Turtle nutrition means giving your turtle everything he needs to grow and thrive in your care. The type of diet he will need will depend on what type of turtle he is. As a very general rule, most tortoises and land turtles are herbivorous, meaning their diet consists entirely of plant matter. Aquatic turtles are usually carnivorous, meaning the majority of their diet (65-90%) consists of meat, with the remaining portion made up of plant matter. Semi-aquatic turtles are most often omnivorous; their diets are usually roughly split between meat and plant matter.

Good turtle nutrition choices for a basic diet for an herbivore include the following:

1. Lettuce
2. Parsley
3. Dandelion
4. Kale
5. Carrot tops
6. Clover leaves

Greens such as these should make up the vast majority of the diet of an herbivorous turtle or tortoise. This can be supplemented with vegetables such as bell peppers (green or red), cauliflower, and zucchini, as well as small amounts of fruits like apples, pears, and pineapples.

Turtle nutrition for carnivorous species, obviously, is a very different matter. Carnivorous turtles should be fed a mix of meats such as the following:

1. Earthworms
2. Live feeder fish
3. Frozen pinkie mice
4. Small bits of cooked meat, such as chicken or tuna
5. Very small amounts of low-fat canned dog food (this should only make up 5% or less of the turtle’s diet)

These meat sources should account for anywhere from 65-90% of your turtle’s diet, depending on the species. The remainder of the diet should consist of vegetables such as romaine lettuce, clover leaves, and shredded carrots, as well as small amounts of fruits apples, pears, and pineapples.

Turtle nutrition also involves knowing when and how to feed your pet turtle. Young turtles should be fed twice a day. As your pet turtle gets older, you can switch to a single daily feeding and gradually decrease the meat and increase the plants. Land and water turtles eat essentially the same diets with one important difference: water turtles must eat in the water. Commercially prepared turtle foods are also available. Turtles do well with either a consistent diet or variety, so long as it is well-balanced.

Proper turtle nutrition requires doing a little homework about your pet. Knowing what and how much to feed is the key to good turtle nutrition. Turtles are long-lived animals; with roper turtle nutrition and care, your turtle could live 20 years or more.

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