Feeding and Nutrition :: Help! My RES Won't Eat Veggie Jello Shots or Lettuce Leaves

[together28]

Hi, I am trying to get my 2 inch RES to eat veggies because I was feeding him Reptomin pellets every day and y'all luckily let me know that I was overfeeding him and giving him too much protein.

My problem is that he won't eat romaine, green leaf lettuce or kale when I put it in his pond. I made the veggie jello shot recipe last week and he won't eat those either. The fish will pick at the veggie square but Bubba won't go near it. Other people's turtles love the veggie shots and lettuce - what is with him?

I bought Nature Zone small bites for aquatic turtles since they are low in protein, but he won't eat those either.

I think he eats some of his anacharis because sections of stalks are missing leaves but I've never seen him eat it so I can't be certain.

He needs calcium too, and the veggie shots have calcium powder. I also put some cuttlebone in his pond about 2-3 wks. ago and he hasn't touched it.

Do I have the pickiest turtle ever or what? I've been giving him 4 Reptomin pellets and 1-2 baby shrimp every other day now since he won't eat the other things I give him. I don't want him to starve.

Any suggestions or advice? Thanks!

Debra

[BullDog]

How much tuna did you put in the jello shots? I put about two tablespoons in mine, so it's really smelly.
If he's eating some anacharis, that's good.

You should really cut down on the shrimp. He won't starve. When he's hungry enough, he'll eat the lettuce or other veggies you provide him.

[together28]

I put a whole can of tuna in the veggie shots but it made a batch big enough for three cups. I froze two cups of the pureed mix like the recipes reads, and made the jello shots with the one cup of pureed mix.

I drop one jello shot right next to him in his favorite corner and he ignores it. The fish come over (10 tiny goldfish) and start pecking at it and Bubba just sits there. I don't know what else to do to entice him to eat anything besides the Reptomin pellets and baby shrimp.

I'm glad to hear you say that he will eat when he's hungry enough because I was so worried when I didn't see him eat the veggies and that's why I filled in with pellets every couple of days.

Should I just drop one veggie shot in the water every day and withhold the Reptomin completely, and just wait until he starts eating the veggies? Is it harmful if the veggie shot dissolves during the day and mixes in with the water? I usually drop it in the pond before I leave for work and watch him for a few min. to see if he eats.

[BullDog]

I think it'd be OK to try the "tough love" approach, feeding him only the jello shots and other veggies for a while. I've never had to do this, but try it for maybe a week, and hopefully he'll warm up to veggies.

If the water is properly filtered, then there's no problem with the veggie shot dissolving in the water, it'll just foul up your filter a bit quicker.

Do your shots smell fishy?

[theartbook35]

Maybe try different kinds of lettuce? Some turtles will only eat foods if they are a certain color. They are weird like that.

You can also try carrots, tomato, blueberries, turnip leaves, and dandelions.

[together28]

I think I saw Dandelion leaves at the grocery store last week. I will get some of those. I read another post where someone's turtle loved the turnip greens so I will try both of those today. I'm about to go to the store now.

Since he is so little (2 in.) should I do carrot shavings or just put a little hunk in there? Are the blueberries ok to put in whole and just float around? I'm wondering how he will grasp them to eat.

Bulldog: It is a small pond (3 ft. x 5 ft. x 5 in. deep) and I have a fountain in there but no filter or anything unless the fountain acts as a filter somehow. He just showed up in the pond one day. We didn't have anything in the pond except some aquatic plants for algae control.

For the veggie shots, I can only smell a hint of tuna if I get my nose right on it but otherwise not so much. I drained the water from the can before adding it - maybe I should have left it....

[dmbcskater]

he will eventually come around and start eating the greens. im sure he will be fine good luck

[BullDog]

Next time you make them, you can use the tuna water as the cold water portion of the shots. Makes them all that more irresistible. When I made mine last time, I put in one spoonful, then stiffed it. It smelled too much like veggies, so I added another spoonful. Then when I sniffed it, it almost burned out a nose hair!

For the carrots, you can peel them real thin, most RES like them like that. The blueberries you can put in whole.

Just make sure to scoop out uneaten food after about a day.

[together28]

Thank you for the advice. When I take the other two cups of pureed mix out of the freezer, I will mix in a little bit of tuna water before I add the gelatin to make them more appetizing. It was a pretty big bunch of kale so the puree probably has a strong veggie smell.

I will prepare the carrots the way you suggested also.

Let's hope I have good news to post soon!!! Thanks!!

[TheComputerGremlin]

Wait, he's only 2"? Young turtles (which are generally under 4") are more carnivorous and many hatchlings don't take to veggies for a long time. You should just be able to cut back on your pellets, no more baby shrimp or other protein sources, and continue offering veggies, but don't be dismayed if he doesn't eat them for a few months. Just keep trying!

[together28]

ComputerGremlin: Thanks. Do you have an estimate as to how old he might be at 2 inches? He just showed up in my pond one day and he's been in our family for two months now but he hasn't grown that much in length. It would be great to have a roundabout age. I was thinking maybe a year but really have NO idea!!

[VanishingReality]

I originally got my guy to eat veggies by feeding him sweet potato. It isn't something you can feed every day but once he ate that he at least bit the other veggies. Have you tried red leaf lettuces? My guy loves red/orange food (except carrots) but will only eat green if he has to. But then again my guy is nuts and waits for his fish to die of natural causes before he eats them.

Plus when he was younger I feed him veggies/calcium in the morning and pellets at night so he would be "starved" enough to finish his veggies. Now that he is an adult he will pretty much take it anytime though.

I'd say he was six months or so.