Proper feeding of a land turtle at home

It is necessary to feed a land turtle at home correctly; the diet must be complete and balanced. After all, high-quality food is the key to a long and healthy existence for a pet.

• 1 Food in natural habitat
• 2 Feeding characteristics of species 2.1 Omnivores
• 2.2 Herbivores

Food in natural habitat

In the wild, land turtles obtain their own food. This is, for the most part, plant food - grass, plant roots, berries, algae from the edges of reservoirs. Some part of the diet of wild turtles is protein food. These are worms, small insects, small snails.

The peculiarity of this reptile is that it can remain without food for quite a long time, storing significant reserves of it in its body during favorable seasons.

These animals are well versed in what vitamins, micro- and macroelements they lack at a certain stage of life and successfully find the products they need in the animal and plant world.

What should you not feed land turtles?

Unfortunately, the list of prohibited products is very extensive and you should familiarize yourself with it. This list includes cockroaches, crickets, eggshells, potatoes, garlic or onions, various meat products (including sausage and minced meat), bread, milk, various cereals (except rolled oats), citrus peels, cherries, seeds from any berries . These foods can cause liver disease, which will significantly shorten your life expectancy. Therefore, when starting to compile its diet, you should take into account the harmful effects of the above products on the turtle’s liver and not include them in the diet.

The full list of prohibited products can be found here.

Feeding features of the species

All natural species of turtles are divided according to their feeding method into three large orders:

• predatory;
• herbivores;
• omnivores.

Each of them has their own list of food products necessary for a full-fledged existence. But among the land species of turtles there are no predators, so it is important to consider only the diet of herbivores and omnivores. When purchasing these pets, it is imperative to find out what type of food they belong to.

The omnivorous species that are suitable for keeping at home and most often found in the world are the Mediterranean, musk, flat and Balkan.

Mediterranean

musky

Balkan

Flat

Herbivores include star, Indian, Central Asian, Egyptian, serrated, red-headed, radiated, Galapagos.

Indian

Star-shaped

Galapagos

Radiant

Redhead

Serrated

Egyptian

Central Asian

Omnivores

Their diet must necessarily consist of live food, for example:

• mice and small rats;
• frog;
• snails;
• insects - tubifex, bloodworms, daphnia, beetles, caterpillars, worms;
• slugs;
• fish and seafood.

The plant part of the diet should contain:

• vegetables;
• fruits;
• berries;
• aquatic plants;
• various herbs.

Herbivores

80% of the diet of these land turtles should be products of plant origin - various salads and spinach (leafy part), dandelion, cabbage.

Additional food:

• vegetable crops - pieces of carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet peppers;
• fruits - apples, pears, peaches, apricots, bananas, citrus fruits;
• berries - cherries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, currants, watermelon;
• other herbs - coltsfoot, sorrel, plantain, alfalfa, legumes;
• mushroom crops, such as champignons;
• special prepared food;
• bran and flakes from plant crops, sunflower seeds.

We recommend reading the article on what to feed pet turtles.

Three groups of turtles

Based on their feeding type, turtles are divided into three groups: carnivores, omnivores and herbivores.

. Each of them corresponds to a certain ratio of animal and plant foods. Feeding inappropriate food for each group of turtles is fraught with diseases of the internal organs, digestive complications, and metabolic problems. You also need to include calcium and vitamins in your diet weekly. What food should be given to each group?

Predatory

The food of predatory turtles should consist of 80% animal food and 20% plant food. This group includes almost all aquatic species and all young aquatic ones, such as young red-eared, caiman, trionics, swamp, musky, etc.

The main food for them is:

• lean fish, live or thawed, with entrails and small bones. For young turtles, the fish should be finely chopped (spine, excluding ribs) with bones, for adults - whole or large pieces. Large bones can be ground or finely chopped.
• beef or chicken liver is given once a week;
• seafood such as green (not pink) shrimp, sea cocktail;
• mammals (small): naked mice, rat pups, runners.

The turtle can eat all seafood, as well as fish, only raw; heat-treated food should not be given;

Additional food

, which should be given once a week, serves:

• Dry food for freshwater turtles, for example, in the form of sticks, tablets, flakes, granules, capsules, Sulfur, etc.
• Insects: moth, food cockroaches, grasshoppers, bloodworms, crickets, earthworms, gammarus and so on;
• Mollusks, amphibians, invertebrates: slugs, frogs, small snails with shells, tadpoles and similar swamps.

