If you’re thinking of adding a few frogs to your turtle aquarium, you’re not alone. A lot of pet owners also think about adding frogs to their turtle tanks, they’re just not sure if it’s a good idea.

Most people are concerned that their pet turtle might eat the frogs. If this is you, welcome!

I’ll share everything you need to know about how turtles behave around frogs and whether it’s a good idea to have a few froggy friends visit and live with your turtle. Come in!

Do Turtles Eat Frogs?

Yes, some turtles eat frogs, whenever they can. Turtles are omnivores and can be predatory. Although younger turtles tend to be more carnivorous, they develop a more varied diet, eating more of plants and less “meat” as they grow older. A lot of turtle species like green sea turtles are predominantly plant-eaters.

To be clear, both turtles and frogs are predatory animals, but even predators are sometimes also preyed on; that is, except they’re apex predators. A frog is no apex predator, it sits somewhere near the lower middle. In addition to snakes, birds, and hedgehogs, turtles are one of the many predators a frog must contend with.

Do Turtles Eat Baby Frogs?

Yes, turtles will eat baby frogs. They are after all “cold-blooded” reptiles; they do not care if the frog is a baby or an adult, for that matter baby frogs, are easier to prey on. Most species of turtle prey on both baby frogs, froglets as some people call them, and even tadpoles.

Do Turtles Eat Frogs in a Pond?

Turtles will eat frogs in a pond if and whenever they can. However, turtles and frogs that share the same habitat tend to compete for the food sources available in the pond. If there is enough to eat, the turtles may seem to ignore the frog. Don’t fall for it though, the turtle can easily decide to snack on his frog neighbor if it feels like adding a few more proteins to his diet. In some cases, when the turtle is not getting enough food, they may turn on the frogs they ignored.

It can be dangerous for frogs to live in turtle ponds. But they may still share the home anyway – especially in the wild. Some who do, don’t live long enough to croak the story. On the other hand, some frogs do eat turtles! A 2013 study found out that in addition to its already wide-ranging diet, American bullfrogs also prey on turtles!

Do Turtles Eat Tree Frogs?

Tree frogs are very common, they’re found on every continent except the coldest, Antarctica. They tend to spend a lot of their time on trees, which helps them avoid some of their predators, at the same time as it exposes them to other predators like birds and garter snakes that can climb trees. When tree frogs leave the trees to spend some time in or close to water, especially to breed, they are vulnerable to being attacked and eaten by predators like turtles.

Source

Do Water Turtles Eat Frogs?

Yes,  like most turtles, water turtles eat frogs.

How Do Frogs Eat Turtles?

Some people might find it gross to watch turtle rip apart a frog and eat it, but if you’re interested in the details, here goes…

Turtles don’t have teeth, but they do have a very strong beak that they use to cut food. The jaws of a turtle are covered in horny ridges that enable it to chew its food. The turtle uses its strong beak to grasp the frog and holds on. The ridges are very sharp and can slice through prey. The turtle holds on to its prey, chewing slowly and swallowing with its tongue. The snapping turtle is a particularly ruthless and well-documented example. A lot of people have recorded videos that captured the “moment” when turtles grasp living frogs and even other small animals like mice.

On a lighter note, I doubt there are many people who devour food as violently as turtles eat frogs. 🙃

Do Turtles Eat Toads?

Turtles are not very smart, they will eat toads, even though many toads are poisonous. If a turtle eats poisonous toads or even frogs, they might get sick or even die, but they do not seem to be able to learn. That is not to say all turtles that eat toads will get sick or die, but it is also very probable.

Source

 

Different kind Of Turtles- Which ones Eat Frogs?

There are many different kind of turtles, let’s explore the more common turtles and if they do in fact eat frogs.

Do Painted Turtles Eat Frogs?

Painted turtles eat frogs. Younger painted turtles are more carnivorous than their adult turtles. In fact, the diet of southern painted turtles consists of about 13% vegetation when they’re young with the balance being made up by preying on insects, eating fish, and other smaller animals. As they grow older, however, they begin to eat more plants. About 88% of their food as adults are plants. Source

Frogs, however, are not a major source of food for painted turtles. They get most of their nutrition from other smaller insects, with an occasional frog addition (maybe to make their supper “livelier”?). Painted turtles will also chase tadpoles and eat any they can.

