Feeding and Nutrition :: This turtle eats way too much...

[olivetheeater]

My red eared slider is the size of a computer mouse and eats like she's a horse. She'll see you and swim against the glass of her tank furiously until you come over to feed her, and in a matter of about 60 seconds, she'll be begging for more. Is this common among red eared sliders? I don't know if this has anything to do with how she eats, but she's also been shedding her scales a lot lately. I'd like to know why shes always so hungry, and if this is a problem. (her diet is dried shrimp and pellets. and occasionally live crickets and guppies.) Thanks!

[Caelestis]

I was scared you put dried shrimp in front of pellets. Feed her some plants too. Feed her as much as she can in 15 minutes. My turtle could only eat 4 pellets and choked the fifth back but ate it later in about 30 minutes, so from now on I only feed 4 pellets.

[Safdar]

Turtles are agressive beggers and make sure you dont fall in her trap =)
Remember to only fees as many pellets that would fit in her head excluding the neck.

[zero_tails]

turtles tend to eat the pellets way too fast and when they expand in their stomach (cuz theyre dry initially and when wet they puff up) a turtle can get a nasty stomach ache and wont eat for a while. as safdar said that would suffice and would be just right, but if you feel like giving ur turt a treat give him a few more..it wont hurt. just dont bombard his tank with pellets

[steve]

Familiarize your self with this section to get a good idea of what else you can offer:
www.redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html

[untsmurf]

The fifteen minute rule, isn't a good rule of thumb. Feed the amount Safdar said. Just because he's begging doesn't mean he needs to eat. They're like children wanting a candy bar, it doesn't matter that they just had seven, they always want another one. And if you feed your turtle too much it will result in shell pyramiding.