Cuttlebone

[Rhyno47]

So I use cuttlebones for my torts. Is the hard outer layer ok for them to eat? Can it be removed?

 

[waynee]

So I use cuttlebones for my torts. Is the hard outer layer ok for them to eat? Can it be removed?

My DT's luv cuttlebones. I try to remove the hard layer, but don't always suceed. The adults & yearlings don't seem to care, but the hatchlings need to have the hard layer removed. I just use my finger nails or whatever else is handy and chip away.

 

[bikerchicspain]

My torts love their cuttlebone, i dont remove any of it,Althoug for the babes i gring it up.

 

[Rhyno47]

thanks

 

[tortoisenerd]

The cuttlebones I have bought have one hard side and one soft side (I think they are "Turlebone", two to a yellow box). Just a thought to try and find these, as it will save you time and/or eliminate the question of if they will eat it with the hard stuff on it. Not as cheap as the single ones, but how many do you go through?

 

[Madortoise]

I break it up into smaller pieces for my juvenile DT to forage. Otherwise she won't bite into a big intact piece. She seems to enjoy finding them and gets a good exercise.
Also, I agree w/Kate. More pricely ones (just a few dollars) sold at repitle stores in pairs in a fancy box (can't recall the brand--red&yellow color box) are so much softer than the ones sold for birds in general pet store. You can crumble them by hands.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I buy mine in bulk from the pet store and I don't try to peel off the hard stuff...I let the tortoise gnaw on it...I let them try and get the stuff off or eat it...whichever

 

[Meg90]

I get my cuttles in the bird section. I got 5 in a pack for like 2.39$. Little Anouk and Novalee have all been able to eat it no problema.

 

[dmmj]

Plus cuttlebone should keep their beaks trimmed.

 

[chairman]

I have heard that you can boil cuttlebones to remove the hard shell. Apparently it peels right off and the rest is left intact. I've never tried it, though, as my torts don't have any problems with them as is.

 

[Traveller]

I use cuttlebones in all my enclosures. Our little hatchling munches away
on hers no problem although I do make sure the softer side is always
on the top. I don't worry with the older guys at all.

 

[VICtort]

Cuttlebones are a good source of calcium for your herd. I do remove the hard layer, using a knife (be very careful, it would be easy to slip and cut yourself...). Because some of the desired relatively soft and Calcium rich layers are left on the hard surface, I take it and grate it on a kitchen type grater, using the powder to sprinkle on food for hatchling tortoises etc. I throw the very hard shell like pieces remaining into the garden. Oh yes, many tortoises will show no interest in cuttle bone, often ignoring it for weeks/months, then suddenly eating a lot of it.

Sometimes I get very large cuttle bones from avian/parrot supply stores. Often you can get "a discount' for the broken cuttle bones which some folks won't buy, it does not matter to a tortoise...

good luck, Vic

 

[sammi]

Ernie has NEVER touched his cuttlebone. Its been sitting for over 2 months now...

 

[Kymiie]

Crush loves cuttle bone he ate a quarter withing 3 days but now hes not touchin it lol...

 

[GBtortoises]

All of my tortoises have constant access to calcium carbonate, the young in powder form in shallow bowls, the adults in the form of cuttle bone pieces broke in half. In both situations different individual tortoises will consume it at different intervals and in different amounts. Their consumption varies by day, week and season. In other words, their needs vary and they absolutely seem to know when they need more or less calcium.
Most tortoises that are constantly fed calcium sprinkled on their food usually won't show much interest in a side source of calcium because they are getting it on their food all the time. Unfortunately, in my opinion anyway, this method does not allow them to regulate the amount of calcium that they may need at any given time because they are essentially having it force fed to them. In nature I am certain that their food sources are not covered with calcium which is why they consume calcium rich soil and stone as they need to.

 

[Rhyno47]

Two of my torts never even look at it. My one sulcata eats it occasionally like he is supposed to. My new box turtle hatching started eating it the day i put it in his tank. He is only the size of a quarter and somehow he knew he should eat it. I never thought he would since he only eats worms and bugs.

 

[alfiethetortoise]

Alfie has always had cuttlebone, but only ever ate it once when she first arrived. So i use calcium powerd on the food too and she eats that just fine

 

[ChiKat]

That's very interesting GBtortoises- I had never heard of leaving a small dish of calcium carbonate in a tortoise enclosure. That is what I do for my geckos.
I might just have to put a small dish of calcium in my Russian's enclosure! I like your logic.

 

[GBtortoises]

I have found that my Russian tortoises seem to consume the least amount of calcium of any of the tortoises that I have which is almost exclusively Testudo species. I have seen hatchling and young Russian tortoises eating calcium carbonate powder occasionally. If my adults have eaten cuttlebone it has been when they are outdoors, which may be a seasonal occurance. Sometimes outdoors the cuttlebone gets wet, then gets soft and breaks up easily so it isn't always easy to tell. Indoors I do ever recall the adults consuming it but I still make it availlable to them at all times.

 

[dmmj]

My three russians will not touch their cuttlebone, they act like it is posion. i have had the same piece going on almost 3 years now. no bite marks. I do grate a CB up and sprinkle it once a week on their grape leaves.