Carrots are known for their numerous minerals and vitamins. They are among the few vegetables that are safe for various animals, not just humans. For example, most turtles love carrots!
Nearly all turtles can eat carrots. They are also extremely healthy for turtles, and these reptiles tend to enjoy eating them. Feeding a carrot to your turtle once a day can be a great way to ensure that your pet is getting all the nutrients that it needs.
To learn more about why carrots make such great vegetable choices for turtles and how to serve them, read on. We also touch on what else you should feed your turtle when it comes to providing them with a healthy diet.
Are Carrots Good for Turtles?
Carrots are among the best vegetables to feed your turtle. Once turtles get used to carrots, they often love to snack on these orange sticks. Most importantly, carrots are considered healthy for turtles. These vegetables are high in vitamin A, fiber, calcium, and phosphorus.
All these vitamins and minerals are required for your turtle to be happy and healthy. For example, vitamin A improves your turtle’s immune system, whereas calcium and phosphorus ensure the bones and shell of your turtle are healthy.
What About Baby Turtles?
Even though baby turtles can technically eat carrots, it’s best to stick to commercial baby turtle food. This is the best way to ensure that your baby turtle gets exactly what its delicate system needs.
How Do I Feed Carrots to Turtles?
The first step to feeding carrots to your turtle is to pick out the right ones. Whenever you’re feeding vegetables and fruits to your turtle, always go for the most natural options. Organic carrots are often the best because they haven’t been exposed to that many additives, pesticides, or anything else that can potentially be dangerous to turtles.
Once you bring your carrots home, wash them thoroughly. The best way to feed carrots to a turtle is completely raw. Although you can technically feed cooked carrots to turtles, it’s best to stick to raw carrots because these are the most familiar to them.
Before sticking a whole carrot in your turtle’s enclosure, you probably want to chop the carrot into more manageable bites. If your turtle has never seen a carrot before, a large carrot stick can be intimidating. Shredded carrots tend to especially be enjoyed by turtles.
If you notice that your turtle is not eating their carrot, it is likely because the turtle does not know that it is food. Mixing carrots with your turtle’s regular veggies can be an easy way to get your turtle to eat them.
What Do Turtles Eat?
Turtles eat a wide range of food, depending on their natural habitat and species. As a result, what your pet turtle eats will depend on what kind you have.
Turtles fall into one of two categories: omnivores or herbivores. Omnivorous turtles eat animal protein, fruits, and vegetables, whereas herbivorous turtles only eat fruits and vegetables. Let’s take a closer look at each of these categories.
Omnivorous Turtles
Most pet turtles fall under the omnivorous category. For example, the red-eared slider is the number-one type of pet turtle, and it is considered an omnivore. Nearly all water or aquatic turtles are omnivores.
Start by getting your omnivorous turtle pelleted food made specifically for these turtles. About 25% of your turtle’s diet should consist of these pellets. They ensure that the turtle gets all the nutrients that it needs, and the pellets are often designed so they float and don’t break apart in the water.
Another 25% of your turtle’s diet should come from insects or feeder fish. These food sources provide healthy protein. They also provide phosphorus and calcium, which can be difficult to get from fruits and vegetables.
The remaining 50% of your omnivorous turtle’s diet can come from fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is the best, such as dark leafy greens, squash, carrots, and zucchini. If your turtle is aquatic, edible aquatic vegetation may be good as well. Don’t forget about fruit either. Berries, melons, and apples are great choices.
Sprinkle a reptile multivitamin and calcium supplement on your turtle’s fresh produce. The point of these vitamins is to ensure that your turtle has everything that it needs to have a healthy life. Follow the instructions on the vitamin packet to learn how much you should add.
Read also: Can Turtles Eat Strawberries?
Herbivorous Turtles
If you have an herbivorous turtle, the only thing that you need to feed your pet is fresh fruits and vegetables; 80% of the turtle’s diet should be fresh vegetables, whereas 20% should come from fruit. Like with omnivorous turtles, leafy greens, carrots, squash, and zucchini are ideal. Similarly, apples and melons make great fruit choices.
Once again, sprinkle a reptile-safe multivitamin and calcium powder on the fresh produce. Although this step may seem optional, it is crucial for ensuring your turtle has optimal bone and shell health.
Conclusion
Feeding carrots to your turtle each day is a great way to keep it healthy and active. Some turtles may be a bit hesitant to eat carrots at first, but most end up enjoying them for their flavor and nutritional benefits. Make sure to research whether your turtle is herbivorous or omnivorous to learn about what you should feed it!
Also see:
