Sea Turtle Husbandry
423
such as squid and fish create water quality problems and should be avoided for small
turtles. Diets composed primarily of squid are high in phosphorus and may not contain
sufficient calcium to meet the needs of the animal (Goldman et al., no date); some form
of calcium supplementation may be required. Larger pellet feed is available for larger
turtles, but often, feeding whole fish or squid is more convenient. Squid should be
avoided as a long-term diet for sea turtles. However, squid is readily accepted by most
species of turtles in captivity and is particularly good for coaxing wild rehabilitating
turtles to eat. Several wet–semiwet gel diets have been developed specifically for
hatchling leatherbacks (Jones et al., 2000; Cong and Wang, 1997), with limited success.
16.6.2 FEEDING
The NMFS STF uses floating pellets for the first 2 years, and switches to a natural
fish-based diet for larger turtles. Starting on day 10, each hatchling is offered one
pellet, which represents approximately 2% of its body weight. Pellet feeding rates
vary from 1.19 to 1.99% body weight/day (Figure 16.3). Each week the number of
pellets is increased by one until each turtle receives 12 pellets twice per day. Starting
in week 2, turtles are fed twice per day. Two smaller feedings are superior to one
large single feeding, from a growth and water quality standpoint (Caillouet et al.,
1989). Starting in week 25, calibrated feeders are made based on a percentage of
FIGURE 16.3 Graphical comparison of amount of food given and percentage of body weight
fed per day. Percentage of body weight fed decreases with growth and amount of food given.
Feeding rate was calculated using the NMFS STF feeding formula on the basis of the average
weight of the 1995–2000 year class of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1.80
1.90
2.00
AGE (MONTHS)
AMOUNT OF FOOD FED PER TURTLE PER
DAY (g/day)
% BODY WEIGHT FED/DAY
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Food Fed (g)
% Body Weight Fed
1
2 3 4
5
6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1123_C16 Page 423 Tuesday, November 12, 2002 8:28 AM
423
such as squid and fish create water quality problems and should be avoided for small
turtles. Diets composed primarily of squid are high in phosphorus and may not contain
sufficient calcium to meet the needs of the animal (Goldman et al., no date); some form
of calcium supplementation may be required. Larger pellet feed is available for larger
turtles, but often, feeding whole fish or squid is more convenient. Squid should be
avoided as a long-term diet for sea turtles. However, squid is readily accepted by most
species of turtles in captivity and is particularly good for coaxing wild rehabilitating
turtles to eat. Several wet–semiwet gel diets have been developed specifically for
hatchling leatherbacks (Jones et al., 2000; Cong and Wang, 1997), with limited success.
16.6.2 FEEDING
The NMFS STF uses floating pellets for the first 2 years, and switches to a natural
fish-based diet for larger turtles. Starting on day 10, each hatchling is offered one
pellet, which represents approximately 2% of its body weight. Pellet feeding rates
vary from 1.19 to 1.99% body weight/day (Figure 16.3). Each week the number of
pellets is increased by one until each turtle receives 12 pellets twice per day. Starting
in week 2, turtles are fed twice per day. Two smaller feedings are superior to one
large single feeding, from a growth and water quality standpoint (Caillouet et al.,
1989). Starting in week 25, calibrated feeders are made based on a percentage of
FIGURE 16.3 Graphical comparison of amount of food given and percentage of body weight
fed per day. Percentage of body weight fed decreases with growth and amount of food given.
Feeding rate was calculated using the NMFS STF feeding formula on the basis of the average
weight of the 1995–2000 year class of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1.80
1.90
2.00
AGE (MONTHS)
AMOUNT OF FOOD FED PER TURTLE PER
DAY (g/day)
% BODY WEIGHT FED/DAY
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Food Fed (g)
% Body Weight Fed
1
2 3 4
5
6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1123_C16 Page 423 Tuesday, November 12, 2002 8:28 AM