Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it ok to feed my RES lettuce?

I believe you can feed him Romaine lettuce but not iceburg lettuce.

Ricky
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2 Dobermin Pinchers
4 african grey parrots
1 Lesser Sulfer-crested Cockatoo
3 Cockateils
1 Male Iguana
1 Female RES
1 Juvi Yellow Belly Slider
1 Juvi Northern Red-belly Slider
1 Male Betta
1 Flying Fox
1 Pleco.
Dozens of Platies
2 Apple Snails

All lettuces are mostly water and very low in nutrients. It won't kill your turtle, but isn't a healthy staple.
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Leafy greens like collard or mustard are better. It's easy to grow aquatic plants like anacharis or hornwort. Those are usually sold at pet stores.
care info. & diet info.

Thanks to everyone so much!!

NO!!!!!! try collard greens, mustard greens, kale, bok choy, endive, escarole, cilantro, etc. EXCEPT for SPINACH! the reason is because spinach has what are called oxalates in it. the oxalates bind with the calcium and keep the turtle from being able to absorb it. since soft shell is a MAJOR problem in turtles (caused by a calcium deficiency) the last thing you want to do is bind the calcium your turtle eats! lettuce is a no no because it has very little nutrition in it. also, try cantanloupe with the rind still attached, its good for them so that they can keep thier beak from getting too overgrown. it is also very nutritious. also squash, all varieties, broccolli, green beans, peas, carrots ( vitamin A-- another very important vitamin), grapes, asparagus, green red and yellow bell peppers, mango, orange, yucca root, etc. basically, the stuff your mom always forced you to eat because it was "good for you!" but no lettuce!! and a variety of 2 or three different veggies at each feeding is good. they should eat more veggies than pellets or live prey. rotate veggies weekly or whatever works for you, the key is variety. rotate rotate rotate!!!