Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone have any thoughts on the nutritional merits of
bagged lettuce for boxies? It's soooo convenient. I've
been serving the Trader Joe's Organic Baby Lettuce
mix ($1.89/bag) which had a mixture of red and green
oak leaf, lollo rosa, red and green romaine, and tango.
The bag lists it as having 140% rda of vitamin A per human
serving, though I don't know how that translates to a
turtles needs.

Basically zero... lettuce just doesnt have much nutrition, other than a few vitamins and minerals, which you can find in lots of other veggies/fruits, or in vitamin supplements.

Try some other greens, like collard or dandelion.

>>Anyone have any thoughts on the nutritional merits of
>>bagged lettuce for boxies? It's soooo convenient. I've
>>been serving the Trader Joe's Organic Baby Lettuce
>>mix ($1.89/bag) which had a mixture of red and green
>>oak leaf, lollo rosa, red and green romaine, and tango.
>>The bag lists it as having 140% rda of vitamin A per human
>>serving, though I don't know how that translates to a
>>turtles needs.
-----
==========
Greg
http://greg978.tripod.com/

I agree with Greg. Many lettuces fall very short of the mark when it comes to meeting nutritional needs of turtles. I find it just as convenient to buy fresh collards or turnip greens and chop them up, but as I live in the south these are readily available (when I lived in Massachusetts years ago I never saw the stuff). Plus, the bagged stuff may be treated to prevent it from browning, so you still have to wash it thoroughly.
These greens are also available frozen: if your willing to defrost corn for your guys, you could easily manage with the greens.

Romaine Lettuce is pretty good as far as lettuce goes.
The afore mentioned greens probably pack more of a punch but romaine is pretty good, has vitamin A, C, etc.
I buy packs at the store that have 3 heads of romaine, for as little as $1.99 a pack. I give it to the turtles and I also feed it to crickets, mealworms and superworms to "gutload" the insects.

Most of the bagged mixes are not great as far as greens go. Your best bet is dandelion or mustard greens. I tear mine up as soon as I buy it, and store it in one of the big ziplock bags. Then I have my convenient "bagged salad" with the good greens!

Wendy