EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FEEDING GUIDE
HOW TO FEED YOUR TERRAPIN
1.
Weigh each terrapin each Monday morning and record the weight.
2.
Calculate 2% of the terrapin's body weight. This is the amount of food (in grams) that you will feed the terrapin each day.
3.
Weigh out the appropriate amount of food (see example table below). Remember that the terrapin will eat the same amount of food every time you feed this week.
4.
Record the approximate percentage of food the terrapin eats within 30 minutes and remove any uneaten food.
5.
Liver is weighed as well (as best as possible) and counts toward the total amount of food the terrapin will receive that day. If the terrapin refuses to eat liver that day, you may offer pellets. Do not exceed the total weight of food that should be offered (2% of the terrapin’s body weight).
NOTES ON FEEDING
If you notice…
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the terrapin never finishes the amount of food provided
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the terrapin eats all of its food very quickly
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the terrapin’s growth measurements are not slow, steady, and proportional (shell proportions)
… then adjust your food amounts within the range of 1-3%.
You can divide feedings (and feed twice a day) to accommodate the eating habits of each individual terrapin. Make sure that the total weight of food offered does not exceed target range.
Do not feed your terrapins on the weekends. Fasting days are important for a reptile’s digestive health.
Each terrapin is fed according to its own body weight. It is not unusual for your two terrapins to receive different amounts of food.
Turtles may grow at different rates. Adjust how much you feed each turtle based on that turtle’s size and growth rate, not the size/growth rate of the other terrapin in the experiment.
Monitor the quality of each terrapin’s growth. Is the rate slow and steady? Are there sudden changes in the rate of growth? Does the terrapin exhibit any weight loss? Observe the terrapin’s body composition and shell proportion.
Do not offer live food until after the experiment is complete (when your terrapin returns from tagging).