The Best Automatic Turtle Feeder

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best automatic turtle feeder

The automatic turtle feeders give you the possibility to determine when and how much your turtle will be fed depending on their size and number.

Having brought your pet turtle home from the shop, its comfort and health become your priority.

They do not need much attention and this is one of the features that make them endearing.

One thing they do need just like other living things is food, and as inconveniencing as it may be to feed your turtle every day, it is something that is vital for their health and growth.

The worry of forgetting to feed your turtle or being too tired to do so is now a thing of the past as the best automatic turtle feeders will help you take care of your pet’s feeding needs.

Overfeeding is not ideal and can make your turtle overweight, but for their healthy growth, they do need their nutritional requirements to be met. 

Not giving your pet the proper feeding it requires could lead to a lot of health problems from deficiencies to impaired growth.

Negligence to pet care is one of the causes of a pet’s death but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Your pet turtle, especially the young ones need to be fed regularly

You may not always be around and you don’t need to be because even in your absence, you can ensure that your turtle is taken care of with the use of the right equipment.

There are a lot of automatic feeders on the market today, but not all are suitable for your use.

To take care of your pet properly, you need to make use of the best and that is why we have this article for you to guide you on all you need to know about choosing the best automatic feeder.


We Recommend

Having tested numerous automatic turtle feeders, we know for sure what makes the best automatic turtle feeder, and the Eheim 3581091 Automatic Turtle Feeder takes the spot.

  • Designed with the highest standard of aquatic performance in mind
  • Made in the use with quality materials
  • Aquatic health and performance design for quality life

RELATED READ: How to Set Up a Turtle Tank


Complete Guide for Best Automatic Turtle Feeders

There are a lot of perks of owning an automatic turtle feeder.

Apart from helping you take proper care of your turtle, it ensures you have a healthy pet that lacks nothing when it comes to regular feeding.

If you are asking yourself why you need an automatic turtle feeder, here are some of the reasons why:

  • If you need to be out of town for a couple of days, there is no need hiring someone to take care of your turtle. Turtles do not need much from you, just proper feeding and a clean tank. The tank doesn’t need to be cleaned daily, but feeding is daily and so with an automatic turtle feeder, you can be out of the house without fear of a starving pet.
  • Hiring someone to take care of your pet will be more expensive in the long run as your turtle feeder is a one-time purchase, and if you travel a lot, you will have to pay a lot for your pet’s care.
  • If you have a busy schedule all day long, it will be difficult to maintain a daily feeding schedule. The best way to ensure your pet gets what it needs is to invest in a good automatic feeder.
  • If you are the type that is forgetful or gets too tired to attend to your pet’s feeding after a long day, an automatic feeder is exactly what you need to make the job easy.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Automatic Turtle Feeder

Advantages

  • It takes away the worry of your turtle’s feeding when you are not around
  • Makes it much easier to care for your pet
  • The buildup of expenses in paying to have your turtle taken care of each time you travel will be eliminated
  • You can easily maintain a feeding schedule for your pet
  • The stress of finding the perfect person to leave your pet with while you are away will be taken care of
  • Your turtle gets a good amount of food at the same time each day, helping it maintain a good feeding schedule

Disadvantages

  • The feeder could malfunction at any time without any sign. If this happens while you are on vacation, it will be a serious problem
  • Some feeders are not able to preserve the quality of food for very long. The food taste and overall quality degrades over time leading to waste and a starving pet

The 5 Top-Rated Automatic Turtle Feeder

Editor’s Picks

Brand

Rating

Best Overall

Eheim 3581091 Turtle Feeder

3.8

Runner Up

NICREW Automatic Fish Feeder

3.8

Best Budget Buy

AQQEF Automatic Fish Feeder

3.8

Best Interactive Automatic Turtle Feeder

Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder

3.7

Best Diverse Automatic Turtle Feeder

Ebotrade Dirct Automatic Turtle Feeder

3.5

*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change

The Best Automatic Turtle Feeders

top automatic turtle feeder

1. Eheim 3581091 Turtle Feeder

If you have been looking for an automatic feeder that is specially designed for turtles, you will find that it is very hard to get one.

That is one of the reasons that the Eheim Turtle Feeder is top on our list of automatic feeders.

