Commercial rabbit pellets are quite good for turtles. Made of alfalfa, the pellets are an excellent source of calcium, protein, and fiber. Fiber is quite important in proper functioning of the digestive tract; indeed, animals fed inadequate amounts of fiber will develop digestive problems. Dr. Scott pointed out that a turtle's digestive tract functions something like that of a horse - the turtle actually gains a lot of nutrition from the breakdown of fiber. Rabbit pellets can be moistened and then crumbled as a top dressing over other food.
Thiaminase is an enzyme that uses up a turtle's stores of Vitamin B. Vitamin B deficiency is indicated by various symptoms, including the animal's lifting its head way up over its back. Thiaminase is found in fish, and it increases in dead fish. It's OK to feed frozen fish now and then, but try to feed live or freshly killed fish whenever possible to avoid too much of this enzyme. The enzyme also occurs in the liver.
Herps need Vitamin C to boost their immune systems. A deficiency can cause susceptibility to many illnesses and parasites, and also bleeding into the joints. When fed a healthy diet, turtles can generate their own Vitamin C, so there is little need to supplement this nutrient. If supplementation is indicated, hoverer, crumbling part of a chewable Vitamin C tablet over the food should do the trick.
A lack of Vitamin K can cause bleeding problems and liver problems, such as hemorrhaging under the arms and blood spots under the tongue.
If your pets live outdoors any leftover food is likely to attract rats, raccoons, opossum and other vermin. these pests don't just like to eat turtle food, they like to eat turtles, and it's a slow and tortuous death. So be sure to clean up uneaten food, especially before nightfall. If you use poisons to control pests, be certain that your turtles can't reach it and eat it. Also, make sure the poison never comes in contact with any food item intended for your pets, and that water that may have come in contact with the poison can't run into the turtle pen.
Too much protein can correlate to kidney problems over time. Luckily, carnivorous turtles such as water turtles rarely develop these problems. But box turtles and especially tortoises should be safeguarded from eating too much protein.
Raw meat contains about 40 parts phosphorus to one part calcium - a very bad and potentially fatal ratio, especially for box turtles and tortoises.
Vitamin A is needed for maintenance of the mucus membranes. A lack of it can cause swelling of the eyes and blockage of the tear ducts. Liver is high in Vitamin A, and is a good supplement for animals with a deficiency in that vitamin. However, when overdosed, it becomes toxic. One sign of Vitamin A toxicity is that the animal's skin actually slips off. So, feed liver and other Vitamin A rich foods sparingly - no ore than once every two weeks. Better yet, feed foods rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A only as the body needs it. Foods high in Vitamin A include cooked liver, cod liver oil, yellow vegetables, carrots,and egg yolk.
Urine and waste buildup in an aquatic habitat can also cause swelling and watery eyes.
Assuming you provide a fiber-rich diet, constipation is usually not a problem of the digestive tract, but of what's in it, for instance a rock that gets swallowed along with some food. A little mineral oil may help the digestive tract to pass the foreign matter.
Sometimes as animal will strain too hard trying to pass feces. This can cause a prolapse of the rectal tissue - the insides actually get pushed outside. If this tissue gets dried out, it can become an emergency situation - get your pet to the vet immediately. In the meantime, keep the area clean and try to keep it moist with a little K-Y Jelly of saline solution. Some people have successfully treated this condition by sprinkling sugar on it - this absorbs moisture and reduces swelling enough that the tissue can be pulled back inside.
Most of us have seen our animals go off feed (become reluctant to eat) from time to time. This is especially prevalent during the hot summer months, or when turtles are occupied by something such as mating or egg laying. But if an animal remains off feed too long, it can develop fatty liver syndrome. This is a vicious circle type of malady, where the liver actually degenerates, causing the animal to become less interested in food, which causes further liver degeneration and on and on. As said, an occasional disinterest in food is normal, but if your animal doesn't eat for two weeks or more, or if it's losing weight or has changed behavior, you may want to try to tempt it to eat. Try raising the temperature (85 is about ideal for a reptile, a little more may stimulate more activity). Offer new interesting foods - wiggly live foods for box turtles and colorful vegetables for tortoises. Or try an old favorite. If the turtle still doesn't eat, have it checked by a vet.
Keeping your chelonians happy and healthy is easy, especially when they have a good place to live and a balanced diet. If problems arise, call our resource hot-line. Or see Dr. Scott or your favorite reptile vet.