>>I've never previously recommended dog/cat food as a regular part of any box turtle's diet. I never will. I think that people abuse it because it's so easy. I've seen what dog food can do to a turtle (and other herps)...deformities, extreme obesity, gout, and death. When properly used, it can be a viable ADDITION to a box turtle's diet. Dick Bartlett is just one experienced keeper who recommends adding small amounts of high quality puppy chow...as a supplement. I don't think I'd even go that far...like Ratz, just for emergencies.



I read that a lot too in different box turtle books, articles what have ya.. that it's ok to offer dog & cat food as part of the regular diet. I won't go that far either & neither will my vet. In Chip's case she said try dog food, cat food.. anything just get him to eat. Believe it or not, he refused cat food.

I have had so many people tell me "but they love cat food" I was very surprised to find that no they don't.

Once we got him eating though the goal was getting him to eat better food so temporary dog food did serve it's purpose.



Speaking of gout.. I don't trust the commercial foods made for turtles either. 10 years ago my mud turtle got sick, it turned out to be gout and he was cured with allopurinol. Several reptile vets around the country were consulted by phone by my vet, they all concluded that he had to stop eating commercial turtle food & eat a natural diet. They said he can have some commercial but not much.

So that's what he does, he eats all these bugs I breed some live fish & he's been fine for years now.

I can't even get him to eat a pellet if I offer it. I allow the painted to eat some pellet but it's rare. He will not eat Reptomin but he will eat the Jurrasi brand.
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PHRatz

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