Food / Supplement Suggestions Please

[PepperJack]

I have a gorgeous cherry head, 9 months old, that I feel could use a little more calcium in his diet. I mix his meals up with kale, green leaf, steamed carrots, squash zucchini, and green pepper (and a few raspberries a week). This being said he refuses to nibble on a cuddle bone and doesn't like the supplement powder I have for it. Suggestions on foods/different supplement or am I doing just fine on his diet? Just wanted to keep myself in check and my baby healthy!

 

[G-stars]

Opuntia cactus. Tortoises love them and it has calcium.

 

[G-stars]

You can also try mazuri a couple times a week.

 

[PepperJack]

Two questions on this ... is the opuntia cactus sage in its entirety fir my cherry head to eat and if so can or be grown in my tortoise table?

 

[G-stars]

Regarding your question on opuntia many on here feed it to their tortoises and in general census it is a stable in my varied diet in which I feed my tortoises. Here's a great list of edible and non edible plants.

http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plants_19.asp

However I don't own any redfoots yet. But I believe they need more protein then other tortoises. Mazuri an help with that also.

Where do you live? In Southern California it grows just fine anywhere. You can usually find it in Hispanic stores for cheap.

 

[Yvonne G]

If he can taste the calcium powder, you're using too much. Just take a pinch between your thumb and index finger and sprinkle it over the food, then mix it all up.

 

[pfara]

My tip is to shave a small amount of cuttlebone into moistened mazuri once or twice a week if you feel like your tortoise isn't getting enough calcium. Mazuri is too delicious that it seems to mask the bitterness of calcium powder (if your tort is the type that loves mazuri). Remember, calcium is fully utilized by your tort with a proper UVB source. Also, adding too much calcium can do more harm than not enough.

 

[ascott]

I have a gorgeous cherry head, 9 months old, that I feel could use a little more calcium in his diet. I mix his meals up with kale, green leaf, steamed carrots, squash zucchini, and green pepper (and a few raspberries a week). This being said he refuses to nibble on a cuddle bone and doesn't like the supplement powder I have for it. Suggestions on foods/different supplement or am I doing just fine on his diet? Just wanted to keep myself in check and my baby healthy!

What makes you feel he needs more calcium? If he has access to the calcium bone/stone and he has no interest...perhaps he is aok in that area?