Cuddle bone question

[AndyC]

Hey everyone,
So I was just wondering if it's normal for my redfoots to not touch their cuddle bone. They're on a pretty standard leafy diet, with fruit and protein throughout the week. I started using calcium powder since they never eat the cuddle bone. But was just wondering if I need to be concerned or not.
Had to add a few pictures

 

[Tom]

Its normal. If their calcium needs are being met elsewhere, they don't need to eat more. Sometimes cuttle bones will sit there untouched for months and then one day, they will eat it all.

Cuttle bones come from cuttlefish. Cuddle bones are something entirely different.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

If worried, you can scrape a bit of the cuttle bone onto their food once or twice a week.

 

[AndyC]

Awesome, thanks guys!

 

[Lyn W]

My tort rarely eats his, but I can always tell when he has as he does a pretty good impression of The Joker with his white face

 

[Tom]

And by the way Andy, your tortoise is gorgeous! Where did you get that beauty?

 

[christinaland128]

My reds rejected cuttlebone at first but then I reintroduced at a later time (2 months later) and they liked it.

I also use this stuff because the smell is appealing to them...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

And they also love to munch eggshells from hard boiled eggs which provides some calcium.

 

[AndyC]

That's actually 2 different torts, Tom. I got them from Vicky at the tortoise yard. I'm glad you like them!

And thank you Christina, I never heard of using eggs with the shells.

 

[dmmj]

Perhaps they come from cuddle fish?

 

[Michael in MO]

I always put a pristine cuttle bone in with torts the same day or the day after I feed protein, when I've had surprising growth spurts it's been a combination of three things.. a high protein feeding with access to a large calcium source and WET muddy shell.. first time it happened and after the mud had dried and I washed it off I couldn't believe the growth line compared to regular growth

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I still have not witnessed a single bite to a cuddlebone from a Redfoot in over eleven years of offering them.
However, there are bite marks.
My clan lives out in the sunshine and eat a varied diet. An indoors tort would be different.

 

[Ariza]

I first offered the cuttlebone a couple of weeks ago and she smelled it and walked away. I left it by her burrow entrance and it's now about half what it was, so she's been nibbling on it. I used to worry about her not getting calcium. i didn't want to give egg shells, fearing they might hurt her while passing through her system.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A tip to save money..Most bird stores sell broken cuddlebones in bulk bags for cheap.
It seems that the bird people only want the whole ones.

 

[Anyfoot]

That's actually 2 different torts, Tom. I got them from Vicky at the tortoise yard. I'm glad you like them! View attachment 129856

And thank you Christina, I never heard of using eggs with the shells.

Andy I have been taking note of my torts with cuttlefish for a few months now, I have 3 juvenile reds,7 adult reds and 6 adult hingebacks. All 16 torts will only eat fresh cuttlefish, after 2 wks they will not eat it. I tried washing it,cutting it up and even leaving it in there baths to soak and no chance, soon as I put fresh in they eat it. So now I only put pieces in not full cuttlefish(otherwise it gets wasted) For all my adults I cut a full cuttlefish into 4 pieces, for my juvenile reds I cut a full cuttle fish into 8 and put 1 piece in per juvenile. I'm convinced it gets old and they don't want it. Maybe wrong, but whatever it is it happens to often for it to be a coincidence. Maybe its because its something new and they are just curious. All I know is they devour fresh cuttlefish. Right or wrong I don't use calcium powder at all.(time will tell). @Tom you just had me in hysterics, cuddle bone is when you lay on the couch wrapping your arms around your cuttlefish. lol

 

[Tom]

Mine will sometimes ignore them for months and then just start munching on them even after they are all old and stained.

 

[Anyfoot]

Mine will sometimes ignore them for months and then just start munching on them even after they are all old and stained.

Tom, this is something I've thought about for a while, and I guess its different for each species so because your forte is sulcata, we'll stick with that. Can you tell me how sulcata get all there calcium needs in the wild? cheers

 

[AndyC]

Thank you all so much, I feel a lot better about it now. I'll just leave one in there and let them decide. And does anyone know about the egg shells being hard on them? Mine are only a few months old...

 

[Tom]

Tom, this is something I've thought about for a while, and I guess its different for each species so because your forte is sulcata, we'll stick with that. Can you tell me how sulcata get all there calcium needs in the wild? cheers

All of mine do this. Sulcata, leopards, russians and stars.

I will NOT be pigeon-holed!!! (kidding, if you couldn't tell...)

Very little is known about wild sulcatas. My guess would be that they meet their calcium needs like any other species by eating the right plants and succulents. I doubt there are any cuttle bones (or cuddle bones) lying around on the ground in the African Sub-Saharan Savannas.

 

[Anyfoot]

All of mine do this. Sulcata, leopards, russians and stars.

I will NOT be pigeon-holed!!! (kidding, if you couldn't tell...)

Very little is known about wild sulcatas. My guess would be that they meet their calcium needs like any other species by eating the right plants and succulents. I doubt there are any cuttle bones (or cuddle bones) lying around on the ground in the African Sub-Saharan Savannas.

Smiling. That,s what I thought, are sulcata strictly herbivores?

 

[Tom]

Smiling. That,s what I thought, are sulcata strictly herbivores?

In the wild, what little info I've been able to find suggests that they are opportunistic omnivores. They will eat carrion, given the chance.