What a box turtle eats determines how healthy it grows and how long it lives. For this reason, anyone keeping a box turtle as a pet should familiarize themselves with what these creatures consume both in the wild and in captivity.
So what do box turtles eat? Keep reading to find out!
The Box Turtle’s Diet in Brief
Box turtles are omnivorous, meaning they eat and benefit from both animal and plant matter. In the wild, they typically find this food via foraging.
In general, these creatures enjoy a diet that’s 60% meat, 30% vegetables and plant parts such as flowers, and 10% fruits. If you plan on keeping a pet box turtle, keep these values in mind, as feeding it too much or too little of any type of food can lead to problems.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s dive into what box turtles like chowing down on!
What Box Turtles Eat in the Wild
In their natural habitat, box turtles eat both animal and plant matter.
Animal matter
Meat is an excellent source of protein for box turtles, and these reptiles need protein to keep their bones and shell strong. In the wild, 60% of their diet consists of animal matter.
Protein is especially important for younger box turtles, as this nutrient helps guarantee their healthy growth. A young box turtle should eat around 70% to 80% protein.
Below are some examples of the types of animal matter that box turtles consume:
Insects, arachnids, and worms
- Beetles
- Caterpillars
- Earthworms
- Grasshoppers
- Millipedes
- Red worms
- Spiders
- Wax worms
Amphibians
- Frogs
Gastropods
- Slugs
- Snails
Aquatic creatures
- Chow
- Crayfish
- Sardine
- Trout
Plant matter
Plant matter is loaded with nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, that box turtles need to stay healthy.
40% of the wild box turtle’s diet consists of plant matter. This can be further categorized into vegetables and flowers (30%) and fruits (10%).
Vegetables
- Beet greens
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Kale
- Leafy greens
- Lettuce
- Peapods
- Spinach
- Sweet potatoes
Flowers
- Carnations
- Dandelions
- Germaniums
- Hibiscus
- Nasturtiums
- Rose
Fruits
- Apples
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Berries
- Blackberries
- Cherries
- Figs
- Grapes
- Kiwi
- Mangos
- Melons (remove the seeds)
- Mulberries
- Oranges
- Papayas
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
What Box Turtles Eat as Pets
You should feed a pet box turtle a close approximation of what it would eat in its natural habitat. This means giving it the animal and plant matter described in the previous section.
However, it’s best to purchase these foods at supermarkets, groceries, and exotic pet stores, as edibles harvested from the wild could contain diseases and toxins that can make your pet sick.
In addition to the above foods, you can give your pet the following:
Animal matter
Any bird or mammalian meat you give a box turtle should be cooked, as eating this raw could contaminate your pet with dangerous pathogens. When cooking meat, however, avoid using ingredients and additives as these can hurt your pet. In other words, keep the meat as plain as possible!
- Cooked beef heart
- Cooked chicken
- Crickets
- Eggs
- Mealworms
- Nightcrawlers
- Superworms
- Pinky mice (dead newborn mice)
- Green beans
Plant matter
Ensure the veggies, fruits, and other plant matter you feed your pet are fresh. Wash them thoroughly to get rid of substances that could harm a box turtle.
Seeds may present a choking hazard to box turtles, so remove them from any fruits you give your pet. For the same reason, chop up hard fruits and vegetables into tiny pieces.
- Butternut squash
- Chinese cabbage
- Collard greens
- Green beans
- Melons (with the rind)
- Mustard greens
- Romaine lettuce (occasionally)
- Rose petals
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded squash
- Sweet peppers
- Swiss chard
Supplements and commercial box turtle food
It’s also a good idea to feed a captive box turtle supplements. This is because some foods don’t contain enough or are completely absent of nutrients it can benefit from. Consider giving your pet box turtle supplemental vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.
You can also give your pet commercial turtle food, which is often formulated to provide box turtles in captivity nutrients that can boost their health.
Before giving your pet supplements and commercial turtle food, however, get advice from a veterinarian, as they can determine what nutrients your box turtle requires and whether or not it needs such additions to its diet in the first place.
Give such foods to your reptile in conjunction with the other foods described above. Also, make sure all edibles you give your pet are fresh, and provide it with clean, fresh water daily to help it stay hydrated.
What Box Turtles Shouldn’t Eat
A box turtle needs a nutritious, well-balanced diet to enjoy good health. For this reason, a box turtle shouldn’t eat any foods that have low nutritional value or that contain potentially harmful substances.
