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Hi. I'm just wondering... how big were your turts before they had their first live fish meal?

I'm wondering because I just gave my turt some fish for the first time today. At first they scared the hell out of him. He stayed away from them, almost as if he was being bullied by them. After a few hours, he caught one and started eating it. My turt is around 2.5" in lenght. The feeder fish are around 3 quarters of an inch (3/4") long. I had to take the dead fish away because the turt was trying to swallow it whole and was really having a hard time with it. I admit that I got concerned that he might choke on it.

So just wondering about your experiences with feeder fish and turts, how big were the fish and how big was the turtle. For now, I'll take the fish out and continue him on his diet of romaine lettuce and pellets with the occasional blood worms. But I'd still like to give him some live fish in the future so I'd Like to hear your thoughts.

My turts had their first fish after about 6 months. They have always gotten feeder guppies, so they aren't very good. I've never heard of fish bullying a turtle. What kind of fish did you offer?

Just feeder guppies. When I put them into the container, they staked out their little area on the tank and defended it from the turt. Well he retaliated anyway... so maybe he was just adjusting to his new neighbors/prey?

I called the behavior bullying because some of the bigger fish would go near the turt and start doing something like intimidating the turt by snapping at it... sort of like a dog barking at unfamiliar people near their territory.

Mine were about a month old when they had guppies. They went straight for it and still reminisce about it. How big are these guppies compared to your turts?

A little longer than his head when his neck is stretched. As for the diameter, the whole fish can fit in his mouth.

the_orphaned wrote:Hi. I'm just wondering... how big were your turts before they had their first live fish meal?

Sheba was almost 6 inches long when I bought her from a local pet store. She was swimming in this beautiful waterfall set up, pool at the bottom, with a gigantic goldfish hanging out of her mouth. I felt sorry for the fish because he was clearly too big for Sheba's mouth, but she didn't care, and just kept picking at him until she finished him up.

I wouldn't worry about your turtle being scared at first. Also, if the fish is too big, they will just bite it in half or nip at it until they finish it. That's how they do it in the wild too.

i used to be afraid of them choking on the fish too, but if it's too big they'll usually spit it back out and tear it apart...
they'll get it

wont the fish bones like peirce the roof of their mouths or something? Sorry, im being paranoid here. I just dont want my turt to get hurt... maybe I should just put it off untill he is like 4" long?

I haven't had a problem with it and my turtles were maybe 3 inches at most when we started them on fish.

the_orphaned wrote:wont the fish bones like peirce the roof of their mouths or something? Sorry, im being paranoid here. I just dont want my turt to get hurt... maybe I should just put it off untill he is like 4" long?

I was always worried about that too, but remember that in nature, no one is there to cut up the fish or remove the bones. They just swallow it down, and their bodies are designed to be able to digest them.

Of course, my RES is very spoiled, and I tend to cut larger treats into smaller pieces so she doesn't have to work at it.....

The bones actually provide extra calcium. Nothing to worry about.

Alright. i might just wait until he is a bit better and when I get him his new setup next week. Then I'll just have to find smaller fish for him. Thanks guys.

industrial_girl_2000 wrote:

the_orphaned wrote:Hi. I'm just wondering... how big were your turts before they had their first live fish meal?

Sheba was almost 6 inches long when I bought her from a local pet store. She was swimming in this beautiful waterfall set up, pool at the bottom, with a gigantic goldfish hanging out of her mouth. I felt sorry for the fish because he was clearly too big for Sheba's mouth, but she didn't care, and just kept picking at him until she finished him up.

I wouldn't worry about your turtle being scared at first. Also, if the fish is too big, they will just bite it in half or nip at it until they finish it. That's how they do it in the wild too.

Ewwwwwwe! I don't think I could take it if I saw my RES taking hunks out of a fish. She has some feeders living in the pond with her, but the pet store (yes I know they don't have a clue what they are talking about most of the time) told me the bigger goldfish were better for a bigger turtle. Stupid me says, "Ok I'll try it." They were all just small enough for her to swallow hole (I only got 5). There are two that have been left and living in the pond for months now and one is really getting big. I really hope she doesn't eat it and take hunks of it. I know I put it in there for food, but it is too big now.

my turtles have gotten feeders every month since they were brought home

Ferd wrote:my turtles have gotten feeders every month since they were brought home

Do you buy a dozen at a time and put them all in the tank? Or put in 1 or 2 at a time?


My wife just got our son a baby RES, and after I did some research I have got him into a good habitat (a 20 gallon long for now) from what the idiot at the pet shop told and sold her, a small pet carrier type enclosure. I picked up some ReptoMin Baby food and some Romaine, and I wanted to add some feeder fish since I see that the young are more carnivorous. I do not want to overfeed him on protein though. He is about 1-1.25" shell size.