Feeding my turtle

Question
Hi Jeannie i recently adopted a painted turtle. I have got him a new tank filter water heater etc but i am a little unsure about the amount of food to give him and how often i have been giving him the dried pellets and some fruit. I don't want to do the wrong thing so would appreciate a little guidance from you. thanks

Answer
Hi Katrina,

Some of it depends on how old/big your turtle is.  If an adult, you can feed every other day, or however you like as long as the turtle is fasted about three days a week..  An adult painted turtle should be encouraged to eat greens as well as a good pelleted diet and whole animal protein.  It's important to provide as much variety as possible, so if you've been relying primarily on pellets you do need to expand his diet.  I'll provide some links below that will give you some ideas.  

Turtles can be beggars, and it's very possible for them to get too fat (with serious health rammifications), so it's important not to feed too much.  For protein, give a small amount roughly the size of the turtle's head, and then give some greens along with it.  It's a good idea to have a digital scale so you can weigh your turtle once a month to monitor his weight.  The bigger his tank, the more exercise he will be able to get, so that's another consideration.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-eastern_painted.htm (you can also check out this site for detailed information on housing, water quality, etc.)
http://chelonia.org/Articles/chrysemyscare.htm