Feeding a Large Sulcata and Cuttlebone Question

Tank'sMom

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May 25, 2014
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Olmito, Tx
Ok. My tort is 17 years old and over 100lbs. He has eaten all of the grass in his enclosure, but is allowed out to roam our acre yard at least every other day for a few hours. I adopted him a couple months ago.
Currently the majority of what he eats is grass clippings and Timothy hay. (His stool is full of hay debris, is that a good sign?) I also give him varied lettuces a few times per week, and cactus pads which grow wild where I am. I also give different kinds of squash on occasion. He also has access to 3 Hibiscus bushes that grow next to his enclosure, on the outside, he eats the bushes and flowers through the fence.
So I have a few questions:
Does this diet seem adequate?
What else can I give him?
How do I know if he's eating enough? (He never stops, and creates a lot of stool, but I wonder if there is a way to tell?)
Calcium Question:
I keep seeing the advice to "toss in some cuttlebone and he'll eat it if he feels the need for more calcium".
I bought a bulk box of cuttlebone and he's been eating about one per week. Should I be giving him more if he eats it all? Less?
Any help is appreciated. I've kept torts off and on for 20 years, had a Sulcata from hatchling for about 6 years but she was stolen. This HUGE tort business is a whole different ball game!!!
 

T33's Torts

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Neverland!
One piece of cuttle bone a week seems like a lot. I have to force my tortoises to eat it, so I'm not sure exactly.
I like to add Mazuri tortoise food a few times a week (my big sulcata, also named Tank, gets about 2 cups on Mondays and Thursdays) because of its added vitamins and such.
 

Tank'sMom

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Joined
May 25, 2014
Messages
462
Location (City and/or State)
Olmito, Tx
He has injuries on the top scutes of his carpace as a result of having to pass through a brick ceiling to the burrow he dug. I'm wanting to help him heal. Just not really sure how much calcium to give.
If I throw in a cuttlebone, it's gone when I get back.
 

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