It is made specifically for turtles and is very affordable, so you can comfortably take care of your pet with no much pressure on your pocket.

This automatic feeder is time programmable, so you can set the time you would want the feeder to dispense food for your turtle.

Even though you basically have to feed your turtle once a day, it allows you feeding options of up to 4 times a day, putting you in charge.

It is not a very large feeder but can hold enough to feed your pet for up to 2 weeks if pellets are used.

Designed to give you good customer satisfaction, an LCD display is incorporated. This allows you to read the settings and manipulation gets easy.

All of these come with power from dual AA batteries which can last you for up to 6 months.

With the universal installation clamps, you can easily install this on your turtle tank.

You should, however, set it up as far as possible from the water because if water gets into the feeder, the food will get soft and wet, and there will be uncontrolled food leakage into the water. 

The food slots are 5/8 inches in size which is good enough for most commercially available pellet sizes.

If you have food pellets of larger sizes, break them up before use with this equipment.

Pros

  • Made specifically for turtles
  • Adjustable feeder slot so you can control the amount of food that comes out each time
  • Very easy to install
  • Good price
  • Slot sizes are fir for most pellet sizes available in the market

Cons

  • Doesn’t work well with pellets of large sizes

2. NICREW Automatic Aquatic Feeder

If you are concerned about the drop in food quality stored in the automatic feeder, NICREW Automatic Fish Feeder is here to put those worries at rest.

It comes with a fan and ventilation system to ensure that your pet’s food stays fresh and dry. 

The ventilation system consists of a fan and air intake that are both placed at strategic positions at the top and bottom of the feeder to ensure continuous airflow.

This together with the moisture-proof system ensures that the food stays fresh and dry always. It is obvious that your satisfaction is their priority.

The slider is adjustable so you can control the amount of food that comes out each time and you can choose between single, double, or triple feeding.

The programmable memory allows you to choose the time of each day food is to be dispensed, allowing you to maintain a proper feeding schedule. 

You also have an LCD display that makes your use easier and more enjoyable. You can see and confirm your settings visually.

You can also choose between automatic feeding and manual feeding just by the press of a button.

It comes with mounting brackets that allow you to easily install the feeder on the turtle tank.

The size of food pellets is not a limiting factor here as it can take various sizes. Power is from dual AA batteries that can last for a long while.

You get a lot of satisfaction here ensuring your pet stays happy without stressing you.

Pros

  • Moisture-proof system to keep food fresh and dry
  • Manual and automatic modes to choose from
  • With LCD display
  • Good for use to dispense most types of food
  • Easy to install

Cons

  • The instruction manual is not easily understood
  • Batteries are difficult to insert

3. AQQEF Automatic Fish Feeder

AQQEF Automatic Fish Feeder is another product that allows you to choose the mode you want to use; either automatic or manual.

The automatic mode allows you to feed your turtle up to 5 times a day through 3 cycles.

Not that you would need to feed your turtle that much anyway but giving you the option to make your choice is simply amazing. 

The large food chamber can take much food so you are good for a while after filling it up.

You do not have to fear as you store a large quantity of food here because the quality of food will be preserved in the dustproof feeder.

It is also easy to clean and you will undoubtedly have a great time using this.

You can have it running with two AA batteries that will last you for a good time. With the incorporated display, you can easily adjust the feeder settings.

This is one product that also prides itself on being able to dispense different food sizes. 

The adjustable food outlet makes this possible. You do not need any special expertise to mount this as it is very easy to install on your turtle tank. 

Pros

  • It is very easy to operate
  • You have manual and automatic feeding modes to choose from
  • Your food can stay dry and fresh
  • It is dustproof and easy to clean
  • It has a digital display that makes setting the feeder easy
  • It is easy to install

Cons

  • The AA batteries are not rechargeable, so you will have to change them every once in a while

4. Fish Mate F14 Aquarium Fish Feeder

Fish Mate Automatic Feeder is one feeder that dispenses the exact amount of food that you prefer.

It has 14 slots and each of them can hold different types of food so you can easily program the feeder to dispense an exact amount of food at specific times.

Even though you don’t have to feed your turtle more than once a day, it allows you the option of feeding your turtle 4 times a day.

The display also has a battery indicator that gives you more control and allows you to plan ahead to have continuous power.