Painted turtles are one of the more common types of turtles found in the United States and Southern Canada. They are very popular as pets. A lot of turtle-keepers love them because they’re brightly colored and have beautiful patterns depending on which subspecies you see.

Do Snapping Turtles Eat Frogs?

Snapping turtles are the most ferocious species of turtles. There are two commonly known types, the common snapping turtle and the alligator snapping turtle. Both the common snapping turtles and the alligator snapping turtle eat frogs and may even prey on juveniles or hatchlings of other turtles like the painted turtle.

They’re not called snapping turtles because they’re nice, these uniquely looking turtles (their shells are almost flat on their body) will attempt to bite (snap) at anything they perceive as food or a threat. Some experts think that they developed this behavior because they cannot rely on their shells (which is too small to protect them) to protect them on land. They might “snap” and even lunge at humans or whatever they see as a threat when they’re on land. In the water, they are quite shy and will run away and hide when approached by humans. The alligator snapping turtle is particularly vicious. It can bite off the finger or toe of a human and even the handle of a broom.

Do Box Turtles Eat Frogs?

Box turtles are opportunistic omnivores that will eat anything they can get. Like most omnivorous turtles, their diet includes a lot of insects and worms, some plants, and a few fruits like apples, cacti fruits, and some types of berries. Box turtles also eat frogs and other amphibians as well.

Box turtles have a unique domed shell that it uses as a “fortress” to protect itself when it is attacked. It can even close its shell completely as its shells are hinged.

Do Aquatic Turtles Eat Frogs?

Aquatic turtles refer to both freshwater and seawater turtles. They both have a varied diet. What a turtle eats depends on what type it is and how its jaw is formed. Some aquatic turtles like pond turtles, eat frogs, while some seawater turtles almost never eat any animals or frogs. For starters, frogs do not live in the ocean where you’d likely meet seawater turtles like the giant leatherback turtle. So even if giant leatherbacks eat frogs, they don’t have much of an opportunity since they don’t share the same home. Leatherback turtles though are carnivorous, they feed only on jellyfish.

Freshwater turtles are a different story because they share a similar habitat with most frogs, frogs like the other small animals they eat, are part of their diet.

Do Eastern Box Turtles Eat Frogs?

Eastern box turtles are omnivores, so they eat frogs alongside other small animals like insects, snails, roots, fungi and even rotting flesh of other animals. They even eat birds and snakes!

Do Map Turtles Eat Frogs?

Map turtles are opportunists when it comes to food. They will eat anything they can find, even frogs. Although map turtles will eat frogs, they do not prey exclusively on frogs. Their diet consists of insects, fish, and even mice.

Do Red Eared Slider Turtles Eat Frogs

Red-eared slider turtles are very common as pets, especially in the United States. Like most of their freshwater turtle friends, red-eared sliders do eat frogs. Again, frogs do not make up the bulk of their diet, but most aquatic turtles will eat just about anything they can fit into their mouths, including rocks sometimes.

 

Can Frogs Live with Turtles in the Same Tank?

As food? Yes. But the frog wouldn’t do much of living as it is likely to be eaten by your turtle. If you’re thinking of adding friendly froggy to keep your turtle company, you might need a lot of frogs so that you can replace them as they’re eaten.

Turtles are solitary animals, they don’t like too many neighbors, they actually like being alone. It’s best you leave them that way.

It’s well known that some frogs are toxic. When irritated, they secrete toxic substances. Some of the toxins they secrete are harmless, but some can cause significant distress or even lead to death. Some types of frogs secrete substances that can even lead to death. Sometimes dogs bite frogs and get sick as a result. Some people are concerned that turtles may also get sick if they eat some types of frogs or toads, that may be true, it may also not happen. Either way, it’s an additional reason not to put frogs or even toads with your turtle.