It is prohibited to give to predatory turtles:

meat (beef, chicken, pork, lamb, sausages, sausage, any type of minced meat, etc.), as well as fatty fish, milk, cheese, bread, fruit, dog or cat food, etc.

The diet of this group of turtles should consist of 50 percent animal food

and 50 - vegetable. Omnivorous turtles include semi-aquatic and adult aquatic turtles, some types of land turtles: spiny turtles, coora turtles, adult red-eared turtles, Spengler's turtles, red-footed turtles (coal turtles), etc.

Their menu consists of half animal food, see the list above, and half plant food, the list is below. Aquatic turtles are pampered with fish

and seafood (as animal food), and mice are given to land animals.

• Plant food for aquatic species are plants growing in water conditions;
• Land animals are given plants that live on the ground, and fruits and vegetables are added to them.

Herbivores

The menu of this group of turtles is based on plant foods, which make up 95% of the total diet, animal food consists of 5%.

Herbivores include: all land turtles, including radiated, flat, Central Asian, Greek, spider and others.

The main food of this group is:

• greens, it makes up 80% of the entire menu (semi-dry or fresh salads, edible leaves, flowers, succulents, herbs.
• vegetables - 15% of the diet (pumpkin, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots...)
• fruits that are not very sweet (apples, pears, etc.) are represented in 5% of the menu.

Additional food

once a week, it includes:

• non-poisonous mushrooms, such as russula, boletus, champignons, etc.
• dry balanced food for land turtles of the brands “Sera”, “Tetra”, “Zumed”.
• other: soybean meal, dry yeast, raw young sunflower seeds, bran, dried seaweed...

It is prohibited to give meat; this category includes: any minced meat, sausages, sausage, chicken, beef, pork, etc.). Also fish, milk, cheese, cat or dog food, bread...

Home Diet Basics

At home, a land turtle does not have the opportunity to independently choose food, obtaining those products that its body needs at a particular moment. In addition, natural instincts are gradually dulled, which is manifested, for example, by the fact that it begins to absorb earth and small stones. Therefore, the owner of the reptile is responsible for the correct and balanced diet of the pet.

In order to prevent imbalances in nutrition, which can cause various diseases, it is recommended to keep a weekly diary of your pet’s nutrition. It creates a daily menu with the correct distribution of doses of vitamin supplements, calcium and amino acids.

The most correct diet would be the following ratio of products:

• herbs, greens - up to 75-80%;
• vegetable and fruit crops, berries - 10-15%;
• cereals, seeds, bread - up to 5%;
• vitamin supplements, micro- and macroelements, animal proteins, amino acids - up to 5%.

As herbs, the greatest preference should be given to the following plant crops:

• dandelion and lettuce (leaves);
• beans, peas, beans (stems and leaves);
• alfalfa;
• plantain;
• clover;
• parsley;
• aloe;
• lawn forbs;
• thistle;
• sorrel;
• sprouted wheat and oat sprouts;
• some flowering plants.

All types of land reptiles love vegetables:

• pumpkin pieces;
• fresh chopped carrots;
• small leaves of young cabbage;
• mature chopped zucchini, squash, cucumbers;
• radishes and beets - only in young fresh form.

It is advisable to give your pet pieces of apples or pears every day, and occasionally watermelon, strawberries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, peaches, and apricots.

All stone fruits are cored and the products themselves are cut or torn into small pieces.

As a protein component, you can give both worms, insects, snails, and small pieces of boiled or raw meat.

An approximate menu for the day might look like this (in grams):

• sprouted sprouts (for example, wheat) - 50;
• raw young beets, chopped - 30;
• chopped white cabbage leaves - 30;
• chopped boiled potato tubers - 30;
• raw minced beef or chicken or earthworms - 5-10;
• pieces of wheat bread - 25;
• fish oil, vitamins, microelements - 1-3.

It is necessary to give foods containing calcium a couple of times a week. For example, cottage cheese mixtures, cereal porridges - buckwheat, milk semolina or oatmeal.

At least once a week, the diet includes small quantities of seaweed, various bran, sunflower seeds, yeast, soybeans, mushrooms, and ready-made nutritional mixtures.

Sample menu and additional components

The menu for your pet should be prepared in advance so that you don’t have to worry about the lack of certain foods in the diet.

