Looking for the best automatic turtle feeder for your turtles? Look no more. In this article, I am going to share a list of my top favorite 7 best automatic turtle feeders that are currently leading the market. Also, I’ll share my secret tips on how to buy the best automatic turtle feeder within your budget.
If you have no time to read through all the 7 reviews, then you can just choose Eheim Turtle Feeder. That’s my #1 choice in this list. The high-grade quality makes this automatic turtle feeder standout from the rest in the market. I also found it pretty reliable.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
7 Best Automatic Turtle Feeders Review:
In this section, I’ll provide a short review of 7 best automatic turtle feeders. I designed this list after hours of research and trial. I can definitely say, all of these feeders are definitely worth your money. You just need to choose the one that matches most with your preference and requirement.
Let’s start the reviews:
1. Eheim Turtle Feeder
It is very hard to find an automatic feeder that is specifically designed for turtles. Thanks to the Eheim Turtle feeder, you can now get a reliable automatic feeder that is specifically designed for turtles within an affordable price range. Moreover, this feeder is time programmable, which means you can save the times when the feeder will feed your turtles.
With this automatic turtle feeder, you can feed your turtle 4 times a day. This is obviously a whole lot than you’ll ever need. The feeder itself is not that large. Though it may seem that the feeder can’t store a lot of foods, but the feeder will last more than 2 weeks if filled with turtle pellets.
The feeder comes with an LCD display where you can read various settings and program feeding time. The feeder is powered with dual AA batteries. A set of the battery will easily last for about 6 months.
Eheim turtle feeder comes with universal installation clamps so you can easily install it on your turtle tank. I recommend setting the feeder as much far as possible from the water. This is because: (a) if water goes inside the feeder, the food will get mushed and (b) the turtle can soon learn where the food is coming from and splash water around it.
The slots are 5/8” in size which is enough for most commercial turtle pellets. Some irregular turtle foods such as crickets, shrimps etc. may not work well with the feeder. Also, it is recommended to avoid large pellets with this automatic feeder.
If you have already bought a food that has unusually large pellets, then it is better to break the food pieces apart and then store them inside the feeder.
The one thing I don’t like about this turtle feeder is there is no option to program the feeder for feeding the turtles every other day. This is a bummer because older turtles don’t require everyday feeding. They need feeding 3-4 times a week. You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- fully dedicated high-quality automatic feeder for turtles
- the feeder slot is adjustable. So, you can easily control how much food will come out from the slot each time.
- The installation process is easy and hassle free.
- offers a bunch of features at an affordable price range.
- compatible with most turtle pellets in the market.
- received the Best Seller tag from Amazon.
Cons:
- Doesn’t work well with large pellets such as Reptomin sticks.
- There is no option to program timing every other day.
2. Exo Terra Automatic Turtle Feeder
After the Eheim turtle feeder, my second choice will obviously be the Exo Terra Automatic Turtle Feeder. There are a lot of similarities between the Exo Terra and Eheim turtle feeder. Like the Eheim turtle feeder, this Exo Terra is also able to feed your turtle 4 times a day. There is a built-in LCD display where you can program the time when to feed the turtles.
Like the previous one, this feeder is also not that big. It will work best for small to medium sized pellets. It is recommended to avoid irregularly shaped foods like shrimps, insects or long pellets like Reptomin sticks.
The Exo terra basically functions similar to the Eheim feeder, but not as well. The food holder is not as big as the Eheim feeder. So, it will probably last only a week.
One common complaint about this turtle feeder is, the amount of food that disperse each time varies. This is a big bummer because one time the turtle may hardly get any food and the other time there can be too much food to eat.
Setting up the timer is not that easy either. It can be really confusing to set up the 1,2, or 3 times a day feeding schedule instead of the built-in 4 times a day program.
Though this feeder has some critical issues, it is basically the best out there in the market after Eheim turtle feeder. You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- Affordable price range.
- Adjustable slot size to control the amount of feeding.
- Can be programmed to feed 4 times a day.
- LCD screen where you can program the time.
Cons:
- The amount of food that disperse every time varies.
- The time setting procedure can be a bit confusing if you don’t know what you are doing.
3. Fish Mate Automatic Feeder
The first thing I would love to say about Fish Mate automatic feeder is, unlike most other automatic turtle feeders, this one actually disperse the exact amount of food each time that you prefer. The feeder comes with 14 slots where you can store different types of foods. You can program the feeder to disperse the food at an exact time each day.
You can feed your turtles up to 4 times a day. Another thing is, with this feeder, you’ll get a battery indicator which indicates how much power the feeder has.
You’ll get brackets with the feeder. With the brackets, you can easily mount the feeder on the tank edge or hood. This feeder is suitable for almost any type of food including flakes, sticks, pellets etc.