Brackets come with the package and you can easily mount it on the tank. 

There are no limits to the types of food you can use here as it is suitable for almost every type of food.

To ensure that the quality of the food put here remains top, you can attach an airline from an air pump to blow in dry air, keep moisture out and leave the food dry and fresh.

Pros

  • It has 14 feeding slots for different foods
  • A battery indicator is included
  • Runs on a single AA battery
  • Can be programmed to dispense food up to 4 times each day

Cons

  • Its small size means replenishment will be done more often

5. Ebotrade Dirct Automatic Turtle Feeder

We will call it a wrap with Ebotrade Dirct Automatic Turtle Feeder. It dispenses the exact amount of food you set, preventing your turtles from being overfed.

You can feed your turtle with both small and large food particles using this feeder. 

With small particles, you can load 70 grams and by dispersing 5 grams each time you can feed your turtle 14 times with small food particles.

With large food articles, you can load up to 40 grams. By feeding 2 grams each time you can feed your turtle a total of 20 times with large food particles.

It is easy to install and it can be done by the use of plastic screws to tighten the feeder to the turtle tank, or with the use of Velcro to secure the feeder to the tank.

Power is provided by 2 AAA batteries and you are good to go.

Pros

  • You have control to feed your turtle up to 4 times a day
  • It is easy to install and use
  • The amount of food to be dispersed is controlled 
  • The unit comes with a fan ventilation system that helps keep food fresh and dry

Cons


Things to Look Out For In a Good Turtle Feeder

If you have made up your mind on getting an automatic turtle feeder, there are a few things you need to look out for to ensure that what you get will serve you properly:

  • The feeder should be reliable enough to disperse the exact same amount of food you have set each time. Dispersing more or less than what you have set will affect your pet negatively
  • The feeder should have the capacity to feed more than once a day
  • Check that the feeder has an inbuilt ventilation system. This is important to keep the food fresh and dry always
  • Confirm the presence of an LCD display. The LCD display will help you easily adjust settings
  • The feeder should be easy to set up and install even if you do not have any experience in this area
  • The feeder should come with its complete kit for set up
  • Check for the number of feeding slots each feeder has. Do not settle for that which has less than 10 slots
  • Since you will feed your turtle with different types of foods, choose a feeder that can accommodate both large and small food particles
  • Most feeders these days come with automatic and manual feeding modes. Choose a feeder that has both modes to choose from
  • Check that the food chamber is moisture-proof
  • If you can get a feeder that runs on a rechargeable battery. It is cost-effective as you will not have to buy new batteries
  • Check for a warranty. It is your best shot at being certain the product is of good quality, and it is your only protection if your automatic feeder breaks down too soon or is defective

Commonly Asked Questions About Automatic Turtle Feeders

Q: How Long Can Turtles Go Without Food?

An adult turtle that has been fed constantly and properly can stay a few months without any food.

The fact that this is possible doesn’t mean it should be done because it affects its health negatively.

All living things need food and you shouldn’t keep your turtle for that long without food. Juveniles need food daily as they require nutrients to grow and stay healthy.

Q: How Often Does A Turtle Eat?

A juvenile turtle has more nutritional needs than an adult and needs proper feeding in order to grow well.

So it should be fed every day. While an adult turtle can be fed once every three days.

Q: Can I Leave My Turtle For A Week?

Yes, you can. But it is not advisable to live your turtle for more than a few days because apart from needing to change its water and clean its tank, the equipment can malfunction in your absence and cause your turtle to suffer.

Conclusion

Now it is easier to leave your turtle alone for a few days without having to worry about it starving.

The best turtle automatic feeders mentioned here are very capable of dispersing the right amount of food that your turtle requires each day, making sure that your turtle is fed even in your absence.

If you are confused about the choice of a feeder, we will narrow your search down to the Eheim Automatic Feeder

It is made specifically for turtles and disperses the amount of food you set each day ensuring that your turtle gets the required amount every time. Another great option is NICREW Automatic Fish Feeder

It has an LCD display that allows you to change settings easily, and a ventilation system that keeps food fresh and dry for long.

No matter your choice, you will get optimum satisfaction as these products have proven to be the best.

Taking care of your turtle’s nutritional needs has never been easier.