Captive diet plays a special role in keeping a pet turtle healthy – malnourishment leads to apathy, lack of appetite, infections, and many more serious conditions. Ideally, a pet turtle’s diet should be as close to its native environment as possible. To achieve that, you will have to diversify your turtle’s diet with mixed commercial foods, home-made turtle meals, and natural supplements.
Why Your Turtle Needs Supplements
There are two reasons why sticking exclusively to commercial food products won’t do any good for your turtle. First, commercial foods do not supply ample amount of vitamins and minerals necessary for turtles and their growth. Supplements are a way to make up for the lack of nutrients your turtle would be enjoying in nature. Second, while feeding your turtle two different brands of products is helpful in keeping it healthy and well-cared for, appetite varies from turtle to turtle and there’s no one recipe for all. Your turtle may simply refuse to eat some of those products, in which case you may use supplements to increase your turtle’s appetite and enhance the taste of other foods.
Calcium Supplements for Turtles
Calcium supplements constitute the most important element of any turtle’s diet. It is advised to stick to a high-calcium, phosphorus-free diet which insures that your turtle’s shell, beak and bones won’t become weakened or damaged easily. The are a few products you can choose from:
- Nature Zone Essential Calcium
- Cuttlebone
- Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3
- Jurassi cal
In order to process calcium, your turtle needs daily exposition to UVB light provided by one of the many lighting products for reptiles you can choose from, and installed permanently above the basking platform.
Mineral Supplements for Turtles
Vitamin A and vitamin D-3 are crucial. A tortoise diet deficient in vitamin A often leads to turtle eye infections, and lack of vitamin D-3 contributes to shell and bone problems. There just isn’t enough of them in either commercial or natural food – at least not enough to cater to a turtle’s needs. Additionally, some of the vitamin supplements act as appetite stimulants and may encourage your turtle to nibble at the foods it doesn’t seem to be fond of – like vegetables. Other supplements can be injected straight into the water tank shortly before cleaning. You can consider some of the following reptile vitamins and supplements as regular elements of your turtle’s diet:
- Reptivite Multi-Vitamin Supplement
- Nature Zone Appetite Plus
- T-Rex Box Turtle Dust ICB
- Tortoise Dust FV
- Box Turtle Dust ICB
To find and purchase the best and cheapest supplements for reptiles, make sure to search online supplement stores – they offer discount pet medication as well as mineral and vitamin supplements at lower prizes. You can also consult a vet or try pet retailers to find supplements your turtle will love to nibble at. Make sure to check the notes at the back of each bottle to not overdose supplements and spoil the taste of your turtle’s food.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be nor should it be considered a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your vet or other qualified pet health professional with any questions you may have regarding your pet's condition.
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