|
Home
Hours Of Operation
New Clients
Our Doctors
Expert Witness
Staff
Pet Info Center
List of Services
Pet Insurance
Referring Vets!
Coupons!
| |
|
|
|
As with most captive reptiles, most medical conditions for which box turtles are presented
to veterinarians result from malnutrition, either directly or indirectly. As stated above, box turtles are omnivorous
They will eat whole animals, such as meal worms, snails, slugs, earthworms and other invertebrates that may live
in the humus and leaf litter in which box turtles normally hunt for food in their natural habitat. Box turtles
also readily accept fruits, berries and certain vegetables.
Box turtles can be successfully raised by feeding a diet of whole animal substitutes, such as Reptile-Fare (Reliable
Protein Products, Los Angeles, CA 90048), low-fat, soft dog food (Cycle 4, Gaines Foods, St Anne, IL 60964), or
semi-moist dog food (Gaines- burgers, Gaines Foods, St Anne, IL. 60964). Fruit (berries of all types, bananas,
pears, peaches, papayas, guavas), vegetables (chopped, thawed, frozen mixed vegetables, squash, yams) and edible
mushrooms should be provided as well. The fruits and vegetables provide additional vitamins, minerals and moisture,
as well as necessary roughage. Many hobbyists believe a ratio of 1/2 to 2/3 whole animals and/or whole animal substitutes
to 1/3 to In fruit and vegetable matter offers the best results. Fruit-loving box turtles can be persuaded to eat
a wider variety of foods by mixing soft dog food with pureed or chopped fruit Other foods can be judiciously added
to the aforementioned items, including cottage cheese, chopped hard-boiled or scrambled egg, grated cheese and
yogurt
A completely natural diet (one that a wild box turtle would select for itself) can never be exactly duplicated
under conditions of captivity. For this reason, and because the exact nutritional requirements of box turtles are
unknown, vitamin-mineral supplementation is advised. Powdered supplements intended for reptiles (Reptical and Vita-Life,
Terra-Fauna Products, Mountain View, CA 94042; Reptovite, Verners Pet Products, Long Beach, CA 90807) should be
sprinkled each day over food moist enough to ensure adherence of the product We prefer the powdered vitamin-mineral-amino
acid supplement, Nekton-Rep (Nekton Products, W. Germany) and believe it to be superior to the similar products
listed above. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions should be directed to our office, 502-245-7863
|
|
VETERINARY
ASSOCIATES STONEFIELD