- Joined
- Aug 16, 2013
- Messages
- 1
I took one of my two Russian tortoises in for a beak trimming and the vet said I needed to bring him back for an exam because he has a calcium deficiency as shown by ridges on the shell. I had just assumed they were supposed to be that way. It had not occurred to me that we might be negligent. We super love both tortoises and spend quite a bit of time talking to them and enjoying them.
The bet told me to feed him broccoli, shard, and kale which doesn't seem consistent with I am familiar with, so I have hesitations about trusting her. I searched the Internet and it looks like it may actually be a humidity issue. I don't soak my Russians. They do spend a good deal of time outside in the summer and often get watered along with the lawn. Each have a water dish (which neither of them enjoy using), so I feel like they have had good access to water in the summer, but probably not during much of the year, except with wet food they are fed. Should I start soaking, add calcium, or both? (This tortoise won't use a cuttlefish bone and turns up its nose at calcium powder, but it does like grape leaves which it will continue to get through October.)
I also have a question about the large yellow ring that has formed around the bottom of the shell. This has been in the last year and I am concerned that maybe we haven't been paying to close attention to varying his diet and that maybe it's a sign of malnourishment.
The bet told me to feed him broccoli, shard, and kale which doesn't seem consistent with I am familiar with, so I have hesitations about trusting her. I searched the Internet and it looks like it may actually be a humidity issue. I don't soak my Russians. They do spend a good deal of time outside in the summer and often get watered along with the lawn. Each have a water dish (which neither of them enjoy using), so I feel like they have had good access to water in the summer, but probably not during much of the year, except with wet food they are fed. Should I start soaking, add calcium, or both? (This tortoise won't use a cuttlefish bone and turns up its nose at calcium powder, but it does like grape leaves which it will continue to get through October.)
I also have a question about the large yellow ring that has formed around the bottom of the shell. This has been in the last year and I am concerned that maybe we haven't been paying to close attention to varying his diet and that maybe it's a sign of malnourishment.