my sulcata loves his calcium blocks! but my russians don't like them at all and will not eat food with sprinkle calcium stuff on it. if i mix calcium stuff in there soaking water, will they that do anything for them?
calcium!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter russian/sulcata/tortoise
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I'm not sure, but i don't think mixing it in water will work. Try using pellet food like mazuri or zoomed and mix it into that..... They won't even be able to tell. They do make liquid calcium also.
When you say calcium blocks do you mean cuttlebone? My Russian doesn't mind me scraping the cuttlebone onto her food.
this one
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT calcium blocks..., get cuttle bone and ya just leave it on the substrate. Stop trying to be fancy and just get what tortoises have been eating for years. It's bone of a cuttlefish, with NOTHING added. Stop trying to make this so hard.
can you answer my original question??????!!!!!!!!!NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT calcium blocks..., get cuttle bone and ya just leave it on the substrate. Stop trying to be fancy and just get what tortoises have been eating for years. It's bone of a cuttlefish, with NOTHING added. Stop trying to make this so hard.
If there is liquid calcium I'm sure you could put it in the water for them. My Russian tortoise will not eat her cuttlebone if I just leave it in the habitat. So I scrape it on the food. But many Russian tortoises will actually eat it. Give it a shot, it's cheap and easy. try scraping it on the food, but not too thick. Or scrape it on and mix it in. I usually spray the food with a little water from a spray bottle and then scrape the cuttlebone onto it. I also add TNT powder during the winter when I have to feed grocery store greens.
Not so much my friend.....
okay
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Maggie Cummings
Guest
But in MY opinion I did answer your question.
Some of us old f**ts have used cuttle bone for years. You don't need to put anything in the water. Lay it on the substrate and IF THEY NEED IT, they will eat it. If their bodies don't need it, they won't bite it. Why the hell try to change a tried and true method of giving calcium? If you fed a wide variety of foods they 'probably' wouldn't need supplements. I don't use them, I make sure I feed the best diet "I" can feed.
Everyday, rain, sleet, snow, and sometimes sun, I am outside in my robe by 7am with scissors cutting grass, leaves, weeds, and whatever blooms there are
I have a deal with the local grocery store that they save their old produce for me. So after I bring in my cuttings I add 'some' produce with the grasses etc, then I mix it all around, sprinkle some water on it and feed all my tortoises. About 2 PM I bring a treat of softened Mazuri, or pumpkin, or squash, acorn etc. Then in the evening, it's softened Mazuri. Then they all go to bed. But they won't go until the bedtime snack.
Scientists have proven that 'most' supplements are a waste of money. They mostly go right thru your system doing nothing. That's of course if they are being fed a good varied diet.
At times I have had a rock eater, then I use Miner-All for a few weeks and the rock eating stops.
I feed my box turtles fruit and veggies one day, worms or slugs (protein) the next and stunned goldfish the next. Sometimes I feed cat food (wet, and not more then once a month.) All my box turtles are 'special needs 'animals. Some are missing limbs, 2 are blind and one is just bat-sh** crazy. But they all eat like fiends.
I figure my only job in keeping chelonia is to make the best life for them that I can, good feeding starts it. So that's what I do....no brag just fact....
Nick. stop trying short cuts and feed them better, no supplements necessary...
I'm crashing this thread for a minute, but Maggie I laughed when you were describing your special needs box turtles. A little crazy is good for everybody.
But back to the original question, with all the emphasis that people put on calcium in the diet I can understand where it is stressful.everybody just says throw a cuttlebone in there but if your tortoise doesn't eat it you start to get scared. that's why I scrape it on the food. It makes me feel better if nothing else and it definitely doesn't hurt as long as I don't overdo it. I like the TNT supplement because it is basically just ground up plants. and many of those plants are not available in my area. A very diet is definitely the best way to go though.
