Do turtles eat flies?

Protein is immensely crucial for the appropriate development of almost every animal in the world. It is true even in the case of turtles. More interestingly, there are quite a lot of “natural and free” protein sources around us and flies, especially houseflies, are probably one of the easiest to obtain. Nonetheless, they don’t feel like a tasty meal mainly due to the lack of hygiene and parasites as well as bacteria they tend to carry. As a result, you probably wonder, do turtles eat flies? 

The short answer is yes, turtles are omnivores, so they will eat almost everything (hot dogs to turtles really possible?). It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a healthy way of living. In this article we would like to primarily discuss how eating flies affects turtles and is it potentially dangerous to these animals. We will also take a closer look at alternatives and interesting dietary methods that people all over the world apply without risking the life and health of your turtle.

Can flies kill turtles?

Wild flies are great hosts for a number of different  diseases. It is said that houseflies and blowflies are capable of carrying over 600 diseases, which makes them one of the most dangerous nutritional additions that some people may add due to their lack of knowledge. There are hundreds of bacteria and microorganisms that wild flies may pass onto turtles. As a result, it can quickly lead to major health issues. 

Obviously, there are many types of flies and most of the ones that live in the wild are dangerous for your turtle. Another great example is mosquitos. Similarly to flies, they are another great host of diseases of wide variety. If we proceed with caution of what flies we provide our turtles with, we can easily lead to many dangerous situations. Mild irritation, organs damage, or even the death of the turtle is at stake. 

Feeding flies to your turtle – here’s how!

If you are not certain how to feed flies to your turtle, then I highly encourage to see the following step by step guide:

1. Immobilize it – make sure that flies that you serve to your turtle are immobilized or at least their movement is impaired to such an extent that the pet can easily catch them.
2. Place flies near your turtle – you can’t force any animal to eat, however you can try some encouragement. One of the best ways to do that is to place flies near your turtle’s head. In that way it will notice the meal. Avoid dropping flies from above and putting it into water, because sudden sounds and movements can sturtle your turtle.
3. Be patient and make the fly visible – sometimes turtles cannot notice their prey, so your job is to make your pet see it. You can do this by moving the fly from one place to another – be cautious and refrain from sudden moves.
4. Take time – quite often it happens that your turtle is not initially interested in the insect you provide. As we already mentioned, forcing a turtle to chase or eat it is out of the question. As a result, it is much better to let your pet get used to the fly and understand what is going on. 

So, what can serve as an alternative for wild flies?

Let’s start from the basics. Since flies we can find at your home are not good enough, what should we look for? First of all, we always pick all the bugs and insects that come from legitimate sources. These can be traditional vendors or local breeders that keep the flies in a special quarantine tank. There, they are not exposed to outside pathogens. As a result, you are not going to pose any harm to your turtle.

Interestingly, besides flies themselves, it is also a good idea to look for insects of different species. Goliath Worms or Horned Worms are two great examples. Due to their calcium and protein numbers, they are great for turtles. If our turtles do not need more calcium, then we can focus on Mealworms, Waxworms, or the so-called Superworms. They are much richer in protein.

Another interesting fact is that we don’t have to go shopping for insects. It is possible to find wild bugs that can serve as a meal for our turtles just as well. One of the best examples is cricket. Though they are a bit smelly and noisy, they are great if we are in shortage of other types of turtle food. There are also fly larvae, which are definitely not as bad as houseflies. They are much more rich in nutrients. What is more, fly larvae can be easily digested by your pet.

Now you know whether turtles eat flies or not

The article allows you to learn quite a lot of flies and whether they are safe for your turtle or not. What is more, it helps you to see what is toxic to turtles, what should be avoided and what types of flies and other insects are recommended. Obviously, bear in mind that preparing the appropriate dietary plan is of utmost importance not only for the health of our turtle, but also its proper development. Yes, it is possible to feed flies to your turtle – as long as it is not a wild fly and comes from a vendor. 

However, there are much better ways of providing nutrition values to our pet. For example, a better option is to look for bugs – lady bugs, cockroaches, Mealworms, Waxworms, Superworms, or Goliath Worms and Horned Worms. Obviously, we should remember about a number of different options and, at the same time, watch out for things that are toxic to turtles. 

To be honest, since these pets are omnivores, they can eat almost everything. It means that if you catch a fly, a turtle will probably make a meal out of it. Nonetheless, the fact that your favorite pet can eat flies and other bugs doesn’t necessarily mean that it should. Getting attracted to decaying food, feces, or animal corpses make houseflies and many other insects infamous for their poor hygiene are dangerous to your pet. As a result, it is much better to look for alternatives. And there are quite a lot of them, because turtles do eat flies and insects of other species – as long as they come from a safe, legitimate source.