The thing I like most about this feeder is, there is an option to attach an airline from an air pump. With this, the pump will blow dry air into the feeder which will keep the foods fresh and prevent them from going clogging or stale.
The feeder is suitable for aquariums up to 150 litters. You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- 14 individual feeding slots
- Can be programmed to feed up to 4 times a day
- Comes with a reliable quartz timer
- Battery state indicator is included with the feeder
- With a single AA battery, the feeder will run easily for up to a year
Cons:
- not specifically made for turtles
- You may need to fill the feeder with food very often
4. Reptiles Lover Turtle Automatic Feed Dispenser
This automatic turtle feeder is suitable for either small or large sized foods. However, the feeder can only be used at an interval between 12 hours or 24 hours each day. The food chamber is clear and transparent. So, you can easily check the food storage level inside the chamber.
The feeder comes with both Velcro and rotating screw clamp. You can use either of these to attach the feeder to the tank. A minor drawback is, the food chamber can hold very little food at a time. So, you may need to fill put the feeder more frequently than you think. Another problem is you won’t get an LCD display with this automatic turtle feeder.
The dimension is 2.6 x 1.2 x 2.6 inches. The feeder is powered with two 1.5 volt AA batteries. The transparent food chamber can hold up to 40-gram food at a time. There are two feeding settings available with this automatic feeder: every 12 hours or 24 hours each day. You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- There are two different methods to attach the feeder to your tank: Velcro and rotating screw clamp.
- Transparent food chamber makes it easy to monitor the food storage level
- Suitable for both large and small sized food particles
- This feeder is especially suited for turtles as it only feeds every 12 or 24 hours each day. This type of feeding frequency is ideal for turtles.
Cons:
- Doesn’t come with an LCD display
- The food chamber capacity is very low (only 40 gram)
5. Automatic Fish Feeder from eBoTrade Dirct
This automatic feeder is great at preventing overfeeding your turtles. All you need to do is set the amount of food to disperse. After then, the feeder will automatically disperse the same amount of food each time.
You can follow two feeding techniques. With this feeder, you can choose both small and large food particles. The feeder can be loaded with 70-gram small food particles. By dispersing 5 grams every time, you can feed your turtle 14 times. On the other hand, with large particles, the feeder can be filled up to 40 gram. By feeding 2 gram each time, you can feed your turtles at least 20 times.
The feeder can be installed in two ways. One method is by tightening the plastic screws after placing the edge of the stent on the turtle tank. The other method uses Velcro to secure the automatic feeder on the turtle tank.
The feeder will need 2 AAA batteries to run. The dimension is about 4.3 x 4 x 2.5 inches. You’ll also get a user manual with the automatic feeder. Some important things to follow while using this automatic feeder:
- Never try to twist the feeding chamber by hand
- In the LCD display, a logo ‘Lo’ will be shown if the battery power is low. Once the Lo is there, you need to replace the battery within 3 days. Otherwise, all of the programs will stop from running. You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- Can be programmed to feed 4 times a day
- The feeder is easy to install, use and simple. There is no complication.
- There is a food lever with which you can easily control the amount of food to be dispersed each time
- The feeder is integrated with a fan and ventilation system. It helps to keep the food fresh and dry.
- The hopper is moisture resistant.
- 18 months warranty
- You’ll also get a 30 days money back guarantee with this automatic turtle feeder
Cons:
- The instructions are not very clear
- Not suitable for very large tank
6. AQQEF Automatic Fish Feeder
A unique feature of this automatic feeder is you can either choose to feed your turtles automatically or use manual buttons to disperse the food. If you go for the automatic setting, it can feed your turtles 5 times a day through 3 cycles. The food chamber is large so you can store any type of food there.
The feeder is dust proof. It doesn’t only mean that it is easy to clean, it also ensures that the food remains fresh and healthy.
The feeder is powered using 2 AA batteries. You’ll get a large digital display with the feeder through which you’ll be able to adjust all the settings. As the food outlet is adjustable, you can fit any size of food there. The feeder is designed with a big hopper.
Along with the feeder, you’ll get attachment screws. The attachment screws are useful for securing the feeder on the tank. You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- Easy to operate. You just need to press some buttons
- Manual and automatic feeding settings
- Can be set to feed your turtles up to 5 times a day
- The food outlet is dustproof. So it is easy to clean and keeps the food healthy
- The digital display makes it easier to adjust the settings
- The food outlet can store any type and size of food
- Comes with attachment screws which are great to secure the feeder on the tank
Cons:
- The batteries are not rechargeable. So, you’ll have to often bear the cost of replacing the batteries.
7. NICREW Automatic Fish Feeder
NICREW is the only brand that has put serious emphasis on food quality. That’s why their automatic feeder comes with an awesome integrated fan and ventilation system which keeps the food fresh and dry. The ventilation system is equipped with a fan and air intake. Both of them are placed strategically on bottom and top of the feeder which allows continuous air flow through the feeder.
