Supplements

[Bert Gorda]

Hi all, just wondering if I need to supplement calcium with D3 if I have a UVB bulb in my enclosure for 6 mos old sulcata? I have a multivit as well that has calcium, do I still need to provide a seperate Ca supplement? And what is the best way to apply the powders to the little guy's green?

thanks for the help in advance

 

[Bducks16]

I'm not positive if you need d3 or not but using d3 won't hurt. I sprinkle calcium powder over my greens then spray it down a little with a water mister to moisten it up a bit so it leaves a chalky residue on the greens. The tortoises will walk over it knocking it to the ground. Spraying it helps it stick.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

That's a loaded question : do you feed just store vegys , how old is the uv bulb , what kind of tort is it , and for me what is the calcium from ?

 

[Speedy-1]

I don't use Calcium supplements , but Speedy always has cuttlebone available , today he is eating cactus diced up , which is another good natural source of calcium . He also gets outside for at least a few hours daily . Not saying its the only way to go , but it has worked well for us . A lot depends on your location and set up I think !

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't use the one with d3 because all my indoor enclosures get put outside on sunny days. When I add calcium powder to my tortoises' food, I only use a tiny pinch between my thumb and index finger. Then I mix it up so he can't see/smell it.

 

[W Shaw]

I'm new to the game, but based on what I've learned from more experienced folks, I supplement with D3, because my tortoise is indoors. He has a UVB lamp, but every expert (and self-proclaimed expert) has his favorite UVB bulb and swears every other bulb on the market is either dangerous or insufficient. Without the benefit of a tester (several hundred dollars), there's really no way to be sure. So, I leave calcium available for him, and he gets a supplement, for peace of mind on the D3. It is possible to overdose with the D3, so I just give him a tiny pinch a couple of times a week.

 

[Jodie]

I supplement a small amount of mineral 2 X per week, and calcium, small amount 1 per week. In the winter when my tortoises are inside, I use indoor mineral which has D3 in it. In the summer I supplement less. They are outside so no D3, and they free graze a huge variety of weeds and flowers.

 

[Tom]

I'm new to the game, but based on what I've learned from more experienced folks...

He has a UVB lamp, but every expert (and self-proclaimed expert) has his favorite UVB bulb and swears every other bulb on the market is either dangerous or insufficient.

Without the benefit of a tester (several hundred dollars), there's really no way to be sure. So, I leave calcium available for him, and he gets a supplement, for peace of mind on the D3. It is possible to overdose with the D3, so I just give him a tiny pinch a couple of times a week.

I am guessing you didn't intend it this way, but this sounds very cynical.

There are multiple good bulbs to use on the market and each has good and bad points that make them better for some situations and not as good for others. I understand the difficulty for a new person fighting through conflicting info, but there is only one type of bulb, the cfl types, that are sometimes dangerous and insufficient. There are several types of tube types that all work just fine and safely and the MVBs work well in some applications too.

There is also debate about whether or not tortoises can utilize dietary D3, or not. Early studies suggested not. @Will mentioned a more recent study that suggests they can use it, but I've not seen it yet. Personally, until there is some more solid proof, I am not willing to rely on only dietary D3 and forego any and all UVB sources just yet.

The "testers" you speak of only test for UVB strength in the spectrum that reptiles need to produce D3 in their skin. They do not test for a bulbs safety, intensity, or any other parameter. They are only used for the purpose of testing UVB strength so that bulb mounting height will be correct for new bulbs and so that people will know when their older UV bulbs are no longer producing sufficient UVB and need replacement. They sell for $249 and are a wise investment for anyone whose tortoise must stay inside for months at a time over a frozen winter. https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html.