Sample menu:

• 50 g of green stems are given every two to three days.
• Beet pieces should be given. No more than 30 g per day.
• 30 g of cabbage leaves once every 1–2 days.
• Boiled potatoes in the amount of 30 g per day.
• Proteins enter the turtle's body through the consumption of bloodworms, worms, and lean meat pieces. There should be no more than 5 g per day.
• White bread – 20 g per day.
• Vitamin supplements, such as fish oil. There should be no more than 1 g per day.
• Porridge – semolina, buckwheat, cottage cheese. Do not give more than once a week.

Do land turtles need water?

These reptiles, like other animals, require water for normal functioning. In nature, they get it from the stems and roots of plants, and also drink it when swimming in ponds.

There is no need to install special drinking bowls for a domestic reptile, but regular bathing should be organized. For some species, weekly water procedures are needed, for others it is enough to carry them out once a month. But it is still optimal to bathe pets once a week, and even more often in the hot season.

It is enough to pour warm water into a small container, not lower than +25 °C, and lower the pet there so that the liquid covers the entire upper shell and reaches at least the middle of the neck.

The turtle needs love too

It is very important to understand that a turtle is a living creature that requires care and attention, and not a toy that can be played with and left to the mercy of fate. If you have chosen these unique reptiles, take a responsible approach to the question of what to feed your turtle at home.

After all, the health and life of your pet depends on it. The more seriously you take the conditions of its existence, the longer the turtle will be able to please you. When buying a turtle, contact experienced sellers who can tell you what to feed a water turtle at home and what to feed a land turtle, so that later you don’t have to guess why your pet died, because you fed it.

It turns out that if a turtle is not fed correctly, it begins to be capricious, eat poorly, or even refuse food altogether. or steppe turtles are no exception. In order for your pet to feel at ease, properly structure your baby’s diet.

What to feed the Central Asian land turtle?

Let's start with the fact that absolutely all turtles love plant foods. Healthy plants include cabbage, pumpkin, watermelon, melon, lettuce, apples and dandelions. They will not refuse berries - raspberries, cherries and strawberries. Milk with white bread soaked in it will also appeal to the armored animal.

What else is possible? Calcium is necessary for building and maintaining the strength of the bone cover - the shell. Therefore, fresh cottage cheese must be present on the menu. Semolina and buckwheat porridge will usefully enrich the list of food products.

Don't think that turtles are vegetarians. They eat absolutely everything. Therefore, you need to be very careful when decorating terrariums. After all, almost everything that gets there will be “tested.” So, do not deprive your pet of protein food. One tablespoon of raw minced meat or half a hard-boiled egg is enough. But instead of feeding a domestic land turtle with meat that is harmful to it, make up for the lack of protein by replacing the product that is bad for the kidneys with a real worm, which is fed to aquarium fish. But don't overdo it. Any food of animal origin can lead to indigestion. It’s better to replenish your turtle’s kitchen with beans rich in vegetable protein.

Do not overfill your turtle's diet with tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. They don't like them. This is easily explained, because in the wild these animals eat berries, desert plants or carrion.

What to feed a land turtle in winter?

Turtles usually hibernate during the winter. But the house is quite warm during this cold period. Therefore, the turtle does not sleep, but simply becomes slow. What should you feed your land turtle at home during this period?

Food products can be left the same. But don't be surprised if your little friend can't make it through the summer daily quota. An approximate daily diet can be calculated for the winter period, and it will look something like this:

• carrots – 30 grams,
• boiled potatoes - 20 grams,
• cabbage – 30 grams,
• white bread – 20 grams,
• fish oil - 0.5 grams,
• beets – 20 grams.

Just don’t forget to enrich this list with herbs in the summer, for example, dandelion, the leaves of which can be picked far from a busy and polluted highway and city.

Does a land turtle need to be given water?

We told you what to feed domestic land turtles. But, after all, they also need water, although they drink quite rarely: some drink it once every one to two weeks, while for others one “date” with water a month is enough. The frequency with which water treatments need to be administered depends on what the animal eats over a certain period of time. If it is cabbage, then the cells of the turtle’s body receive a sufficient amount of moisture, and you will have to “bathe” less often. But if the majority of the daily diet consists of white bread, baths should be arranged a little more often.

Although, in order not to rack your brains, give your turtle a bath day once a week or a week and a half. Pour a little less than a centimeter of water into the basin. The pet's nose must be above the water level so that the land inhabitant of our planet does not suffocate. Place the animal in the water and leave it to enjoy for half an hour. Believe me, this time is enough for the baby to have time to get drunk and take a swim.

