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Food Habits and Selective Foraging by the Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana) in Spring Lake, Hays County, Texas

Abstract The fall-winter food habits of the Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana) were investigated at Spring Lake, Hays County, Texas, by examination of stomach contents. Samples were collected from 33 live turtles by flushing stomach contents with water (Fields et al., 2000). Four aquatic macrophytes composed 91.6% of the diet. Aquatic macrophyte availability at Spring Lake was estimated using the Daubenmire technique (Daubenmire and Daubenmire, 1968) and compared to occurrence in the diet to assess selectivity in foraging. Cooters actively selected Carolina fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana), a plant low in fiber and high in total digestible nutrients. Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticilata), an invasive exotic aquatic plant, was an important food item due to the large amount present in the lake.