The feeder comes with a programmable memory as well as an adjustable slider. These ensure that the precise amount of food is dispersing every time. NICREW offers a moisture proof system to keep the food fresh all day long. Also, thanks to the adjustable food dispenser, you can easily regulate the amount of food to be dispersed using the feed lever. You can choose between triple, double or single feeding every time.
The feeder comes with an LCD display which makes setting everything far much easier. It also allows two types of feeding: manual and automatic. If you want to switch mode from Automatic to Manual, just press the M button.
The food chamber is suitable for most types of foods. So you don’t have to worry about the size and type of food. The feeder runs on two AA batteries. The batteries will be included with the feeder, so there is no need to pay extra bucks for the batteries.
You’ll also get mounting brackets with the feeder which lets you easily install the feeder on the turtle tank (tanks with width up to 0.1 to 0.8 inches). You can check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Pros:
- Awesome ventilation system integrated with fan and air intake
- Moisture proof system to keep the food fresh all day long
- Adjustable food dispenser
- LCD display
- Two available feeding techniques: automatic and manual
- Suitable for most type of foods
- Two AA batteries included
- Mounting brackets included for easy installation
Cons:
- The instruction manual is not clear
- The batteries are a bit difficult to insert inside the slots.
How To Choose The Best Automatic Turtle Feeder?
To choose the best automatic turtle feeder, here are some of the factors that you need to keep in mind:
- The feeder should be able to disperse the exact amount of food that you set each time. If it can’t maintain the proper amount, then the feeder is not that reliable.
- The feeder should be able to feed multiple times each day
- A good feeder comes with an integrated ventilation system. This system helps to keep the food fresh and dry.
- Look for automatic feeders with LCD display. It will help you to adjust all the settings easily.
- The feeder should be easy to set up and install.
- The feeder should come with installation screws or clamps so that you can easily secure it on the turtle tank.
- Look for feeders with at least 10 slots.
- The food chamber should be spacious enough and suitable for small to large food particles.
- Most good automatic turtle feeder these days come with two feeding techniques: automatic and manual.
- The food chamber should be moisture proof.
- Rechargeable battery is not a must, however, it is an awesome plus point.
- Also, check if the automatic feeder comes with any warranty or not. Warranty indicates that the product is of high-quality.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Automatic Turtle Feeder
Advantages:
- There is no need to worry about feeding your turtle when you are on a vacation
- Makes your life far much easier
- You don’t need to worry about feeding your turtles at an exact schedule every day
- There is no need to hire anybody to look after your turtle when you are on a vacation
- The turtle gets the same amount of food at the exact time every day which helps it to maintain a proper feeding schedule.
Disadvantages:
- If the feeder is not reliable, then it may start to malfunction without any warning. It will be a serious problem if you are on a vacation.
- Some feeders can’t retain the quality of the food very long. So, the quality of the food can degrade with time. However, most feeders these days come with an integrated ventilation system and moisture proof chamber which makes this disadvantage a trivial one.
Why Automatic Turtle Feeders Are Necessary?
- If you want to go on a tour and don’t want to go through the hassle of hiring someone to take care of your turtle, then an automatic turtle feeder will be your perfect choice. Turtles don’t require much from you except feeding. If the feeding is performed by an automated machine, then there is actually nothing you need to do for him other than cleaning the tank and water every few days. So, you can go on a vacation or tour without any tension.
- If you are busy all day long and can’t maintain a proper feeding schedule, then investing in an automatic turtle feeder will surely be a good idea.
- If you are forgetful like me and want to get rid of the hassle of feeding your turtle every day, then your best bet will be an automatic turtle feeder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long can a turtle go without food?
It depends on the age. An adult turtle can go months without eating any food. But that doesn’t mean you should let it go starved. If you have the budget, definitely buy an automatic turtle feeder if you fail to feed the turtle yourself regularly.
Q. How often should I feed the turtles?
It also depends on the age. Young turtles need more frequent eating than the adult ones. They also need more protein in their diet than the adult turtles.
With age, turtles prefer vegetation in their diet more. Also, you can feed adult turtles once or twice a week and they’ll be fine.
Q. Can I go on a vacation for a week without feeding my turtle?
If it’s for a week, then Yes. Your turtle will be fine without eating for a week.
Last Words
So, this is my detailed guide on best automatic turtle feeders. I hope after reading this article, you’ve got a pretty good idea on how to choose the best automatic feeder for your turtle. I have also shared my top 7 automatic turtle feeder list. All of these automatic feeders will surely provide you the best value for your money.
If you still have any question, do not hesitate to ask in the comment box below. I’ll get to you as soon as I can.
Happy turtle keeping!
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