 

[Tom]

Hi all, just wondering if I need to supplement calcium with D3 if I have a UVB bulb in my enclosure for 6 mos old sulcata? I have a multivit as well that has calcium, do I still need to provide a seperate Ca supplement? And what is the best way to apply the powders to the little guy's green?

thanks for the help in advance

For a 6 month old sulcata, I would suggest using a tiny pinch of calcium on top of the day's greens twice a week. Then I mix it all up. It doesn't matter if it has D3 in it or not. The small amount in these supplements would be hard to overdose on, and it won't hurt anything if the tortoise gets some D3 in its calcium supplement twice a week and doesn't need it.

A good vitamin supplement is a different thing and I recommend once a week for those.

Its also a good idea to leave a cuttlebone in the enclosure so your baby can "self-administer" more calcium during those enormous growth spurts that sulcatas go through. They often won't touch them for weeks or months, but then one day, eat it all up.

Please read this for feeding suggestions:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

These contain more helpful care tips and info too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/


Welcome to the tortoise forum!

 

[W Shaw]

I am guessing you didn't intend it this way, but this sounds very cynical.

There are multiple good bulbs to use on the market and each has good and bad points that make them better for some situations and not as good for others. I understand the difficulty for a new person fighting through conflicting info, but there is only one type of bulb, the cfl types, that are sometimes dangerous and insufficient. There are several types of tube types that all work just fine and safely and the MVBs work well in some applications too.

There is also debate about whether or not tortoises can utilize dietary D3, or not. Early studies suggested not. @Will mentioned a more recent study that suggests they can use it, but I've not seen it yet. Personally, until there is some more solid proof, I am not willing to rely on only dietary D3 and forego any and all UVB sources just yet.

The "testers" you speak of only test for UVB strength in the spectrum that reptiles need to produce D3 in their skin. They do not test for a bulbs safety, intensity, or any other parameter. They are only used for the purpose of testing UVB strength so that bulb mounting height will be correct for new bulbs and so that people will know when their older UV bulbs are no longer producing sufficient UVB and need replacement. They sell for $249 and are a wise investment for anyone whose tortoise must stay inside for months at a time over a frozen winter. https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html.

More frustrated than cynical. I also would never go without a UVB bulb. But because there seems to be so much contention about brands and styles of bulb, I'm really insecure about whether the bulbs are sufficient. So, I have a bulb, and always will., and will replace it regularly. But I supplement, in case the bulb isn't sufficient.

 

[Tom]

More frustrated than cynical. I also would never go without a UVB bulb. But because there seems to be so much contention about brands and styles of bulb, I'm really insecure about whether the bulbs are sufficient. So, I have a bulb, and always will., and will replace it regularly. But I supplement, in case the bulb isn't sufficient.

I think your strategy is an excellent one.

My reason for belaboring the point is because if you have these concerns about which type of UV bulb to use and why, I'll bet others do too. It doesn't seem complicated or frustrating to me at all, but then I realize WHY its not frustrating or mysterious to me, and it is to you.

You've motivated me to do a new thread explaining all the different heating and lighting strategies, and really breaking it all down for people who are just getting in to reptiles and learning all the technicalities of the ever evolving and expanding array of new products on the market.

 

[W Shaw]

I think your strategy is an excellent one.

My reason for belaboring the point is because if you have these concerns about which type of UV bulb to use and why, I'll bet others do too. It doesn't seem complicated or frustrating to me at all, but then I realize WHY its not frustrating or mysterious to me, and it is to you.

You've motivated me to do a new thread explaining all the different heating and lighting strategies, and really breaking it all down for people who are just getting in to reptiles and learning all the technicalities of the ever evolving and expanding array of new products on the market.

Great idea. I think what makes it complicated for new folks is that on virtually every major element of care, there are "experts" in contention over it. I've been warned off every available substrate. I've also been told that every available substrate (except sand) is the absolute best and "I've raised dozens on this substrate." Likewise with UVB. Every bulb out there has haters who swear they don't do the job and supporters who say they've used nothing but that bulb for years. Leaves a beginner thinking either no one really knows what's good for tortoises or there's not much difference between the various options.