What is the best food for musk turtles?

[turtlegirl]

I have a pair of adult musks that were fed on King British terrapin food by previous owner. I have a tub of this but was wondering if I ought to vary their diet and also what to buy when the tub runs out.
Because I have several other turtles (maps and sliders) I always have the following food at home:
1. Turtle Rescue adult pellets
2. Turtle Rescue baby food pellets
3. Dried fish
4. Dried shrimp

Also have the following sinking pellets which I use for my tropical fish:
1. Freezedried bloodworm pellets
2. JMC catfish pellets

My sliders love green veg (lettuce, cabbage, cucumber) -will musks eat veg? NONE of my turtles can be persuaded to eat carrots!

[wayne020668]

hi turtle girl, these musks will eat all of the above but are mainly carnivorous and things like earth worms & beef heart are good, earth / wax and meal-worms are also a good food source that these musks seem to love... again a good regular diet is essential weather they take it or not, as they have been used the king British all their loves then i would mix this with your regular foods so they get used to other tastes and flavors, please bare in mind they only have little mouths and belly's so big things like whole dried fish will need to be chopped to small pieces.

regards Wayne..

p.s glad to hear the little one has recovered.. might be worth adding its story to the forum so other keepers will learn from it..

[turtlegirl]

Thanks for your advice Wayne.
OK I will start mixing in various other ingredients into their King British tub so they will get used to other foods.

A few more questions:

1. How big are their mouths? Is it better to use Turtle Rescue adult or baby pellets (I have both)?
2. Earthworms -do you mean actual live worms or dried earthworm pellets bought on Ebay? I can get a good supply of worms from my organic compost bin Apr -Nov (worms hide deep in compost in winter)
3.Wax and meal worms -what are they and where do I find them,? Dead or alive? Will maps and sliders eat them too?
4. Beefheart -do you really mean the heart of a cow? Not sure where to get this from, maybe Halal butchers? Will other beef bits like steak do -or hearts of other animals (sheep, pigs)? Raw or cooked? Will they eat other offal like liver?
5. Internet research suggests musks like strawberries and melons. Never tried any of my turtles with fruit. Is fruit good for them?

[wayne020668]

hi turtle girl... all foods are good if cut or chopped small enough. you need to think like a little turtle and is that to big to get in my mouth... we have knifes and forks they dont... hay you wouldn't eat a steak without these would you... yes natural earthworms are very good for all turtles so looks like you have an endless supply but as a treat once a week.. wax / meal & Mario worms can be bought alive from any good reptile store and can be offered alive or freeze dried..
beef heart can be bought from any good super market although i would suggest that you feed them this once or twice a month for your babies, again cut in to small pieces and if you do but some cut all of it in to small pieces and freeze the rest into small packs so no waste and for easy use.. yes fruit is a must to offer all turtles and terrapins but its a case of seeing just what yours will eat, but keep trying it so many won't take it to start with... a lot of people don't like change and if your turtles / terrapins have been fed one thing all their life's then it can be hard to start with but you will see the results when they start to take it..
one last thing... these animals we take, eat, and find anything that they can find in, near or can fall into the waters that they live in. the secret here is offer them a good varied diet to see them grow and flurish...

regards wayne..