Unfortunately, many people do not take turtles seriously enough, not like other pets, they know little about the peculiarities of keeping and caring for them, and most importantly, they have little interest in the question of what to feed turtles. But these babies also require a balanced diet, various nutritional supplements for active growth and well-being.

Food in summer and winter

Summer feeding of land turtles is usually not difficult, because fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and berries can be easily picked or purchased.

Food should be prepared for the winter. Greens can be cut and frozen in the refrigerator, dividing them into daily portions. You can do the same with fruits and vegetables. Forbs can also be prepared in the form of hay.

If there are fish in the house, then you can plant an abundance of aquatic plants in the aquarium and feed your land pet with them in winter.

In the terrarium you can also install clay pots in which alfalfa, oats, wheat stalks, plantain, dandelion sprouts, and cultivated varieties of greens grow. All types of land turtles happily eat sprouted carrot tops.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Baby land turtle

As such, there is no mating season for turtles, so reproduction occurs at different times depending on the species and location. In land turtles, the onset of mating games is signaled by one event: for the right to fertilize a female, males enter into battle with each other. In doing so, they try to turn their opponent over or force him to retreat. There is only one method of action - powerful frequent strikes with the shell on the opponent's shell.

After the shameful flight of the competitor from the battlefield, the victorious male begins courtship. To attract the attention of the female, the winner can affectionately stroke her head with his paws and even sing. Some time after mating, the female lays eggs. To do this, they dig holes in the sand near bodies of water. Often, their own holes or even crocodile nests are used for these purposes. The egg clutch is thoroughly covered with sand or soil and compacted using a shell.

The number of eggs in a clutch may vary, depending on the type - 100-200 pieces. The eggs themselves can also be different: covered with a shell or a dense leathery shell. During the mating season, the female may lay several clutches. Under favorable conditions, after 91 days, small turtles hatch from the eggs, and their sex completely depends on the temperature at which the incubation period took place. If it was cool, then males would hatch, if it was hot, then females. For reasons unknown to science, sometimes the incubation period can stretch from six months to several years.

Interesting fact: In 2013, an amazing event occurred in the museum of the city of Dnepr (formerly Dnepropetrovsk). Turtle eggs, which had been lying on exhibit stands for several years, unexpectedly hatched into baby turtles.

Mr. Tail explains: foods prohibited for land turtles

The owner of these reptiles should be well aware of the foods that should never be given to pets:

• stone fruit seeds - apricots, peaches;
• citrus peel;
• plants that are poisonous and medicinal, such as buttercup, nightshade, potato and tomato tops, crocus, narcissus, milkweed, delphinium, hydrangea, mistletoe, dieffenbachia, azaleas, lilies, elodea;
• sausages and canned goods.

Porridge, baked goods, dairy products, eggs and eggshells, meat, onions, garlic, celery, spinach stems, radishes, and spicy herbs are allowed only in minimal quantities.

Additional recommendations

Taking into account the seasons

All turtle species experience a slowdown in metabolism in winter. In the cold season, they need to be fed one and a half times less often than in summer. If a reptile hibernates, it ceases to need food. In summer, the turtle should consume more succulent food (greens, fruits or fish, depending on the type of food). Also in summer an increased amount of vitamins and microelements is required.

Drinking regime

All turtles cannot drink water. They get liquid from food. Therefore, the diet of land reptiles should include a large amount of vegetables and herbs. You can feed an aquatic turtle in an aquarium by simply throwing food into the water - this way the animal consumes the required amount of moisture.

In extreme heat, you can bathe land turtles in a basin. This way the animal will receive moisture and restore water metabolism in the body.

You need to carefully monitor your pet's bathing. The water should not reach the level of the nostrils!

What not to feed turtles

There are general principles: “vegetarians” should not be given meat, and carnivorous species will develop digestive problems if they eat plants. At home, river turtles eat only freshwater fish—sea fish negatively affects their health.

However, there are products that are harmful to all types of turtles:

1. Plants of the nightshade and buttercup families are poisonous to almost all animals.
2. Indoor plants – dieffenbachia, azalea, daffodils, crocuses, mistletoe.
3. Citrus zest.
4. Potato tops.
5. Seeds of fruits and berries (plums, cherries, cherries).
6. Food (dry and jelly) for warm-blooded animals.
7. Bread, dairy products, cereals.
8. Salted, smoked, fried and other types of dishes not intended for animals.

