If you wonder what your painted turtle’s diet should be, you’re not the only one. A lot of other adult painted turtle owners go through the same confusion.But first, the more important question is, is it really a turtle that you have as a pet? Have you heard of the phrase ‘all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises?’Well, if you haven’t, we will decode it for you.Many people mistake tortoises to be turtles all the time, but there are differences, and not just minor ones, mind you. Starting with the basics, a turtle is a type of reptile that is known as Testudines and is identified by a shell. This shell is developed by the turtle’s ribs. Today, turtles are mainly divided into two groups; side-neck turtles and hidden-neck turtles. It is obvious by the names that this classification is on the basis of how the painted turtle’s neck retracts. The tortoise is also an animal that is classified as a reptile, included under the order Testudines.The major difference that creates a line between a turtle and a tortoise is that tortoises live on the land and turtles are tortoises who have adapted to live on land. As turtles have to swim, being aquatic turtles and the fact that creatures evolve according to their needs, turtles have shells that are thin and water-dynamic. On the other hand, tortoises have shells that are rounded and domed. Also, the legs of tortoises are club-like from the front and the hind ones are heavier, almost elephantine, and this aids their movement on the land. To make movement in water easier, turtles, however, have legs that are like flippers, and their feet are webbed.Now that you know if you have a painted turtle, it’s wise to know which type of turtle your pet is so that you can figure out their healthy diet accordingly. Most animals have a large number of species, all of which need to bask. Basking is just the act of a turtle resting on a rock, dock, or another surface to dry out entirely and absorb some beneficial UV rays. Every turtle needs basking. Turtles have various species and some of them that make good pets are as follows:African side neck turtle: These might be the most unique species of turtles among the ones that exist today. Having enormously long necks that don’t have the ability to retract to their shells, these are very different from the more traditional turtles you might know. Even though these turtles are small in size, they require big tanks so that they have enough water to be able to swim in.Painted turtle: There are four types of painted turtles; eastern painted turtles, western painted turtles, midland painted turtles and southern painted turtles. Painted turtles are most commonly found in North America as they are native to the area. Some other places where these turtles are usually found include Canada and Mexico. Less commonly known as Chrysemys picta, painted turtles belong to the genus Chrysemys. Painted turtles are known to have existed for almost 15 million years now. The most common painted turtle is the western painted turtle. This turtle isn’t particularly huge but it also needs tank space as it likes to swim. The housing requirements and eating habits of these turtles match the red-eared slider turtle.Mississippi map turtles: Also known as a sawback turtle, a Mississippi map turtle is one that has a distinctive dorsal fin. These turtles can live up to the age of 30 years, a little less than the average age of turtles. These turtles are stressed very easily and need an environment that is peaceful and doesn’t require a lot of human interaction.Red-eared slider turtle: This is a type of turtle that comes under the most popular species of turtles. Having friendly characteristics, these turtles do well in outdoor water bodies. These turtles require a clean atmosphere and relatively warm temperature to live. The temperature of the environment for this turtle needs to be a little warmer than what many other turtles, like a painted turtle, would require. They also need good lighting and water filtration systems in their tank so they can fulfill their need of living in a clean environment. The habits of these turtles match the painted turtles.After reading about the diet of a midland painted turtle, why not also check out our answers to how long do painted turtles live and how big do painted turtles get?What fruits and vegetables are OK for painted turtles to eat?As mentioned earlier, the diet of animals is what matters the most and if you want your pet to be healthy, you need to make sure they’re feeding on the right things and give them the correct diet to eat. The good thing about having a turtle as a pet is that they are not very picky about what they eat. They are seen feeding on various fruit and vegetables, including kale, celery, lettuce, par-boiled leafy vegetables, banana, berries, shredded apples, duckweed, anacharis, water hyacinth, water lettuce, leaves, algae, beets, carrots, and grass.What do painted turtles like to eat the most?‘What do painted turtles eat?’ isn’t a complex question as painted turtles are not picky eaters and they eat a large variety of foods. Some of the most favorable food items for them are:Brine shrimps: Being omnivores, turtles enjoy food that is rich in protein, and brine shrimps are a good source for them to feed on.Insects and worms: As food, crickets and mealworms work like treats for your painted turtles. Other than feeding them fruit, leafy vegetables, meat, etc., you can feed your painted turtle insects. Painted turtles eat once every three days to prevent them from becoming overweight.Do painted turtles eat dirt?Some turtles are known to consume dirt as being aquatic animals, they travel along the bottom of the lake or the water body they’re in and accidentally intake some dirt present there.It is highly uncommon for any turtle, either living in the wild or kept as a pet, to voluntarily feed on dirt unless they mistakenly have it while walking on the bottom of their tank or the bed of whichever body of