Feeding and Nutrition :: Feeding difficulties

[RedEar]

Here in the last week or two it's been a challenge to feed Spencer. I usually feed him some pellets in the morning and some in the evening and he has been eating them pretty good. My problem is that when it is time to feed him, he is so excited and doesn't pay attention to the food dropping in and floating around. His eyes stay focused on me and he splashes around trying to get to me. All the splashing around just stirs the food up and scatters it around the tank and then he doesn't find it all. His health isn't a concern to me, because he is still growing and his skin and all has great color, so he is still getting his nutrients.

I had made the jello shots and he loved the very first one, but now that they are frozen he doesn't eat them and it just makes a huge mess in the tank. Last one I tried to give him was Monday of last week and he checked it out when it went into the tank and nipped at it, but then when I got home from work at the end of the day the tank was a mess from the jello shot. Mainly just the color of the water was messed up and it took the filter 2 days to get it back to normal.

I try to give him 5-10 pellets at a time and occasionally some lettuce to snack on during the day. I also give him about 3 brine shrimp about twice a week. My concern is just the furious activity when trying to feed him.

[steve]

That is pretty normal. I have a habit of tossing the pellets away from them and toward the glass, that way they have to swim and will see it when the look up/surface.

[RedEar]

I cut a hole in the top of the screen to drop pellets through. I usually drop the pellets at the edge near the glass and he just splashes them away and never finds them. The ones that stick around to the sides, I usually have to stand there and point to them to get his attention and get him to settle down. Just seems so cumbersome and not very effective, was hoping there was something different.

[steve]

Maybe you can drop them in when he's at the other side of the tank.

[RedEar]

LOL, I wish that were possible. He notices me when I'm on the other side of the room and immediately starts his swimming pattern at the front glass. Guess I shouldn't worry about it so much, since he seems to be in good health and very energetic.

[Mr. Tuck]

I've had to deal with some of the same issues with my turtle. Although I know the turtle would eat the pellets, he would rather follow me around...my hand specifically. I just crouch down after i put the food in the tank, direct him (with my hand) into the vicinity of the food and then I simply move away. He'll eat the pellets if he's hungry. As far as the jello, my turtle would not eat them at first but one day he just started gorging on them. Not really sure what changed. You could always let one thaw out first, and/or use them as the only food source until he takes to them. Just make sure you take them out before they disintegrate.