They Eat Turtles

Turtles are very beautiful reptiles characterized by having a large shell that protects their vital organs, where they can hide their head, legs and tail, when they feel scared or threatened by a predator.

Turtles are oviparous. They open holes in the ground to lay their eggs to keep them safe, warm and secure. Also, we have the species of sea turtles, which also make their holes in the land of the beaches where they were born, even if they spend the rest of their lives in the water.

This marine species has a large number of predators that generally end their lives before they begin, starting with man. That is why many species of turtles are in extinction; the good thing is that in many parts of the world there are programs to reproduce them.

Turtles are animals that can live from 50 to 90 years in a good environment and with all its nutrients. It should be noted that in the Galapagos Islands there is a tortoise that is estimated to be 175 years old and in good health.

As for its physiognomy, its spine is formed by a strong and rigid shell, which makes it impossible for its breathing to be normal, like other reptiles. Therefore, their breathing is done with the movements of their internal abdominal muscles, since underneath they also have a rigid lid.

Turtles are ectothermic reptiles; this means that they are animals whose metabolism depends on the temperature generated by their environment. Also, turtles shed their skin just like other reptiles, such as iguanas and snakes; but the turtles do it slower.

In addition, although it may seem strange, they gradually change the shields of their shell as they grow, also if their nutrition is not good they suffer some deformations. In each shield of the shell, some protuberances are produced and rise like pyramids, which indicate that the turtle is poorly fed.

For this reason, it is extremely important to have the necessary knowledge to provide our captive turtles with a good diet and quality of life, since many people have them as pets at home, collaborating with this species for its reproduction and conservation.

On the other hand, turtle eggs have three stages of constitution, which we know as Ectoderm, Mesoderm, and Endoderm. In the ectoderm the entire epidermis and the entire brain with its choral spine are formed. In the mesoderm, all the cells of the muscular tissue of your body and extremities begin to form. Also, the most important muscle tissue begins to form, which is the heart; this is responsible for moving all the blood in the body.

Finally, the endoderm is the last and most important of all the stages, since it is where the entire digestive system begins to form, including the liver and the other internal organs of the animal.

The shell of the turtle egg contains large amounts of calcium, which allows the formation of its bones and shell inside the egg. Thus, its shell is made up of two main large parts called carapace, which is the upper part where its shields are, and the lower part is known as the plastron, which is also known in some countries as the turtle’s breastplate, which it is also rigid.

On the other hand, their metabolisms are very slow which allow them to hibernate and be calm without moving for a long time, also water turtles. They can remain swimming  gently underwater without breathing for many hours without this affecting them at all. When they need oxygen they come out of the water for a few minutes or stick their nose out for air and then continue swimming.

Most species of turtles do not have teeth, but they do have a sharp beak with great force capable of cutting even the flesh of fish. Turtles are generally reptilian animals that feed throughout the day, at night and in winter they enter caves made by them.

Turtles have been evolving for billions of years, which is why they are scattered all over the world. They are found with a great variety of species, both in all the seas of the world, as well as in the rivers, lagoons and also land turtles.

Many people market them as pets or in other opportunities to eat their meat, which is very delicious and expensive. In Spain, in some restaurants, turtle meat soup is sold a lot, being a highly requested dish by diners.

Of course, this is generally clandestine, since the consumption and sale of turtle meat is prohibited because they are endangered animals.

Instructions

Here are some tips for feeding turtles:

1. The first thing to identify is whether the turtle is a water or land turtle to know what its diet is.
2. To identify it is very simple you must observe its shell first of all, since it varies a little.
3. If the turtle is a water turtle, its shell is a little thinner or flattened, as this allows it to move better through the water.
4. Also, you should observe its legs in great detail, since the water turtle has the most flattened legs.
5. Some species have membranes between their nails to trap more water and produce  more propulsion force when swimming.
6. Once the characteristics of the water turtles have been identified, we will tell you what they eat.
7. The most common thing for them is to eat small fish or fingerlings, also snails and mollusks and many types of seaweed.
8. These captive tortoises also eat a special processed food for growing tortoises that is high in fiber and calcium.
9. But if you have it as a pet in an aquarium or in a tank at home, you can also give it beef and chicken.
10. Also, they love salads with some fresh vegetables and fruits as they also eat cooked food like what humans eat.
11. If your turtle is a land turtle, you will know it, because when you look at its shell it will be more rounded.
12. Its legs are more cylindrical and have small nails that allow it to dig the ground and grab it better to move.
13. These turtles eat many green leaves of different plants, which they cut with the edge  of their mouths and swallow.
14. They also eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, which provide them with large amounts of
15. In the animal and pet food market, they sell a special manufactured food for turtles.
16. This should not be given all the time, since this food brings a lot of fiber and calcium, but hardly any vitamins.
17. For your turtle to stay healthy, you must give it a balanced diet and always eat lots of natural things.
18. You can also give it beef and chicken, including fish meat, since these reptiles adapt to eating many things.
19. It is important that they eat a little meat from time to time, because it helps them a lot in their growth and formation of their muscles.
20. Among the vegetables that turtles like to eat the most are those with green leaves, such as lettuce and chard.
21. These provide them with a large amount of folic acid and calcium that allows them to grow and harden the optimal shell.
22. On the other hand, they also really like carrots and white onions, this is very important for their diet, as it helps them a lot in the production of skin cells, which are always changing, just like snakes.
23. It is also important that they have their containers with water, where they can drink water and bathe.
24. Importantly, turtles also receive many nutrients and minerals through their anus when they bathe.
25. And this helps them hydrate their skin and eyes, since they don’t have glands to lubricate their eyes.

What do you need:

• Small fish or fry.
• Sea plants.
• Squid.
• Mollusks.
• Concentrated food for turtles.
• Vegetables like lettuce and Swiss chard.
• Bananas.
• White onion.
• Carrots.
• Bananas.
• Banana shells.
• Natural herbs or weeds.
• Lots of water to drink and bathe.

 Tips

Here are some tips for feeding turtles:

1. The stomach of your turtles, despite being reptiles and eating many things, is a bit delicate.
2. If you are going to give him beef or fish and even chicken, we recommend that it not be raw.
3. On the other hand, this meat should not have fat, since your digestive system would not support it and you can die of pain.
4. Never but never give him milk or cheese or any product that contains dairy, since his stomach is not designed to receive lactose either, which can also poison the reptile.
5. We recommend that you give them a lot of banana and plantain shells, which help them a lot due to their amount of fiber.
6. On the other hand, these banana shells keep their intestines free of parasites, since turtles also eat a lot of worms.
7. And if they eat green leaves, their intestines can also be filled with many parasites, which is why their diet is delicate.
8. If you have water turtles in your house and you have an aquarium, do not put them in the aquarium because the fish will eat you.
9. In addition, their fecal waste is very abundant and your fish die due to water contamination.
10. If you are going to have it in an aquarium, you should place 2 or 3 water filters with a pump to avoid contamination.
11. And with a platform so that when they get tired of swimming they can rest since they do not breathe underwater.