet's body will not produce vitamin D3, which means calcium metabolism, which is necessary for shell growth, will be impaired.

What to feed a turtle?

In the wild, turtles get their own food. They They feed on various algae, grass, roots and berries.At home, the owner's job is to provide their pet with a diet that includes vitamins and minerals beneficial for growth and development.

Land turtles eat primarily plant matter. However, it's not recommended to feed them the same foods over and over again. Their diet should be varied.

You can feed the turtle:

1. Greens: clover, sprouted wheat, dandelions, coltsfoot, parsley, lettuce, spiderwort, aloe.
2. Vegetables: carrots, cabbage, peas, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets.
3. Berries: cherries, currants, raspberries, grapes, strawberries.
4. Fruits: apricots, bananas, plums, oranges, apples, tangerines, pears.

To make it easier for the turtle to eat, the fruits are cut into small piecesSoft bananas and berries can be given whole. Be sure to remove the seeds from the fruit, otherwise the turtle may choke.

Your pet's diet should include protein foods.These can be slugs, worms, or cooked meat. Do not feed your turtle pet cockroaches or crickets. You can buy red worms for them at a pet store.

Calcium plays an active role in maintaining the shell in good condition. Therefore, cottage cheese, semolina, or buckwheat porridge should be introduced into your pet turtle's diet every week.

Approximate daily diet for a land turtle:

• any fresh sprouted greens (parsley, oats, etc.) – 50 g;
• fresh beetroot – 30 g;
• cabbage leaves – 30 g;
• fresh carrots – 20 g;
• boiled potatoes – 30 g;
• minced meat – 5 g;
• white bread – 20 g;
• vitamin supplement (fish oil or other) – 1 g.

Once a week, it is recommended to feed your pet supplementary food. This includes the following products:

• dried seaweed;
• bran;
• raw sunflower seeds;
• dry yeast;
• soybean meal;
• dry balanced food for land turtles;
• non-poisonous mushrooms (champignons, birch boletes and others).

Turtles need water. For this You need to put a bowl of water in the terrariumSometimes turtles tip over their bowls and spill water. In this case, to avoid creating humidity, you can remove the bowl and offer your pet a small amount of water daily.

Some pet turtles drink during baths, which should be given to them weekly. For others, drinking water once a month is enough.

Foods prohibited for turtles

Poor nutrition may lead to irreversible changes in the liver The pet's health can be compromised and its lifespan can be shortened. Therefore, it's important to carefully select the food you feed your tortoise at home.

Turtles should not be fed:

• spicy herbs;
• spinach;
• garlic;
• onions;
• raw potatoes;
• citrus peel;
• cherries;
• domestic cockroaches;
• crickets;
• grasshoppers;
• eggshells, as they can cause salmonella;
• indoor plants with poisonous leaves (elody, oleander, ambulia, azalea, euphorbia, dieffenbachia);
• milk;
• food for other pets;
• any prepared foods;
• the drug Gamavit and vitamin D2, which are toxic;
• canned food;
• human food: sausage, cheese, porridge, fried and boiled dishes.

It's not recommended to feed your pet the same type of fruit or vegetable. Diet should be varied.

What to feed a pet turtle in winter?

During the winter period, turtles are less active., than in summer, so they may eat less. The amount of food your pet eats may be reduced, but the diet should still be just as varied.

Since not all products are available in winter, and some fresh vegetables, fruits and greens are very expensive, You can feed your pet beets, carrots, cabbage, and boiled eggs., raw meat.

How to feed a land turtle correctly?

It is necessary to feed your pet at home at the same time.It's best to do this in the morning. It will get used to this schedule and will expect food on its own. Additionally, when feeding a pet turtle, it's recommended to follow a few rules:

1. Young turtles are fed daily. At two years of age, they are fed once every two days.
2. Food should be poured only into clean containers.
3. Portions should be small. But since turtles eat only as much as they need, there's no need to worry about overeating.
4. Once the turtle has eaten, any remaining pieces of food should be removed immediately.
5. Strong odors and loud noises during feeding can negatively affect your pet's digestion.
6. It's not recommended to train your turtle to eat food from your hand. It will quickly become accustomed to this and refuse to eat from a bowl.

Feeding turtles too often can lead to obesity and improper shell development, while feeding them too infrequently can lead to exhaustion and death.

By following the basic rules and recommendations, It's quite easy to organize the feeding of a land tortoise At home. The main thing is to feed your pet only approved foods and avoid any prohibited ones. A well-fed pet that receives tasty, vitamin-rich food will always be happy and active.