How to get my baby turtle to eat pellets instead of just mealworms?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
My baby Mississippi Map Turtle will only eat mealworms and refuses to eat anything else. What Can I do to encourage him to eat his pellets?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 17th, 2017
Make sure temps are high enough for him. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. Withhold mealworms for a day then offer bits of pellets. You can grind up mealworms and coat the pellets before feeding. Offer other prey as well. Make sure they aren't too big and gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on October 27th, 2018
Check the water quality and temperature. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Mealworms and pellets are just part of a balanced diet. He should be getting fresh greens and other vegetables as well. Vitamin and calcium supplementation is essential. Make sure any food offered is diced small enough for him to eat. Dust everything with a multivitamin and a calcium supplement. The best time to offer greens and pellets is about an hour after the heat lamp turns on in the morning. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
my red belled turtle seems like hes having trouble seeing and is trying to scratch his eyes but his eyes don't seem swollen hes a couple of moths old i think and he was a rescue and all he will eat for me are meal worms he will not eat the pellets fo
Check the water quality and temperature. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Mealworms and pellets are just part of a balanced diet. He should be getting fresh greens and other vegetables as well. Vitamin and calcium supplementation is essential. Make sure any food offered is diced small enough for him to eat. Dust everything with a multivitamin and a calcium supplement. The best time to offer greens and pellets is about an hour after the heat lamp turns on in the morning. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My baby turtle won’t eat. I️ got him food from petco that’s made for baby turtles and he hasn’t touched it. Not sure what to do.
Offer a varied diet including pelleted food, fresh greens and prey such as tiny crickets or earthworms. You can get prey from the pet store, do not feed wild caught insects. It may take a day or two for him to acclimate to his new environment. Keep offering fresh food daily. Be sure environmental parameters are appropriate for the species of turtle you have. This includes adequate heat, UVB lighting and water quality. If you know the species, post it in a new question or request a consultation for more detailed care information.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My baby Cumberland slider won’t eat. Just got him and was prettt cold. I put him into his starter 10 gallon with heat lamp and heated water. I tried to feed him pellet and he refused it. Later I gave him a frozen bloodworm and he refused it. He looks
Give him some time to warm up then offer fresh food. Make sure pellets or sticks are small enough for him to eat. You can also try freshly molted crickets or mealworms. The movement may stimulate his appetite.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello I'm worried about my turtle for the past 3 weeks he refuses to eat anything. He usually eats the reptile sticks and when he stops eating I would offer him a fruit and he would begin to eat again but now he wont I wanted to take him to a vet but
Check the water, ambient and basking temperatures. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. You can review care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html Maintain pristine water quality and remove any uneaten food promptly to prevent fouling the water. Commercial pellets should be just a portion of the diet. Balance it out with fresh greens, diced vegetables and prey. Limit or discontinue fruit as it may cause stomach upset or loose stool. Bits of raw beef heart can be used to stimulate the appetite.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I have a hatchling painted turtle who won't eat anything. Seems interested in earthworms but not flakes, pellets, or pieces of fish. What else can I try? Some people said to soak the turtle in veggie juice? I'm scared he won't make it.
Check the temperature in the tank. Low temps can affect activity and appetite in reptiles. Water depth should be no deeper than twice the length of the shell. You can offer bits of raw beef heart to stimulate the appetite. Continue to offer chopped greens, pellets and nightcrawlers. You can soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to maintain hydration. Review painted turtle care at the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Turtles-Tortoises/Painted-Turtle/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello i have got this turtle for3 days and my turtle is not eating.i feed him turtle food and dry worms but turtle is not eating.What should I do and plz tell me how to take care of it.
Thanks for reaching out about Green and including photos. First, check and correct water quality and temperature. If water or basking site is too cold, appetite is inhibited. Movement will sometimes stimulate a reaction, so a live small worm (mealworm, etc.). If these don't work, a veterinary visit would be recommended.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My turtle threw up three times after eating shrimp pellets. She was eating quickly maybe 5 pellets at a time. She is clearly hungry but won't even eat the other pellets. She doesn't like fruit or vegetables. What should I do?
The pellets shown should not be fed to turtles for any length of time. Doing so may lead to nutritional deficiencies. If you feed a pelleted diet, choose one specifically for turtles. You can also offer feeder fish, nightcrawlers and freeze dried prey made for turtles. Turtles are omnivorous, so you should be offering chopped fresh greens and vegetables in addition to animal protein and a pelleted diet.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Red eared slider will only eat treats and not pellets
Thanks for reaching out about Buddy. The only answer is to offer less or no treats. Check and correct husbandry parameters such as water and basking temperatures, UVB exposure and diet. Whole live fish are nutritious and provide some foraging behavior. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My painted turtle refuses to eat. Usually he eats about 3 worms at a time and will eat them out of my hand. It's been almost a month since he ate last. He won't eat pellets either, I tried soaking pellets in tuna juice per internet and still nothing.
Check the temperature in the tank, both water and ambient temperature. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Use bits of raw beef heart to stimulate the appetite. Once he is eating, you can transition to prey (feeder fish, nightcrawlers, etc.), fresh greens and vegetables and commercial pellets. Don't forget to provide UVB lighting and a basking spot out of the water. A multivitamin and calcium supplement should also be used. Monitor for wheezing or clicking while breathing as well as bubbles or discharge from the mouth or nose. These are symptoms of respiratory infection and need to be addressed by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. You can review care at the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Turtles-Tortoises/Painted-Turtle/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I adopted a red eared slider turtle from my shelter who was abandoned. Everything I’ve read says I need to feed him leafy greens and pellets. He won’t touch them. I’ve even tried soaking them in tuna before giving them to him. The only thing I can ge
My recommendations are as follows. Really, though most issues related to turtles not eating are due to improper husbandry so please review all the husbandry and make sure everything is spot on (temperature, lighting, etc). 1. Try a different brand of pellets. I would suggest Mazuri - I think it is the best and most balanced. http://www.mazuri.com/mazurifreshwaterturtlediet-2-1.aspx 2. Check the temperature of the water.. Turtles are cold blooded reptiles and will not eat if the temperature is too cold. For aquatic turtles, the water temperature should be about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking area should be between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. Provide more light. Your turtle also needs adequate light to have a healthy appetite. Aquatic turtles need both UVA and UVB light in their tank. Provide your turtle with 12 to 14 hours of light followed by 10 to 12 hours of darkness. 4. Give your turtle live food. Your turtle is attracted to movement and may prefer to eat live food su
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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