If you have a terrapin as a pet, you want to make sure that you are feeding it the right food to keep it healthy and happy.
Because terrapins are more unusual pets, unlike cats or dogs, the question of what to feed them can feel like a challenge.
That’s why our experts have put together a list of the best food for terrapins, to make your choice easier.
All of our recommendations on our list of the best food for terrapins are available on Amazon, so ordering will be easy and quick.
#1: Supa Turtle & Terrapin Food
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Features:
- size: 1litre
- ingredients: river shrimp, shrimp flakes, gammarus & freeze-dried tubifex worms
- provides a nutritionally balanced diet for terrapins
- only contains natural ingredients
To Consider:
- top pick on our list of the best food for terrapins
- excellent customer reviews
- great price
- resealable plastic tub to keep food fresh for longer
- food is cleaned to highest possible standard as it is double sieved
- over 70 years of experience in aquatic trade
This 1 litre tub of high-quality terrapin food will last you a while. And because it comes in a resealable tub, it will stay fresh and yummy. Unlike other terrapin food, this one is double sieved, to clean it to the highest possible standards. You can be sure that you are buying good quality for your pet terrapin. No wonder it’s on top of our list of the best food for terrapins.
#2: King British Turtle and Terrapin Food
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Features:
- size: 200g
- ingredients include freeze-dried krill, gammarus and shrimp
- contains only natural ingredients
- provides a complete and balanced diet for pet terrapins
To Consider:
- runner-up on our list of the best food for terrapins
- great customer reviews
- affordable price
- scientifically developed for specific requirements of pet turtles and terrapins
- tub can be sealed airtight
Our runner-up for the best food for terrapins is reasonably priced and has great customer reviews, so you can buy with confidence. And you don’t need to worry about the smell (terrapin food is generally quite smelly), because it comes in a tub that can be closed airtight.
#3: Exo Terra Floating Pellet Food
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Features:
- size: 250g
- ingredients: gammarus shrimp
- only uses premium ingredients
To Consider:
- third spot on our list of the best food for terrapins
- great customer reviews
- carefully formulated to meet the needs of adult terrapins
- includes added vitamins and minerals – such as vitamin D3 to help with calcium absorption
- includes advanced yeast extract for a healthy digestive system
- bottle has a light shield to preserve the nutrients for a longer shelf life
The Exo Terra pellets have added minerals and vitamins, such as calcium and Vitamin D3, to keep your terrapin healthy as well as well-fed. They also add advanced yeast extract to keep your pet’s digestive system in good shape too. So you can be sure that your terrapin will thrive.
#4: Tetra ReptoMin Complete Food
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Features:
- size: 500ml/130g
- ingredients: derivates of vegetable origin, vegetable protein extract, fish and fish derivates, yeasts, minerals, molluscs and crustaceans, oils and fats, algae
- provides complete and balanced diet
- attractive food for terrapins as it’s worm-shaped
To Consider:
- great customer reviews
- good price
- vitamin supplements for a healthy terrapin
- improves shell and bone health through optimal calcium/phosphorus ratio
- contains yucca extract to reduce unpleasant tank odours
This terrapin food provides your pet with a balanced, nutritious diet to ensure it will thrive. The added vitamin supplements will keep your pet healthy. And you don’t need to worry about unpleasant smells from the tank, because the food contains yucca extract to eliminate any odours.
#5: Komodo Turtle & Terrapin Complete Diet
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Features:
- size: 150g
- ingredients: natural insects, crustaceans & whole dried fish
- 100% natural ingredients
To Consider:
- great price
- great customer reviews
- specifically formulated for terrapins and turtles
- will not cloud water
These floating pellets contain all your terrapin needs to stay healthy. And unlike other pellets, these won’t cloud the water, which will keep the water in your terrapin tank cleaner for longer.
What Veggies Can Terrapins Eat?
Terrapins are omnivores, which means that they will eat anything. When it comes to vegetables, they love lettuce, watercress, and other green leafy vegetables.
Some also like fruits, such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and bananas.
The best food for terrapins will include a variety of different foods, to give your terrapin a varied diet.
If you want to know more, read our article about what terrapins eat.
Do Terrapins Need Heated Water?
Yes, terrapins will benefit from heated water. In cold water, they can become sluggish.
The ideal temperature for a terrapin is between 23.8°C and 26.6°C (75°F and 80°F). In this sort of temperature, your terrapin will stay happy and playful.
If their tank gets too cold, your terrapin might also try to hibernate. This means they don’t move and eat.
In the wild, this is what they would do, but in captivity, a terrapin that tries to hibernate could become fatally sick.
How Many Times A Day, And How Much Should I Feed My Terrapin?
Terrapins eat surprisingly little. There is no set amount of food for a terrapin, as it will depend on the size of your pet.
To find out how much you should be feeding your terrapin, feed it in a separate tank. Scoop some water from the terrapinarium into the feeding tank. This is important, because you should never feed a terrapin on land.
Feed your terrapin until it stops eating, by giving it a few pieces of food at a time. This will give you the optimal amount of food your terrapin needs.
You can feed your terrapin this amount once a day. Or you can feed it twice daily, but in that case, we recommend that you feed less per feeding time.
Using a separate tank for feeding is highly recommended because terrapins tend to also go to the toilet when they are feeding.
So, by feeding them in a separate feeding tank, you can keep the terrapinarium cleaner for longer.
Can Terrapins Eat Cooked Chicken?
The short answer is yes, they can eat cooked chicken, as they are omnivores.
However, terrapins generally won’t like cooked meat, but will eat it if they are really hungry.
It is far better to feed your terrapin fresh food, such as oily fish, vegetables, fruits, worms, snails, or insects.
To make it easier for yourself, buy commercial terrapin food. This will be formulated to suit the needs of your terrapin, giving it a varied diet.
The best food for terrapins will also have added vitamins and minerals to ensure that your pet gets all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
All the food brands we recommend in our list of the best food for terrapins contain a balance of foods as well as added supplements. So you can be sure that you are feeding your pet excellent food.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Terrapin?
For terrapins in captivity, if they have the right conditions, they have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, on average. And it wouldn’t be a surprise if a pet terrapin lives over 30 years.
This is important to know if you consider having a terrapin as a pet.
Does A Terrapin Need A Lot Of Water?
Terrapins are semiaquatic animals, which means they need both land and water.
The ideal environment for a terrapin would be a tank that is half filled with water. But make sure you also provide a platform, such as a rock or a ramp, that is out of the water.
Because terrapins like to come out of the water and dry off and bathe in the sun. Or under ultraviolet light, if sunlight is not available to them.
The amount of water you need depends on the size of the tank. And that depends on the size of your terrapin.
As babies, terrapins are quite small, so they can be kept in a fairly small tank.
But as your pet terrapin grows, its tank should also grow. You can find out more about the housing needs for a terrapin in our article about terrapin homes.
Now that you have read this article, you will know what the best food for terrapins is, and you can make sure your pet will thrive.