But back to the original question, with all the emphasis that people put on calcium in the diet I can understand where it is stressful.everybody just says throw a cuttlebone in there but if your tortoise doesn't eat it you start to get scared. that's why I scrape it on the food. It makes me feel better if nothing else and it definitely doesn't hurt as long as I don't overdo it. I like the TNT supplement because it is basically just ground up plants. and many of those plants are not available in my area. A very diet is definitely the best way to go though.
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Good morning Nick
The reason your Sulcata eats a lot of calcium is he is growing at 90 miles a hour but your Russian is growing at 1 mile a hour . So the Russian don't need calcium any were near what the Sulcata needs . But my torts don't have a problem eating egg shells ( I run them through a coffee grinder )
The reason your Sulcata eats a lot of calcium is he is growing at 90 miles a hour but your Russian is growing at 1 mile a hour . So the Russian don't need calcium any were near what the Sulcata needs . But my torts don't have a problem eating egg shells ( I run them through a coffee grinder )
How is your box turtle crazy? I do feed my tortoises well!
http://moodyncheeky.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/crazy-turtle-cartoon-comic.gif?w=490
then add wings.....lol.....
then add wings.....lol.....
Good grief, I actually thought this was serious, by the title!
maggie's got you covered
And no, I don't think it would do anything! You must be putting too much on. Lessen the amount... I soak my cuttlebone, and scrape it off onto greens, and it sticks like cement!
maggie's got you covered
And no, I don't think it would do anything! You must be putting too much on. Lessen the amount... I soak my cuttlebone, and scrape it off onto greens, and it sticks like cement!
I never thought about wetting down the cuttlebone, I spritz the plants and then scrape the dry cuttlebone onto it and it still sticks like cementGood grief, I actually thought this was serious, by the title!
maggie's got you covered
And no, I don't think it would do anything! You must be putting too much on. Lessen the amount... I soak my cuttlebone, and scrape it off onto greens, and it sticks like cement!
Prairie Mom
Well-Known Member
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- 4,339
I understand your concern. When I first came across members putting babyfood etc in soaking water, I looked it up a bit and I was not able to come across any evidence that it really did prove beneficial (certainly not harmful), but it sounds like it is still pretty debatable. Like other members have said here, there are liquid calcium supplements that you can put in drinking water, but then you have the risk of your tort not liking the taste in the water and becoming dehydrated.
I hope you don't mind me also jumping on the varied natural diet bandwagon, but I wanted to let you know that I was able to reverse the beginnings of metabolic bone disease without even using calcium supplements. Lots of sunshine and calcium rich natural foods like dandelions, grape leaves, and bok choy in addition to her diet of grass, weeds, and edible flowers repaired my new tortoise's soft carapace spots in a really short time. I saw a difference in only a few weeks and at two months she is totally hard. Mulberry leaves have the highest calcium of any greens that I've come across and I'm working to grow some now, but I was still able to harden my sweetie's shell without them or calcium supplementation. It seems like you give your torts lots of sunshine(Vit D3!), so I'm willing to bet your Russians are better than you think they are
I hope you don't mind me also jumping on the varied natural diet bandwagon, but I wanted to let you know that I was able to reverse the beginnings of metabolic bone disease without even using calcium supplements. Lots of sunshine and calcium rich natural foods like dandelions, grape leaves, and bok choy in addition to her diet of grass, weeds, and edible flowers repaired my new tortoise's soft carapace spots in a really short time. I saw a difference in only a few weeks and at two months she is totally hard. Mulberry leaves have the highest calcium of any greens that I've come across and I'm working to grow some now, but I was still able to harden my sweetie's shell without them or calcium supplementation. It seems like you give your torts lots of sunshine(Vit D3!), so I'm willing to bet your Russians are better than you think they are
I guess it's a really sticky thing!I never thought about wetting down the cuttlebone, I spritz the plants and then scrape the dry cuttlebone onto it and it still sticks like cement
I never thought about live plants... I might to try that outdoors! 
