Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm not an expert on turtle nutrition, by any means, and I found this by accident, but...
Wardley makes a product called Goldfish Crumbles that seems like it has the right 'stuff' in it for turtles, but I'll ask the ones that have more experience.
Crude Protein - Min 35%
Crude Fat - Min 4%
Crude Fiber - Max 4%
Moisture - Max 9%
Phosphorous - Min 1%
Vit. A - 7600 IU/lb
Vit D3 - Min 600 IU/lb
Vit E - Min 100 IU/lb
Ascorbic Acid - Min 1400 mg/kg

Ground Corn, Fish Meal, Soy Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Germ Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Ground Whole Wheat, Shrimp Meal, Fish Oil, Natural Flavor Fish Protein Concentrate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Vitamin Premix Containing (Wheat Middlings, Vitamin A supp., Riboflavin supp., Niacin Supp., Calcium Pantothenate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine HCI, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Biotin), Cloline Chloride, Betaine, Marigold Petal Extract, Ethoxyquin (preservative).

Is there anything in this that they can't eat? The D3 and Vit A are what caught my eye about it. I realize there's not enough calcium in it, but calcium is easy to come by in other ways.

Opinions, please?

Thanks in advance,
Mom and son, exploring the Herp world!

I can't answer your question directly about the crumbles being better than the turtle food but here's my opinion on feeding: (Others will feel different.) Commercial turtle food should only be a part of your turtle's diet. Mimicing a natural diet is best and incorporating whole foods. Feeder fish should be a major part. Whole foods (with bones and guts) are balanced. Pinky mice are great if you can get yourself to feed them those. Aquatic plants and dark leafy greens are good veggies. A good high calcium food is cooked egg with the shell crumbled in it. These are just a few suggestions. Since you are doing some research, keep in mind the proper calcium and phosphorus ratio of 2 calcium to 1 phosphorus. Foods with high phosphorus and low calcium are not good. Some examples of that are: organ meats like heart, gizzard (cooked liver OK no more than every couple of months because has good vit. A), meat without bones like chicken, beef, pork. If you feed these do so only as an occasional snack. Here's a website that has good care and feeding advice:
GCTTS

I fully agree with you on the variety of foods; we're having fun trying different things for them to eat. We've incorporated the crumbles into their diet as we would any other commercial food - not their main source. Another good thing about them (IMO) is that they sink and it gives the RES's something to forage after.

Thanks for your input!

The Mom half
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Denise (Mom) and/or Jared (son)
Take care!