Central American Wood Turtle

Question
My husband got me a turtle named Kat because I owned a cat named Turtle and she has been living with us for 3 years now.

She truly is curious like a cat and hates being in a tank, so we started letting her roam around our house and she primarly stays in one area/room.I then put her in a tub of water to drink and then she uses the potty.

I was curious if what I am feeding her is okay and wasn't sure how often to feed her.

I am primarily feeding her lettuce and cat food. I tried in the beginning to feed her turtle food and a mixed diet but she wouldn't eat it and went for the cat's food bowl. The vet said it was fine, but I noticed she right now is a little puffy. She has recently become really active and starts to go after my toes so I am sure she is healthy.

Just wondering if there is any advice for a turtle owner who's turtle has a personality of it's own!

Answer
You can give this care sheet a try- http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-caowood.htm

The diet is not that good. Plain lettuce is pretty empty nutrition-wise. Dark leafy greens (escarole or endive lettuces, dandelion or turnip greens are great).

Cat food is the wrong kind of meats and an awfully fattening and generally wrong choice- but many turtles are almost drawn to it.

I'd start her on a diet of good pellets, dark greens, yellow-orange veggies, and fruit for a little while, skipping the meal every other day, or even skipping a couple days now and then. As it gets more used to the right diet, start adding insects, worms, etc. back in.