Homemade food for turtles, reptiles and aquarium fish

Give your pet turtle, fish or reptile the nourishment it craves with these easy and cost-effective treat recipes.

To give your pet turtle a calcium boost, try this fortified daily vegetable medley. With a few additions, this treat will also benefit iguanas and other cold-blooded vegetarian pets; be sure to do your research to determine the exact kind of foods your pet is permitted to eat in order to remain healthy.

If your pet's appetite appears sluggish, maybe it's because reptiles have very specific dietary needs and must be housed at the proper temperature to induce an appetite.

Makes 350 grams (1 1/2 cups)

• 125 g (1/2 c) carrot, shredded
• 125 g (1/2 c) lettuce or spinach, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 calcium tablet, crushed
• 5 ml (1 tsp) alfalfa sprouts (available at pet or health food stores)
• 50 g (1/4 c) melon or strawberries, chopped

  1. Place vegetables into a bowl, sprinkle with calcium and toss for turtle snack. For iguanas and other reptiles, add alfalfa and fruit.

  2. Serve half in a chew-proof bowl. Store the remainder in a covered container in the refrigerator for one day.

The best food for your aquarium fish is a high-quality commercial fish food formulated for the species of fish, but, for variety, they especially enjoy fresh or fresh-frozen live food and fresh vegetables.

Experiment with treats listed here. Crickets, mealworms and bloodworms are sold at pet shops.

Makes 150 grams (2/3 cup)

• 50 g (1/4 c) spinach, pureed
• 1 earthworm, finely chopped
• 6 crickets
• 6 mealworms
• 6 bloodworms
• 50 g (1/4 c) raw beef liver (blended)
• 1 raw shrimp (blended)

  1. Mix spinach plus any two other ingredients. Store a week's worth of the mix in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Freeze the rest for up to one month.

  2. To serve, drop a piece of the mix the size of a pencil eraser into the aquarium. Continue until fish stop feeding. After five minutes, remove uneaten food from the bottom of the aquarium, using a siphon or kitchen baster.