My Indian flapshell turtle won't eat. Is bread okay for its diet?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
its an Indian Flapshell Turtle and it doesn't eat anything? Turtle is only eating Wheat Chapati/Flat-bread, and doesn't touch anything (fruit, vegetable, leaves, flowers, etc) else. It even does not eat Turtle food. Kindly Help Me.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on June 14th, 2019
The Indian flapshell turtle is known to be omnivorous. Its diet consists of frogs, fishes, shrimp, snails, aquatic vegetation, plant leaves, flowers, fruits, grasses, and seeds. You need to keep trying different foods. There may be many reasons he is not eating. Your habitat may not be correct. Please review everything especially light and temperature. ( https://careforturtles.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-care-of-indian-flap-shell-turtle.html ) He could be going into hibernation. Here is a video about their care that may help you. There are other videos you can watch as well on YouTube. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa2m9yhtr9E ) I suggest you don't feed anything at all for 2 =3 days and then start slowly introducing new foods. Stop feeding bread. It is not a staple of their normal diet.
6Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on January 29th, 2020
She is most likely in a state of hibernation. The burrowing in the soil is normal. Not eating for that long is not normal. I suggest you refer to this article about diet, feeding, housing, etc and make sure you are doing everything correctly. Most problems we see with captive turtles is due to incorrect husbandry. ( https://careforturtles.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-care-of-indian-flap-shell-turtle.html )
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Training & Behavior
I have an Indian flapshell turtle and it hasn't eaten anything in three months and it likes burrowing in the soil what should I do?
She is most likely in a state of hibernation. The burrowing in the soil is normal. Not eating for that long is not normal. I suggest you refer to this article about diet, feeding, housing, etc and make sure you are doing everything correctly. Most problems we see with captive turtles is due to incorrect husbandry. ( https://careforturtles.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-care-of-indian-flap-shell-turtle.html )
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Do Indian Flapshell turtle hibernate and what to do when it is not eating the food provided ?
Thanks for reaching out about Jackie. These turtle are from tropical environs and therefore doe not hibernate. But is allows to become cold will enter torpor, thereby shutting down their immune system, other metabolisms, including appetite. Check water and basking site temperature. Correct any concerns. Illnesses can also cause inappetance, and this should be investigated by a veterinarian. Good luck.
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
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
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
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
does my turtle tank look like a safe habitat. and plus they havent eaten in 3 weeks
Add water to a depth no more than twice the length of the shells. Maintain water quality via or frequent water changes. Provide heat lamps and UVB lighting. If they are cold, they won't eat. Once they warm up, offer appropriately sized bits of turtle sticks or pellets. You can read more about slider care here: http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I won a turtle yesterday at a carnival, a red-eared slider, it's very tiny, I'm guessing less than a year old. I set up a tank for it and gave it a few apple dices but it isn't moving, swimming, or eating. What should I do?
Check the water, basking and ambient temperatures. Low temps can affect activity and appetite in reptiles. You may need to add a water heater and heat lamp to get the tank to proper temperature. Squirt will also need UVB lighting. Offer dark, leafy greens instead of fruit. Squirt will also need some animal protein (feeder fish, nightcrawlers, etc) as well as commercial pellets to balance out the diet. A multivitamin supplement and a calcium supplement are also needed to help him grow. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
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
My boyfriend has a yellow belly slider turtle (about 3 years old). Recently we experienced hurricane Irma in which power was lost, so the heating lamp he has could not be used as we lost power. He placed his turtle outside to bask for about 10 minute
Walt likely got too cold when the power went out. I'm not convinced that 10 minutes basking outside would have made him that dehydrated. He may be on his way to getting a respiratory infection. What food(s) has he tried feeding him (turtle sticks, live meal worms, sun-dried worms, shrimp?)? The other option is that when he got cold it stimulated his body to go into hibernation mode. In the wild, sliders do hibernate, but it has to be quite cold and other conditions have to met for captive turtles to successfully hibernate. When they're a bit too chilly, but not cold enough to hibernate, they become inactive and quit eating. This leads to illness, and often death. Your boyfriend needs to make sure that his husbandry is 100% spot on - water temperature, humidity, basking area, etc. If he has a UVB light it needs to be changed every 6 months even if the light is still working. It will stop producing UVB rays and then he is not getting what he needs. So I suggest changing that bu
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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