Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Some time ago I aquired some eggs that a kid had found and wasn't allow to keep, so the mom gave them to me. They just hatched and guess what I got baby musk turtles. What can I feed them? any help would be great.
Thanx, Jennie

The first hurdle is to get them to eat ANYTHING. Once you get them eating regularly by whatever means necessary, it is much easier to switch them over to a diet heavy in supplemented commercial food to ensure they get the proper vitamins and minerals for proper growth. I often start babies off with with small red or leaf worms, first cut into small, easily handeled pieces that provide a lot of blood to enhance sensory input. "Killed guppies" may work, also. Dip them out and squeeze them in the net to disable them (can't be caughto if intact) or rip their stomachs open, again, to enhance the smell. Don't be squeamish. I introduce Reptomin floating food sticks, a few at a time but ONLY after I have prewet the sticks to make them soft. Texture is critical when they take the first bite of a new food - too hard and they will reject it. Other prepared foods may be equally acceptable (many like Mazuri, but pet stores don't carry it) nutritionally, but Reptomin has a high "taste acceptance" factor. Once they eat it regularly they will take it without prewetting it.