water they are in. Painted turtles, in particular, are the last type of turtles that will eat dirt, at least knowingly. Even when these turtles walk along the water bed, they are seen feeding on aquatic plants and creatures such as small fish.Food To Avoid Feeding Painted TurtlesThere are some food items that are supposed to be avoided by painted turtles. After all, not every creature has the capacity to eat everything, does it? Whether a baby painted turtle or an adult-painted turtle, some foods are not suitable for them to eat.For starters, although turtles eat fish that are found in the water bodies, it’s still not recommended for you to feed your turtle fish that are randomly found in lakes or the fish found in ponds but only the fish that you buy yourself. Some foods that are advised not to be given to your turtle include carbs, minnows, fish like goldfish, purslane, beetroot, avocado, string beans, potatoes, cassava, blackberries, nuts, citric fruits, fruit seed, and endive. Remember that a baby painted turtle is a carnivorous animal and will require meat to eat until it is seven years old. Some other food items to avoid feeding to baby turtles include dairy products, lettuce, and foods with preservatives.Why won’t my painted turtle eat?Sometimes the eating habits of your pet can make you worry. When your animal doesn’t eat properly or at all, some major reasons can be:Vitamin A deficiency: If you can spot some patches on the shell of your painted turtle, it is probably due to a deficiency of vitamin A.Respiratory disease: When painted turtles are kept as a pet, these wild animals grow to develop respiratory problems, have trouble breathing, and lose their appetite.Constipation: One of the reasons why your painted turtle isn’t eating might be stomach problems including constipation.Improper lighting and environment: Your turtle needs UVA light rays and UVB light rays at least 12 hours a day, and lack can cause appetite problems and other health issues. Also, painted turtles are adapted to live in high temperatures, so if your turtle isn’t eating properly, you should consider changing its location to where the temperature is in the range of 75-80.6 degrees F(24 to 27 degrees C)Hibernation: As turtles are known to hibernate, when painted turtles prepare themselves for hibernation, they are bound to avoid the food you provide them.Diet Of A Painted Turtle In CaptivityPainted turtles are omnivorous and consume all types of things. Chicken, meat, insects, fruits and vegetables, and various types of food items are included in the diet of painted turtles. While in the wild, turtles feed on everything, whilst in captivity the sources of food available to them become limited.Plants, tiny creatures such as fish, crustaceans, water insects, and some carrion are the main sources of food for painted turtles. Young painted turtles are mostly carnivorous, but later in life, they develop a taste for vegetation.Painted turtles are omnivores who love to eat meat in an aquarium. Regardless, you should keep your painted turtle’s protein intake to a minimum. It is very strongly recommended that they consume a well-balanced diet consisting primarily of plants and vegetables, with meat or a protein source two to three times each week. The following meals are favored with painted turtles as staple vegetables and plants:Lettuce with red leaves, kale, duckweed, anacharis, and lilies in the water.Omega One is the greatest aquatic turtle pellet currently available. Salmon and whole herring are the first two ingredients in these pellets. Omega One is the only turtle pellet on the market that contains as much natural seafood as it does.Mazuri is the bulk turtle food that most zoos use, and there’s a reason for that. It’s a simply terrific, balanced, everyday food.Iceberg or head lettuce shouldn’t be fed because it is largely made up of water and has less nutritional value. The key to feeding turtles is to provide diversity because if they are fed the same foods over and over, they will become bored and quit eating.You don’t want to feed a protein source to your painted turtle every day. When you do feed it, you also don’t want to overfeed it. Obesity (yes, it happens in turtles!) and kidney issues can result from overfeeding.Giving your turtle as many pellets as the size of its head, or as many as it can consume in 10-15 minutes, is a decent rule of thumb. You must take care of its diet to ensure its good health. Don’t be concerned if you believe the amount of food you are giving your turtle is insufficient. Remember that painted turtles eat large insects in the wild and that their turtle pellets provide adequate nutrition for them.What do painted turtles normally eat in the wild?In the wild, the wild painted turtles don’t have any direct source of food. The wild painted turtles have to eat whatever they can find.As painted turtles are omnivores, they feed on water plants, insects that they can find, small fish, etc. Anything and everything that a turtle can find in the water body is consumed by it, from leafy vegetables and plants in the water to insects and worms.Is it OK to feed a wild painted turtle?A painted turtle in the wild usually feeds on whatever it likes. From fish and insects found in the lake to the plants on the bottom of the water bodies, you will never fully know what constitutes the diet of a wild painted turtle.When you have a pet turtle, they are not on their own anymore and you are in charge of what goes into their bodies, and you have to make decisions wisely. It is advised to include leafy vegetables, insects, worms, meat, foods with high protein, fish, and water plants in the diet of your painted turtle.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do painted turtles eat then why not take a look at how to hatch turtle eggs, or painted turtle facts.
If you wonder what your painted turtle’s diet should be, you’re not the only one. A lot of other adult painted turtle owners go through the same confusion.
