Turtles can eat mealworms as food. However, these are not a good staple to feed them all the time because of the high protein and because they can produce more waste than they can handle in some cases. They can be used occasionally for treats however.
Mealworms can be fed to your pet turtle only once or twice weekly since they are very high in protein, fat and salt content compared to what a turtle requires as part of its diet. Mealworms have been an accepted occasional treat for owners who want to ensure their pet is eating something live due to it being able to move on its own when you stick it into the tank after purchasing from Amazon, a local pet shop, Walmart, discount retailer or online fish supply store that sells live mealworms, but they can be a treat only.
You can also stick with the silkworm which is dried out and can get your pet used to live food that it can hunt for in the wild. It can help them develop their hunting skills due to it moving once they have located its hiding place inside of logs or rock outcrops while you can encourage your turtle to eat it without any hesitation due to not being as chunky as mealworms are.
Since mealworms are very high in fat content, owners need to bear this in mind especially if their turtle shows signs of obesity at times depending on how much you are feeding them and can result in your turtle developing internal parasites due to it being overweight. Therefore, mealworms should only be used as a treat or can be left to roam free inside of the tank at times since they can multiply very quickly under correct conditions and can also consume other smaller worms that can harm your pet turtle if not eaten first by them.
Furthermore, owners need to watch out for any digestive problems in turtles when fed with mealworms regularly due to the high contents of protein, fat and salt content in their bodies when compared to what their body can handle on a regular basis such as once or twice weekly and can cause blockages in their intestinal system because too much is consumed.
Mealworms can purchased from any local pet shop, discount retailer or can also be bought online from fish supply stores that sell live mealworms for owners who want to ensure their turtle is eating something alive and can get them to hunt for it on a regular basis.
Since these can be promoted as a treat only, many owners can opt for the dried versions of silkworms and can encourage the senses when dealing with hunting abilities by using this type of food regularly and can allow your pet turtle to develop its own unique way of hunting once they have located its hiding place inside of logs or rock outcrops which can be purchased from any local pet shop, Walmart or discount retailers since silkworms are very inexpensive.
Some owners may choose to go with crickets as well since they can provide a source of protein for your pet turtle and can be purchased from stores that sell live crickets, pet shops or can also be ordered online from fish supply stores that sell this type of food.
I have a big soft spot for turtles. I grew up near a pond that was full of snapping turtles. Now and then I’d see them crawling across our front yard, which was always exciting.
Now I write about turtles for this website as a fun side hobby. Glad you stopped by!