It is important to closely monitor your pet during a walk so that he does not eat anything harmful.

Feeding rules

It is advisable to eat at the same time every day, preferably in the morning.

When feeding turtles, you must follow simple rules:

• Up to a year of age they are fed every day, after two years they can be fed every other day.
• Food utensils should always be washed clean before each feeding.
• Portions should be made small, and excess should be removed from the terrarium so that it does not spoil.
• Try to ensure complete rest for your pet while feeding. The turtle is frightened by loud sounds and sudden movements.
• Reptiles should not be taught to eat from their hands. They very quickly get used to this method of feeding, and then refuse to eat from the bowl.
• You should not overfeed your pets, that is, give food too often, this can lead to obesity and distortion of the carapace and plastron.
• Feeding too infrequently is also unacceptable, as this can cause exhaustion and death.

Errors

1. Feed your reptile too often. This will cause overeating and indigestion.
2. The reptile body is adapted to consume a certain type of food. You cannot feed a herbivore only meat, and a carnivore only fruits and vegetables.
3. Giving your pet food too rarely. The individual will be weak, lethargic, inactive and susceptible to disease.

If you follow the rules of feeding land reptiles, they will have good health and longevity.

Most pet turtles have one common problem. The name of this problem is overfeeding

. In fact, the problem is no small one, since it is very important, to the extent of the turtle’s physiology, to feed it in moderation and in a balanced manner. A big mistake is how newbies treat turtles, believing that they need to be fed the same as other warm-blooded pets. You can't do that with turtles. It is very important to limit what they eat and this article will describe why.

Where does it live in nature?

The habitat of this amphibian is concentrated in Central Asia, mainly in the steppe zones from China to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

This species of amphibian prefers to live on sandy soils, but can be found on loamy lands. Basically, the turtle prefers to live in rocky and hilly areas where there is enough water and grass. They live in burrows, which they can dig themselves or move into ready-made ones.

Note! Despite the fact that representatives of this species live in arid areas, they, on the contrary, require areas with high levels of humidity so that they can easily dig through the ground with their paws and claws. If the soil is very dry and hard, then they will not be able to dig it out

This is interesting: Elephant turtle, its features and history - revealing the essence

Stop feeding the turtle!

Stop treating the beast like a hothouse baby that can go hungry in a few days. A turtle (for example, Central Asian) is a wild desert reptile! In terrarium conditions, it will most likely disappear from overfeeding, but not from starvation.

The shell and bones of a turtle normally grow slower than the “rest” of the body, and a fairly moderate and specific diet is needed to maintain proper shape. But what do people often do out of ignorance? Instead of tough leaves and flowers rich in fiber for normal digestion (tonins and alkaloids, so that parasites do not breed), which turtles receive in nature, they are given juicy salads, vegetables, and even fruits.

Where do sea turtles live

The sea turtle lives in the salty waters of the world's oceans - both in the coastal zone and in the open sea. This family has several species, among which the most famous are turtles:

• green;
• olive;
• big-headed.

The main habitat is tropical seas washing continents and individual islands. Sea turtles mainly live in open, warm currents or coastal waters. They, like freshwater species, spend most of their lives in water. However, they come ashore every year to lay eggs on wild sandy beaches.

The green sea turtle (also called the soup turtle) lives in the tropics and subtropics in the seas of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. This is a very large species - the individual reaches 1.5 m in length and up to 500 kg in weight. Since the habitat of this sea turtle often intersects with human settlements, it is hunted in order to obtain tasty meat. Therefore, recently hunting for this species has been prohibited in almost all countries.

Turtles live in most natural areas with the exception of the tundra and taiga. In the foothills they are found at an altitude of 1-1.5 km; in the depths of the ocean they are practically not common. They prefer to stay close to the surface in order to constantly have access to air. Since they are heat-loving reptiles, the main factor limiting their spread is temperature. Therefore, in the harsh climate of Russia and other northern countries, most often they can only be found in captivity.

Consequences

If a turtle is fed too often and if protein foods predominate in the diet, then the turtle’s body grows faster than its shell and slowly “bursts” it from the inside.

• Wide growth lines appear on the shell (the carapace is a different color and width than in natural turtles)
• The carapace (upper part of the shell) begins to bulge
• Protruding groins and armpits

A typical overfed Central Asian turtle at home with an incorrect diet resembles a pie or a hamburger. This is one of the reasons why natural turtles look so different from those turtles that live at home.

