What do turtles eat and how to feed them

Soft-shelled turtle is a precious economic animal. It not only has delicious meat but also is rich in nutrition. Therefore, it is deeply favored by breeding enthusiasts. In the process of breeding soft-shelled turtles, it is very important to do the correct feeding work, which is conducive to improving the breeding efficiency of soft-shelled turtles. So what do soft-shelled turtles eat and how do you feed them? Let’s learn more about it below.

What do turtles eat?

Soft-shell turtles are omnivorous animals, but they prefer animal bait. Usually young turtles feed on aquatic insects, earthworms, tadpoles, shrimps, etc. Adult soft-shelled turtles mainly feed on snails, clams and other mollusks, fish, shrimp and animal carcasses, and also eat plant-based feed such as vegetables, fruits and grains.

How to feed soft-shelled turtle?

1. Feed selection

The feed for soft-shelled turtles should include animal feed and plant feed. Animal feeds include small fish, shrimps, earthworms, etc., and plant feeds include soybean meal, aquatic plants (water plants), vegetables, fruits, etc. The feed ratio should be reasonable and adjusted according to the different growth stages and needs of the turtle.

2. Appropriate fertilizer and water

Apply organic fertilizer to the pond regularly, and the amount of fertilizer should be determined according to the fertilizer content of the pond water. Maintaining the proper fertility of the pond water can promote the reproduction and growth of plankton and algae, providing high-quality and palatable natural bait for soft-shelled turtles.

3. Feeding principles

Feeding should follow the "four fixed" principles, namely fixed time, fixed point, fixed quantity and fixed quality. It is recommended that the daily feeding amount should be eaten within 2-4 hours, and the feeding time is generally chosen in the morning and evening.

4. Clean up the remaining feed

The remaining feed should be cleaned out of the breeding pond in time to prevent the feed from decomposing in the water to produce harmful substances and affect the water quality. Special tools or equipment can be used to remove the remaining feed, and the breeding pond should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to ensure clean water quality.

5. Water quality control

The quality of water is crucial to the growth of soft-shelled turtles. The pond water quality should be checked regularly to ensure that the water is clean. The water quality can be improved by changing the water, adding green plants (such as water lilies, water hyacinth , etc.), etc. At the same time, attention should be paid to controlling parameters such as the pH value and dissolved oxygen content of the water to provide a suitable growth environment for the soft-shelled turtle.

In general, soft-shelled turtle is an omnivorous animal, and its daily diet should contain appropriate amounts of animal and plant feed to achieve a balanced nutrition. In addition, attention should be paid to the hygiene and safety of the feed, and the water quality should be changed regularly to keep the breeding environment clean, so that the soft-shelled turtle can grow fast and well.