Does my babys RES need veggies?

My baby RES Scooter wont eat his veggies. he will readily eat crickets, fish, and pellets, but not veggies. i gave him some romane lettuce, he would not eat it. i gave him some shredded carrots, he snaped at them and completly lost interest once they fell to the bottom.
Answers:
Um, babies don't need veggies. After they reach 4" in diameter then they do. Before this they are pretty much only carnivorous. Romane lettuce is a no no for turtles as it has no nutritonal value and is 99% water and just extra unnecessary calories. Carrots are really on the menu for RES either. When it is old and big enough for veggies, however, feed it kale, mustard leaves, collards, and other dark leafy greens, again though with the exception of lettuce of any kinds.

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it will eat more as it gets older, but you should give it aquatic vegetation, that is what they eat in the wild.

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Feeding

RES are essentially carnivorous, but they incline toward plant food in adult age. The most important thing to remember is that turtles need a rich and various diet. Turtles in captivity are especially prone to obesity and obesity-linked diseases, due to the almost sedentary way of life and too much food. Hatchlings should be fed once a day and adult turtles once in two days.
There are various categories of food you can offer to your turtles:

* Commercial food
* Live food
* Plant food
* Meat and cat/dog-food
* Supplements

The essential diet of most turtles in captivity consists of commercial food formulated especially for turtles. There are numerous brands of sticks and pellets and many owners believe that they satisfy all the needs of their turtles. However, some turtles (especially hatchlings and wild-caught turtles) refuse to eat canned food and this can be a source of frustration for many owners. In any case, the commercial food should be only the base of a turtle's diet.

Offering live food to your turtles is the best way to implement their diet. It is usually given as treat as most turtles simply adore it. However, there is no reason live food should not be included in the everyday diet of turtles. Insects, worms and feeder fish are excellent sources of proteins, and they can be obtained without too much trouble. The most popular insects offered to turtles are certainly crickets. They can be bought in pet stores or you can simply catch them in your back yard (provided you have one, of course). Locusts will also be accepted by turtles with great eagerness as a number of other insects.
Earthworms, mealworms and other kinds of worms have a high nutritional value as well. So, don't hesitate to offer them as often as you can. Some pet shops keep the, so called, "feeder fish" which can be placed in the tank and turtles will feed on them. That's also a good idea, especially if you want to provide some exercise to your slider.

Many owners complain that their sliders avoid plant food. RES are essentially carnivorous, although they tend to become herbivorous in adult age. However, some of them readily accept plant food even as hatchlings. It is a good idea to offer your slider carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, dandelion leaves and other vegetables.

Turtles are extremely fond of meat and you can give it as a treat from time to time. It is important not to exaggerate because most types of meat are too fatty to be given regularly. Cat and dog-food can also be given to sliders, but not too often because of their high caloric value.

Vitamin and calcium supplements are an essential part of the diet of turtles in captivity. Vitamin D is especially important because turtles can't synthesize it if not exposed to direct sunlight (or full-spectrum lamp light). As a consequence they develop a condition known as shell softening which is usually deadly if not treated. The deficiency in vitamin A can lead to eye damage and permanent blindness. It is, therefore, important, to provide vitamin supplements in the diet of turtles.
Calcium can be given in the form of powder or block. The most natural, and maybe best source of calcium is cuttlebone.