The turtle knows no limits and loves protein foods, since this is a huge rarity in the desert. But a reptile cannot rebuild its metabolism and body to suit an inept owner. The photographs show the result of such “care” in the form of overfeeding. Some photos also show rickets, but this is a separate topic.

How much and how often should you feed your red-eared slider?

It is difficult to answer both of these questions unequivocally: it all depends on the size of the pet, age, and also the food that the reptile eats. First, let's look at young turtles , that is, up to a year old. They should be fed with store-bought food every day. However, it is also necessary to provide plant foods: vegetables, herbs, fruits, even if the pet refuses at first.

It’s worth trying to feed the turtle bloodworms; you can start introducing aquatic crustaceans into the diet. The amount of food for young turtles also differs from the amount for older representatives of this species. They should get about fifty percent (50%) protein in their food daily. Therefore, feeding artificial food alone will not be enough.

To cover such a nutritional deficiency, the owner of a reptile needs to add turtles to the menu - fish like guuppies, and, if possible, earthworms and insects. Some experts claim that even at such a young age, your pet can happily eat boiled meat or minced meat. However, this food should be introduced into the diet gradually.

Since food varies, you need to carefully select the brand that is specifically designed for your pet. Namely: according to his age and size. It is important to know that young representatives of this type of reptile need additional feeding with vitamins; it is worth consulting with the breeder or veterinarian about this.

Article on the topic: Do land turtles drink water, how to water a turtle at home

Only with proper feeding will red-eared turtles be able to grow and develop normally.

For adult red-eared turtles (more than a year old), the percentage of artificial food in the diet should be no less than ten (10%) and no more than twenty-five (25%).

It is worth gradually adding plant food (for turtles older than a year, these are lettuce leaves, dandelion leaves, cabbage and slices of fresh cucumber). All this must be given, even if the pet refuses at first. You can and even should give your turtle boiled or raw chicken or beef.

Some experts suggest giving the red-eared turtle raw meat of lean fish, but pre-cooked (about a minute) in boiling water. Small aquarium fish can be given both in crushed form and live, but it is worth weighing the size of the live bait with the size of the turtle.

A reptile that is between one and two years old should be fed every other day. And an older pet, starting from the age of two, needs to be fed once every two or even three days. But this, again, also depends on the individual characteristics of the reptile.

The turtle, which has reached three years of age, begins to feed more and more on algae. To make the aquarium look aesthetically pleasing, aquatic plants should be grown in a place separate from the reptile.

It is important not to overfeed your pet, but at the same time not to leave it without the vitamins it needs. Any food for reptiles must be of high quality and fresh. Frozen food should first be thawed and warmed to room temperature.

Food for turtles of all ages should be thrown directly into the water, but it is important to correctly calculate the amount of food, otherwise uneaten food will rot in the water, after which it will need to be changed.

You should feed your reptile during daylight hours, as they are active during the day. With the correct calculation of the age, size, characteristics of the red-eared turtle and selection of food, the owner will have a healthy and happy pet.

Article on the topic: What do swamp turtles eat, what to feed at home

What do freshwater turtles eat?

The most common species of turtles found in rivers, lakes and other freshwater bodies are the marsh turtle and the red-eared turtle. These are omnivorous reptiles that mainly (70%-80%) feed on animal foods. They can swim very well, so they lead a predominantly predatory lifestyle. But aquatic reptiles do not swim as well as fish. Therefore, they feed only on those animals that they can actually catch up with.

The marsh turtle eats:

• worms;
• crustaceans;
• shrimp;
• shellfish;
• dragonflies;
• water beetles;
• mosquitoes;
• woodlice;
• locusts;
• larvae of these insects;
• tadpoles;
• frogs - adults and eggs.

The remaining 20%-30% of the marsh turtle's diet consists of plant foods - algae, duckweed, and other aquatic plants. Young individuals generally lead a predatory lifestyle: during the period of active growth, they can even destroy nests and eat eggs laid by their relatives. At a more mature age (starting from 15-20 years), the share of plant food in the diet gradually increases.

Red-eared sliders primarily feed on the same animals. The main component of their diet is mussels, snails, oysters and other shellfish, as well as various crustaceans. In summer, they focus on aquatic and partly flying insects - grasshoppers, beetles, etc. They (like other species) do not have teeth, but they cope well even with mollusk shells. Powerful jaws break the base, and then the turtle eats the flesh itself.