Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Thanks again for all the input and advice.

Yurtle is doing well -- seems her appetite has returned and it is a healthy one. Since I'm not sure how much she should be eating and not wanting her to gorge herself, I've been giving her a couple of smaller meals each day.

By her habits we feel she has been on her own for some time. She much prefers 'real' food -- the cricket population in our backyard, a few garden slugs -- over any vegetable of any variety I buy and give her. She's starting to take some of the soaked ReptoMin, but skillfully eats around the swiss chard I shred up and mix with it.

She's settling into morning, mid-day and evening routines. Spends some time in the water, makes the 'rounds' in her apartment, sits under the light (no longer using the plant grow light). She's burying herself in the dirt/mulch at night. Interacts with us when we stop by to visit and enjoys her garden outings. All sounds like the turtly stuff I've been reading about.

I am sure I will have questions as time goes on -- but wanted to let those concerned know that she is doing very well.

Lori, Paul and Yurtle

Thank you so much for the update! Sounds as if you're off to a great start with her.

About the eating, I've found that with some of the turtles I've taken in they would eat what seemed like way too much food to me in the beginning but I think that happened because they had been deprived.
After a 2-4 weeks of seeming to gorge themselves, each one who ate that way tapered off on their own and each one seemed to become satisfied with hunting on their own then only getting food from me every other day, or even less than that.
Since you found Yurtle the way you did she may be doing the same thing mine did and will taper off on her own too.
In any case, she is one lucky turtle to have been found by someone who cares about her!
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PHRatz

Thanks for your encouragement.

I think she will level off on her food intake. At first she barely wanted to eat....but I think she was hunting for herself in the garden so was getting at least some food. Now that she has been moved indoors and the weather got rainy and chilly, she has been out less and depending on me to feed her more.

I so appreciate the comments from you and Steph -- they have been very helpful.

Lori