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Anonymous
Contrary to popular misconception, Red-eared Sliders do not produce saliva, but--like most aquatic turtles--they have fixed tongues. This is the reason they must eat their food in water.
Red-eared Sliders are omnivores and eat a variety of animal and plant materials in the wild including, but not limited to fish, crayfish, carrion, tadpoles, snails,and will eat other turtles, aquatic insects and numerous aquatic plant species. The captive diet for pet RES should closely match the natural diet and can also include other foods such as feeder fish, dead, thawed fuzzy mice, earthworms,small snakes , cooked egg with the crumbled shell included, hermit crab food, and leafy greens. Commercial turtle foods should be used sparingly due to insufficient scientific research and vitamin and mineral imbalances. Calcium (for shell health) can be supplemented by adding pieces of cuttlebone to the diet. Younger turtles tend to be more carnivorous (eat more animal protein) than adults do. As they grow larger and older, they become increasingly herbivorous. Live foods are particularly enjoyed and add to the quality of life of captive turtles. Providing a wide variety of foods is the key to success with captive RES.
From wiki
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