What do turtles eat? Whether in the wild or your home, here's the reptile's diet

Turtles can be found anywhere, from local ponds and the deep, blue sea to an aquarium tank in your bedroom. These aquatic, semiaquatic or terrestrial creatures are easily recognized thanks to their bony, cartilaginous shells and slow-pace movements.

In the United States, around 2.3 million households are home to reptiles, which includes these shelled reptiles. That accounts for 1.8% of all American households that have a pet.

Despite their prevalence among pet owners, many may not know what makes the reptile's diet. After being on Earth for over 200 million years, turtles have had plenty of time to determine what they can and cannot eat.

What do turtles eat?

Turtle species are diverse, and so are their diets. Some turtles are carnivores, meaning they eat meat, while others stick to a vegetarian diet. There are also turtles who are omnivores, meaning they consume eat both meat and vegetables.

What a turtle can eat is determined by what kind of jaw it has they have, where it lives and what food is available, according to Live Science.

Leatherback sea turtles enjoy a gelatinous diet of jellyfish and sea squirts, the WWF reports. Red-eared slider turtles may chow down on earthworms, snails, slugs and leafy greens, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. Land turtles will munch on beetles, fruit and grass, according National Geographic Kids.

Your pet turtle's diet is omnivorous. Younger turtles − between 7 and 10 years old − should eat more meat, but as they get older, they will also consume vegetables and fruit, Fetch by WebMD reports.

A domestic turtle's diet can range from drained sardines and cooked chicken to moths and worms. For vegetables and fruits, pet turtles can have dandelions, mustard greens, cantaloupe and bananas, among other options.

What foods kill turtles?

Since different turtles eat different foods, the options may feel overwhelming when dinner time rolls around.

Certain vegetables should be avoided, including chives, parsley and spinach, since they contain high levels of chemicals called oxalates, according to Fetch by WebMD.

Raw meat, fish or chicken is also off-the-table, since raw meat runs the risk of containing parasites, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

In general, consult a veterinarian to see if a certain food fits into your turtle's diet.

How often do turtles eat?

Feeding time depends on a turtle's age and species. For younger turtles, they can eat one to two times a day, while older turtles can eat once every day or two, Fetch by WebMD advises.

Baby turtles up to 1 year old should eat every day, but adult turtles can go up to two or three days without eating, according to Pet Keen.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What do I feed my turtle? Your pet's dietary restrictions, explained