What Do Softshell Turtles Really Eat? A Pet Owner’s Guide

You bring home your adorable softshell turtle, thinking you’ll toss some lettuce in the tank and call it dinner. Wrong! These aquatic ninjas have way more complex food needs than you might think.

If you’ve ever watched a softshell turtle eat, you know they’re not messing around. When they spot prey, they snatch it up using their disproportionately long necks faster than you can blink.

But what exactly should you be feeding these rubbery-shelled speed demons?

The Wild Side: What Nature Intended

Picture this: your softshell turtle’s wild cousins are basically underwater assassins. They’re ambush predators and takes insects, frogs, mollusks, freshwater crustaceans, snails, and turtles smaller than it is.

In their natural habitat, these guys are opportunistic hunters who’ll grab whatever swims, crawls, or floats past their hiding spots.

They’re known as ambush predators, which means they lie low and snap up just about anything tasty that swims, crawls, or floats by.

Think of them as the underwater equivalent of that friend who eats everything at the buffet – if it moves and looks edible, it’s fair game.

Age Matters: Baby vs Adult Diets

Here’s where things get interesting. Hatchlings and juveniles are highly carnivorous (preferring meat) and become omnivorous (eating both vegetation and meat) as adults.

Your baby softshell is basically a tiny carnivore with an attitude. Hatchlings are fed two times a day as much as they will eat in 10-15 minutes. They need that protein to fuel their rapid growth and energy levels.

Adult softshells mellow out a bit and start adding some greens to their diet, but they still prefer their protein. Adults are fed once a day and as much as they can consume in 10-15 minutes.

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The Perfect Pet Menu

Protein Powerhouses

Your softshell turtle’s eyes will light up (if turtle eyes could light up) when you offer these protein-rich options:

Fish (The Good Ones)

• Small fish such as guppies, platies, and mosquito fish are perfect
• Avoid goldfish – avoid fish with high thiaminase levels such as goldfish
• Avoid carp and catfish – they’re not great for turtle digestion

Creepy Crawlies

• Worms, crickets, pink mice, crayfish, and shrimp
• Live invertebrates such as redworms, earthworms, and black worms
• Mealworms are like turtle candy – use sparingly!

Commercial Options

Most species will begin taking a pelleted aquatic turtle food quite soon after acclimating and feeding on live prey. We have found Reptomin® floating sticks to be especially appealing to young soft-shelled turtles.

The Green Stuff (Yes, They Need Some)

Don’t expect your softshell to go crazy for vegetables like a rabbit would for carrots. Aquatic plants such as algae and duck weed are relished by these chelonians but most owners offer romaine lettuce, cantaloupe, banana, kale, mango, and strawberries as treats.

Safe Veggie Options:

• Romaine lettuce (not iceberg – that’s basically water with no nutrition)
• Leafy greens, such as kale and dandelion, provide essential vitamins and minerals
• Water hyacinth, water lettuce and water cress can easily be cultivated at home

Occasional Treats:

• Cantaloupe, banana, kale, mango, and strawberries as treats
• Remember – treats should be just that, treats!

Foods to Absolutely Avoid

This is where things get serious. Some foods that seem harmless can actually hurt your turtle.

The Never-Ever List

Fatty or Processed Foods

• Do not feed them meat directly as it is unhygienic and contains too much fat
• High-fat foods like pork or fatty fish are not only hard for them to digest but can cause long-term health issues, including obesity and organ strain

Seasoned or Cooked Foods

• Anything that’s not in their natural diet—like spices, salt, or oil—is off-limits
• No leftover pizza, no matter how much they beg with those beady eyes

Wrong Fish Types

• Soft-shelled turtles should not be fed catfish or carp
• These fish can cause digestive issues and don’t provide the right nutrition

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Feeding Schedules That Actually Work

Getting the timing right is way more important than you might think.

Baby Turtles (0-2 years)

Hatchlings are fed two times a day as much as they will eat in 10-15 minutes. Think of baby softshells like human teenagers – they need frequent, protein-heavy meals to fuel their growth spurts.

Adult Turtles (2+ years)

Adults are fed once a day and as much as they can consume in 10-15 minutes. This prevents overfeeding while ensuring they get adequate nutrition.

Pro tip: It is recommended to come up with a standard food amount for adult chelonians to be fed daily to monitor appetite changes. If your turtle suddenly stops eating or starts eating way more, that’s your cue to check with a vet.

The Overfeeding Trap

Here’s something that’ll surprise you: They are very prone to be overfed, feed a small amount several times a day and never put a big chunk of food all at once.

Softshell turtles don’t have an “off” switch when it comes to food. Soft-shelled turtles are highly animated feeders and will eagerly devour almost anything edible that is put into their tank. They’ll keep eating until they literally can’t move.

Signs you’re overfeeding:

• If the water is becoming fouled too quickly or the turtle is becoming obese then the food will need to be decreased
• Your turtle looks more like a pancake than usual
• Food is rotting in the tank before it gets eaten

Essential Supplements

Your softshell needs more than just food – they need the right nutrients to stay healthy.

The Must-Haves

Calcium is King

All food should be sprinkled with a multi-vitamin once a week and a calcium supplement daily for hatchlings and three times a week for adults.

Without enough calcium, Metabolic bone disease is the result of calcium and vitamin D3 deficiency, causing irregular shell shape. Trust me, you don’t want to deal with a softshell turtle whose shell starts curling at the edges.

Vitamin A

Baby softshell turtles need vitamin A, calcium, and protein in order to thrive. Proper vitamin A levels prevent “swollen-eye syndrome,” which can cause the eyes to bug out and eventually swell shut.

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Making Mealtime Fun

Remember, these are smart animals that can get bored eating the same thing every day. Like us, softshell turtles get bored with the same meals day after day.

Mix It Up

• Rotate between different protein sources throughout the week
• Using a separate feeding tank can help keep their main tank cleaner, which also means less frequent water changes
• Let them hunt live food occasionally – it’s great mental stimulation

The “Gradual Transition” Trick

I had to trick my turtle by putting softshell pellets in combination with chicken liver. Soon I took the liver out of the equation, and he started eating the pellets alone.

If your turtle is being picky about new foods, don’t give up. Mix the new food with something you know they love, then gradually reduce the favorite food until they accept the new option.

Water Quality Matters Too

Here’s something many new owners miss: Scratches or scrapes can easily become infected if soft-shelled turtles are kept in enclosures with poor water quality.

Clean water isn’t just about comfort – it’s about preventing infections and keeping your turtle healthy. Uneaten food rots quickly and can turn your turtle’s home into a bacterial soup.

When Things Go Wrong

Red flags to watch for:

• Stay alert for erratic activity, eye irritation (closing eyes a lot), scratches, weight loss or gain, and strange curves progressing on the edges of their shells
• Sudden appetite changes
• Lethargy or unusual behavior

If your turtle stops eating:

Turtles can go a long time without food when necessary, so if you are having trouble getting them to eat any of these foods, it’ll just take time. But if they haven’t eaten for more than a week, it’s vet time.

The Bottom Line

Feeding a softshell turtle right isn’t rocket science, but it’s definitely not as simple as tossing lettuce in a tank either. The key to a healthy turtle is variety in their diet!

These amazing creatures have survived millions of years by being adaptable hunters and opportunistic eaters. Your job as a pet owner is to provide that same variety and quality they’d find in the wild – just in a more convenient, captive-friendly format.

Remember: protein-heavy when young, more varied as adults, always fresh water, never overfeed, and supplement with calcium and vitamins.

Stick to this formula, and your softshell turtle will be healthy, active, and probably begging for food every time they see you approach the tank.