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How much and how often should I feed my baby red eared slider turtle?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I won my little turtle off a carnival game. She's still about the size of a thumb. The guys running the game gave her to us and a bag of food (ReptoMin) and said to feed her half a pellet in the morning and half a pellet at night. They didn't seem to be the most reliable people, they weren't even sure what kind of turtle she was. I wanted to know if this is right or not. How much and how often to eat a baby red eared slider turtle?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rebecca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 2nd, 2017

Hi. I'm glad you checked. Red rated sliders can be fun pets but they also require specialized environment and care. She should eat some live feeder fish, some plant matter and only about 25% of her diet should be commercial pellets. Be sure she has an area to get out of the water in her tank, she needs a basking light for warmth and full spectrum UV lighting. Housing is the number one reason that sliders get sick or die in captivity so please take the time to get her set up correctly. Here is a great beginner article for RES care. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 27th, 2019

    I hope you are feeding other foods and not just pellets. I suggest you refer to this guide on how, what and when you should feed her. As an adult most only need to be fed every 2 or 3 days. ( https://www.turtleholic.com/how-often-feed-red-eared-slider/ )

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    Answered By Todd Cecil

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 6th, 2019

    Thanks for reaching out about Xean and including photos. The amount will vary due to many factors including metabolism, activity, water and basking temperatures, sex, season and more. The best way to monitor appetite is by following a body score and appearance. Turtles tend to show fat in the armpit and proximal legs. Muscle mass loss on limbs can reflect nutritional deficiencies. Another good idea is to vary brands of turtle food as some have different levels of nutrients. Offering chopped vegetables are healthy and might need to coaxed or trained to eat. Live fish are also a good idea. Good luck.

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