Feeding and Nutrition :: Is it good for turtles to eat worms?

[mlinton1979]

I just got my turtle and was wondering if it is healthy for my turtle to eat a worm and how often they are able to ?

[TheComputerGremlin]

Depends on what kind of worm and where you get them from. If you are in a place that you know your neighbors and your yard and there are no pesticides, locally caught worms are fine. Otherwise, all live prey and veggies should be purchased.

Here's the link to prey on the main site: http://www.redearslider.com/prey.html

[marisa]

Welcome. What kind of worms are you talking about? If you mean mealworms, I'd skip them or give a few only very rarely. They're not nutritious and have a bad calcium/phosphorus ratio.

If you mean earthworms, they're fine as part of the diet. My turts get a few weekly (unless I run out of them).

[mlinton1979]

it is a mini night crawler..bought out of a store. How often can they eat them?

[marisa]

How big are they? If it's a small night crawler, I'd give maybe one a week as part of the diet...What other foods do you give your turtle?

[mlinton1979]

Right now I give him turtle pellets and he also has some feeder fish in his tank iwth him...still new to the turtle business and learning..anything will help.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Just watch out for overfeeding protein between feeder fish and worms. One high protein treat is enough for awhile. You should also try to get him eating veggies as soon as you can. Try some leafy lettuces or carrots for starters.