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We know the Testudines order as turtles or turtles. Your spine and ribs are welded together, forming a very strong carapace that protects your entire body. In many cultures they are the symbol of the warrior, but also of the patience, wisdom and longevity. This is due to their slowness and caution, which allows them to achieve a very long life.
Some species can live for more than 100 years. For this, these curious animals have to take care of themselves and, above all, feed themselves very well. But you know what turtle eats? If the answer is no, keep reading because in this PeritoAnimal article we tell you everything you need to know about turtle feeding, both aquatic and land turtles. Good reading.
What do sea turtles eat?
There are 7 species or types of sea turtles that form the superfamily of chelonoidis (Chelonoidea). Your Alimentation depends on each species, the available food and its enormous migrations. Despite this, we can summarize what sea turtles eat by dividing them into three types:
- carnivorous sea turtles: eat marine invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, crustaceans or echinoderms. Occasionally they may eat some seaweed. Within this group we find the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the kemp or olive turtle (Lepidochelys Kempii) and the flat turtle (Natator depression).
- sea turtles hherbivores: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is the only herbivorous marine turtle. When they are adults, these turtles feed exclusively on algae and marine plants, although they usually eat invertebrate animals when they are young. It is the turtle that we see in the photograph.
- omnivorous sea turtles: they are more opportunistic and their food depends on what is available. They eat algae, plants, invertebrates and even fish. This is the case of the loggerhead turtle (caretta caretta), the olive turtle (Lepidchelys olivacea) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
In this other article we detail more how long a turtle lives.
What do river turtles eat?
We know as river turtles those that live in association with fresh water sources, such as rivers, lakes or swamps. Some of them can even live in rather salty waters, such as estuaries or marshes. For this reason, as you may have already guessed, what freshwater turtles also eat depends on each species, where they live and the existing food.
Most aquatic turtles are carnivorous, although they supplement their diet with small amounts of vegetables. When they are small, they consume tiny animals such as insect larvae (mosquitoes, flies, dragonflies) and small molluscs and crustaceans. They can also eat aquatic insects such as water bugs (Naucoridae) or cobblers (Gerridae). So when we ask what small turtles belonging to this group eat, you can see that their food is quite varied.
As they grow, these turtles consume larger animals such as larvae of crustaceans, molluscs, fish and even amphibians. In addition, when they reach adulthood, they usually include algae, leaves, seeds and fruits in your diet. In this way, vegetables can represent up to 15% of your diet and are essential for your health.
In some turtles, the consumption of plants is much higher, so they are considered aquatic turtles omnivorous. This is the case of the famous Florida turtle (Trachemis scripta), a very opportunistic reptile that adapts well to any type of food. In fact, it often becomes an invasive alien species.
Finally, some species feed almost exclusively on vegetables, although they occasionally consume animals. For this reason, they are considered herbivorous aquatic turtles. An example is the tracajá (Podocnemis unifilis), whose favorite food is the seeds of leguminous plants. Coastal lowland turtles (Pseudemys floridana) prefer macroalgae.
If you want to learn more about what river turtles eat, don't miss this other article on water turtle feeding.
What do land turtles eat?
One of the main differences between water and land turtles is in their diet. Land turtles (Testudinidae) have adapted to living out of water, but they are still slow animals, specialized in hiding. For this reason, most land turtles are herbivores, meaning your diet is made up mostly of vegetables.
Typically, turtles are generalist herbivores, that is, they consume leaves, stems, roots and fruitsfrom different plants depending on season and availability. This is the case of the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni) or the giant Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.). Others are more specialized and prefer to consume a single type of food.
Sometimes these herbivorous turtles supplement their diet with small animals such as insects or other arthropods. They can be eaten with vegetables accidentally or directly. Due to its slowness, some choose to carrion, that is, dead animals. However, meat represents a very small percentage in your diet.
On the other hand, if you ask yourself what turtle hatchling eats, the truth is that your diet is made up of exactly the same foods as an adult specimen. In this case, the difference is in the quantity, which is greater because they are in a state of development.
Now that you know what turtle eats according to type and species, we recommend this other even more detailed article on feeding land turtles.
If you want to read more articles similar to What does turtle eat?, we recommend that you enter our Balanced Diets section.