What if your box turtle ingests unsuitable foods then experiences digestive problems such as vomiting and/or diarrhea or other health concerns such as lethargy? The best thing you can do is to contact a veterinarian immediately. Make sure to act quickly to prevent its condition from worsening!
With that in mind, here are some foods box turtles should never eat:
Human food
In general, human foods aren’t appropriate for box turtles. Many of these contain preservatives, sugar, colorants, and other substances that can irritate their digestive system or cause potentially lethal toxicity.
Other human foods don’t contain the nutrients box turtles need to stay healthy, while others come with an excess of nutrients.
Below are examples of the foods to avoid feeding your pet:
- Bakery products
- Bread
- Candy
- Canned food
- Chocolate
- Commercial cat food
- Commercial dog food
- Dairy products
- Junk food
- Pasta
- Processed meat
- Sugary products
- Tobacco products
Reptiles are lactose-intolerant, so never give a pet box turtle any dairy products such as milk and cheese.
Just as junk food is bad for humans, they’re unhealthy for box turtles, too.
While you can give your reptilian friend a tiny portion of cat or dog food, too much too often can result in long-term harm.
Fruits and vegetables
Some fruits and vegetables aren’t good for box turtles either. For example, potato leaves and rhubarb are highly toxic to box turtles.
Examples of fruits and veggies a box turtle shouldn’t eat include:
- Avocado pits
- Avocado skin
- Rhubarb
- Potato leaves
- Tobacco leaves
- Tomato leaves
Flowers
Various flowers and plants are toxic to box turtles. Make sure you don’t have such plants at home or wherever you allow your box turtle to roam.
- Iris
- Lily of the Nile
- Lily of the valley
- Oleander
- Philodendron
- Poison ivy
- Rosary pea
- Spider mum
- Umbrella tree
Box Turtle Feeding Tips
Keep your box turtle in excellent health by following the feeding tips below:
Adult and baby box turtles have different nutritional requirements
You should feed a mature turtle a single meal every two days or three times a week. Hatchlings must eat daily and should also be given calcium and vitamin supplements at least thrice a week. Consult a veterinarian if you have doubts about the feeding frequency and amount.
Baby box turtles prefer meat over plants
As all that additional protein is good for the development of a baby box turtle, feel free to give yours more meat such as insects and worms than fruits and veggies. In contrast, elderly box turtles enjoy fruits and flowers. Again, seek veterinary advice before committing to any decisions.
Feed your box turtle in the morning or early afternoon
It’s a good idea to feed your pet in the morning or early afternoon, as this is when box turtles are most active and warm.
Remove uneaten food from a box turtle’s feeding area
15 to 20 minutes after the start of a box turtle’s feeding session, remove any food it hasn’t eaten. This will prevent it from eating food that’s no longer fresh. It will also keep it from overeating. Uneaten live food, however, can stay in the feeding area.
Hibernating box turtles don’t need food
If your box turtle hibernates, you don’t have to give it food during the months it’s dormant. However, make sure it has ready access to clean, fresh drinking water.
Separate box turtles during feeding time
Do you plan on keeping more than one box turtle? You may have to feed them using separate plates or even separate feeding areas, as some turtles tend to prevent others from eating.
Variety is key
Provide your pet with a rich variety of food. This will prevent it from getting bored and going on a hunger strike. This will also ensure its body absorbs a variety of essential, health-boosting nutrients.
Give your box turtle calcium
Box turtles benefit from calcium, so consider giving your pet eggshells that have been crushed into tiny pieces. Bake said pieces at 149 C (300 F) in the oven for around half an hour. You can also give it calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, or calcium carbonate. Make sure to seek veterinary advice before giving your friendly reptile calcium supplements, however.
Don’t give your box turtle too much vitamin D
While box turtles need vitamin D to stay healthy, an excess of this nutrient can also harm them. If you give your pet lots of opportunities to enjoy the sunlight outdoors, you won’t have to give it this supplement.
Conclusion
Box turtles consume a broad array of foods, including insects, worms, veggies, fruits, and flowers.
If you’re the owner of a box turtle, make sure its diet mimics its wild counterpart’s. Thankfully, many of the foods these reptiles feed on are readily available in most supermarkets, groceries, and exotic pet stores. Your pet will benefit from commercial turtle food and nutritional supplements as well. Just don’t forget to consult a veterinarian if you have any questions about what, when, how much, and how often to feed your tiny friend!