Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I've had my Florida Softshell for a few years now, he's about 9 inches long. Being a male I don't expect him to grow much longer. However, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of softshell caresheets on the net so I do have a question about his diet. Currently he is eating minnows and occasional feeder goldfish, fish cuts, meat cuts (beefheart, liver) turtle pellets, the occasional fuzzy mouse, worms, and the odd crawfish. I was just wondering if there was anything I could add to or change in his diet. I don't supplement much because he gets alot of whole food items (minnows, feeder fish, fuzzies and crawfish) and the supplement powder comes off the meat once it hits the water anyways. Thanks in advance to any replies.
KyLE

if you are worried you could put supplemsnt into the fish through the mouth (i use a tweezer) you can also fill them with squash and sweet potato baby food
you can add calcium to the water (but watch for pH crashes)
you can raise your own worms in high quality soils which you calciumize. if you feed the worms well this passes on a good bit of nutrition.
If you get a large dead fish you can hide all sort of things in it like carrot slivers and vitimin supplements.
but i wouldn't think you would need to do this as often as for other turtles.
if you are really adventurous you could get some Knox gelatin (clear unflavored jello basically) and make one of those turtle treats.
i have also tricked some softshells into eating "turtle tacos"
which are basically envelopes of dark greens filled with a meat-fish-vitimin-vegetable mixture. closed up, tied with edible grass and soaked in fish oils . If you need a source of fish oils just put some water in a blender and add a fish head or a filet. 40 seconds later you have a stinky thick fishy goo which you can rest the tacos in for afew minutes.
They smell like fish and they can be made into an easy shape to swallow in only a few bites. many turtles fall for this if the tacos are soaked in the pulped fish long enough and they will eat the whole thing greens and all.

Thats really interesting about the turtle tacos, i've never heard of those before, Thank you. I've tried the gelatin treats and he picked through them and ate only what he wanted.. not very productive for me, plus i found the gelatin dissolved in the water. Supplements have always been a nightmare for me as powder just comes off into the water. I'll try your method of putting it into the fish mouths. Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.
KyLE