All Turtles Message Board

Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

Okay so some of you know that I haven't had much luck getting my GROWN turtle to eat her veggies. I was at petsmart looking for some aquatic plants and they didnt have the ones I was looking for (anacharis). then I saw in the little freezer some aquatic turtle food where the frozen shrimp and what-not are in. now I've heard that some plants were no good when they've been frozen, but I thought I would give this a shot since I thought SOME veggies would be better than NO veggies. Please let me know if this is a bad idea. The food is made by SanFrancisco Bay Brand. It says that it is a 100% complete and to feed "only as much as your turtle will eat in 5 minutes one to 2 times daily". This will not work for me however, because my turtle absolutely LOVES this stuff. I've never seen her go after anything so fast. It looks like little dark green icecubes, and the ingredients are: carrot, anacharis, krill, romaine lettuce, turnip, pollock, bloodworms, dandelion greens, and alot of vitamins including vitamin D3. It also claims that the ingredients are low in oxalic acid. Now, I'm sure that this can't be as good as fresh veggies because naturally some of the nutrients die when they are frozen, but do you guys think this might be a good alternative for me until I can get her to eat veggies by themself? I've read that certain things can be bad for a turtle once they've been frozen, so if anyone can give me their two cents on this food i'd be very happy.

Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

so this is what I've found so far about frozen vegetables and the enzyme called thiamin that some have. i also see that many freshwater fish have this enzyme and i know alot of people feed their turtles feeder fish, so I was wondering if maybe i'm over reacting as usual...or should I be worried? it also says adding brewers yeast to the frozen food might help...hmm how in the world can i do that?

Thiamin (Vitamin B1) deficiency is caused by feeding items that contain the
enzyme thiaminase rather than by feeding a thiamin deficient diet.
Thiaminase breaks down the animals stored supply of thiamine. Herbivorous
reptiles may acquire this disease because thiaminase is found in ferns and
ornamental house plants, and by feeding large amounts of frozen vegetables.
Freezing decreases vitamin levels and increases thiaminase activity.
Carnivorous reptiles may acquire a deficiency because thiaminase is found in
fish. Thiamine is necessary for the proper development and function of
nervous tissues. A thiamine deficiency is characterized by nervous
disorders such as: twitching, spasms, blindness, abnormal posture, and an
inability to use specific muscle groups. In snakes, inability to accurately
strike their prey can be observed. Thiamin deficiency can also lead to
dystocia, egg-retention, and other reproductive disorders. These signs may
also be seen with other vitamin deficiencies such as vitamin E or selenium
and they may also be related to other disease processes. Treatment with a
thiamine supplement usually will correct the problem. Adding a small amount
of Brewer's yeast to any frozen food item prior to feeding will also help.

fishandcandy · Level 3 Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 200 Location: Indio, CA

Is it frozen when you feed it to the turtle?

deesygirl · Moderator Joined: 12 Sep 2002 Posts: 1227

I don't think I would use that as a sole souce of food. Maybe as another suppliment and then I wouldn't worry "as" much. This is the same reason why I never recommend frozen fish. But there again, if given in small amounts it "should" be ok. The problem is many times these things end up being a staple item instead of just a suppliment then the turtle sufferes from a lack of B1.
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Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

yes, the food is frozen when I give it to her. Its like a little green ice cube. I plop it in the water and she attacks it as soon as i drop it. She gets the hole thing down in about 1 and a half bites. You can see the little red worms and pieces of carrot float out in a cloud of green at the first chomp and then its all gone. Whatever is left, the 2 feeder fish I have left come up and eat it as it falls out of her mouth. it's kinda funny.

and I agree, I wouldn't feed it as an exclusive diet either. Right now her diet consists of zoomed's aquatic turtle pellets, Reptomin floating turtle sticks, and thos veggie cubes (until I find a veggie she really wants to eat.) I know one of you said to take all her food away because she wont starve herself and try to make her eat the lettuce, but the lettuce ends up just getting all slimy and it makes the tank gross. I'm thinking i'm gonna stick with looking for a plant that she will eat that will maybe stay alive in the tank until she eats it. all of this aside, if anyone hears anything negative about this new frozen food let me know, because right now it seems like a great supplement for me to get her leafy greens in her diet.