Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have finally gotten my box to eat earthworms after 7-8 days of fasting. how do i encourage her to vary her diet? i know she needs greens and other fruits and veggies, but how can i make this inviting to her?

I use baby food peas, green beans, squash etc... I also moisten trout chow or mazuri turtle diet mix it together. Put the worm in the middle of the mush the turtle will learn that the smell and taste is also food. I also cut fresh greens all different accounts chopped in with the baby food. Good way to sneak vitamins as well.

I have had success with feeding a home made mixture ( balance of veggies, cooked low fat burger meat, collards, berries or melon (aromatic fruit), chopped finely on a flat tile or stone near a good shelter/hiding place, and plopping moving food (worm or slug) on top of it. The reluctant eaters always go after the live creature and end up getting some of the "salad" with it, find it tasty and continue to eat the prepared food.
Although, a couple of days ago one of my guys grabbed the slug from the food pile and sprinted across the enclosure with it( a distance of about 15') in his mouth until he found the relative privacy of a large hosta before he polished it off! Today he ate prepared food readily when served under a blueberry bush. Go figure!

Okay, I'm assuming that you're confident that your
turtle is used to its enclosure, housed at an appropriate
temperature, not obviously sick, is soaking and eliminating
(pooping and peeing)okay and is not getting freaked out
by disturbances around its enclosure. If, in short, the
only thing wrong is typical boxie finickiness, let me suggest...

Corn. It's not often mentioned and when it is, it's
suggested as an occassional food rather than a staple.
Next to food that moves, it's my boxies' absolute
favorite. I microwave frozen corn with just a little
bit of water. I cook it just until it releases its
aroma, let it cool (sometimes stir in an ice cube to
get it down to room temp faster) then toss with finely
chopped salad. Sometimes I add some kernal-sized
chunks of Friskies Senior salmon dinner but I don't
even have to do that. Turtles dig corn.

If yours don't, try using the juice from a can
of reduced fat catfood as a salad dressing to whatever
you want them to eat.

Hope this helps.

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