tnt or minerall or both?

[RedfootsRule]

Ahhhhh.... we may have discovered something here. Finally! I can't possibly know for sure if this is your problem but...

Two things about "distilled" water. I have read that the distillation process can leave behind certain heavy metals. I have not tested this, but it is not meant for consumption, so it seems plausible. This could be part or all of your issue. Maybe these metals caused or contributed to the formation of the stones?

Second thing: Distilled water is supposed to be absolutely pure, so no minerals, salts or dissolved solids of any kind. Tortoises need water with some minerals in it. It is part of a whole balancing act with vitamins, trace elements, minerals, fatty acids, etc... Possibly the LACK of minerals and dissolved solids in their drinking water is causing them to feel an imbalance. They are trying to correct this imbalance by eating all sort of stuff that they shouldn't. You are seeing this behavior in both tortoises, so it makes sense. I think you might have an imbalance going on. Cuttlebone alone only replaces calcium carbonate, but not all the other minerals that need to be in the correct balance with it.

I would just use tap water for everything, unless you suspect there is something wrong with your tap water.

Absoloutely true. Distilled water has none of the minerals needed, and water is one of the major sources reptiles get it from! I've seen many things about tree monitors recommending the kind of water, and they always say no distilled because it leaves out the minerals. That would definitely be the problem in her situation.
I've actually seen quite a bit of literature about exactly this. If she starts using regular tap water, it will likely help.

 

[marcy4hope]

the only reason i wasn't using tap water is just because it's hard and so it leaves a hard water stain on the bowls and won't come off very easily at all. but, since i use those clay pot "bowls", they'd certainly be cheap enough to just replace once in awhile if they get too stained. i certainly will switch over to that in the cage and see if that helps.

i will do some more research on this as well, because i actually drink the distilled water myself. and i totally understand the metal thing. distilled water has a metallic taste to it. i actually like the taste of it. but, now that you've mentioned this, i will do some research on whether it may be bad for me to be drinking it too. thanks.

 

[RedfootsRule]

Hard water = lots minerals, as far as I know. It actually might be better...Certinaly not harmful. I have water out where my tortoises are that turns any metal brown and covered in hard water stains in a day . The water itself has a slightly brown tinge to it, but its straight well water. I believe the tinge is from tannins seeping through the earth down to the water where it is drawn from....

But anyways, hard water has a lot of minerals (hence why it stains things). Should be fine .

 

[dmarcus]

We use bottled spring water for the inside torts to drink and soak in and distilled water for the fogger only..

 

[sibi]

I, for one, know what to feed my torts and yet, I wonder, what if... Supplements like liquid calcium are used sparingly just because I don't know exactly how much my torts need since they are growing in leaps and bounds. Perfectly healthy humans often take vitamins to supplement they diets just in case some of those trace minerals are lacking. In makes perfect sense to use calcium supplements sparingly, and even liquid vitamins. I am constantly aware that too much of anything is not good; so, I make sure that I use it perhaps once a week if my torts are healthy, and more if they are not. Btw, Marcy, have your baby pass the stones yet?

 

[Irwin4530]

the only reason i wasn't using tap water is just because it's hard and so it leaves a hard water stain on the bowls and won't come off very easily at all. but, since i use those clay pot "bowls", they'd certainly be cheap enough to just replace once in awhile if they get too stained. i certainly will switch over to that in the cage and see if that helps.

i will do some more research on this as well, because i actually drink the distilled water myself. and i totally understand the metal thing. distilled water has a metallic taste to it. i actually like the taste of it. but, now that you've mentioned this, i will do some research on whether it may be bad for me to be drinking it too. thanks.

I use TNT for my torts (small sprinkle twice a week) and it has done them worlds of good. I do feed a variety of foods (tailored to each species) and Mazuri 1-2 times a week. I often try to introduce new greens to them with some success, they either love it or hate it and in the summer they eat nothing from the store and graze in their pens or eat what I collect form my own garden.

OFF TOPIC FOR A SECOND BUT IT MIGHT HELP:
Fairly certain that I read on here that a member was able to remove hard water stains with baking soda.....I have not tried it personally (although I have a tank in desperate need of some TLC) it may help you to keep your dishes around a bit longer...

 

[lynnedit]

That is the nice thing about the TNT; all ground up weeds, just rounds out a healthy diet, but fairly hard to 'over dose'. The version with the probiotics seems to help tortoises that have been ill.

I have seen Yvonne recommend the Miner-all for torts who seem to eat rocks, etc., as she has seen it really help. I haven't tried it myself.

 

[CLMoss]

This is the info that I received from my SL Star Breeder who is very well know and respected, and this is what I follow:

I give a very light dusting almost every day of both the Calcium D3 and Herptivite. I also have a cuttlebone in their enclosure that Becky, my female Star loves.
I try to give them the best variety of green that I can (also grow food for them), and for a treat I will give them some Mazur and cactus pads.
My hatchlings (well Becky is a yearling now and River will be one in Feb) are doing beautifully. Very active and growing like crazy!
So, like Tom, I do recommend supplements.
I never heard of TNT... Does anybody give it to their Stars? Sounds like a great supplement.

This is what Larry recommends:
Nothing beats natural sunlight! Even the best full spectrum lighting can’t come close to matching natural sunlight. I use
regular fluorescent bulbs and I supplement each feeding with a 1:1 mixture of Calcium Powder with D3 and Herptivite
Vitamins. That, in combination with my keeping them outdoors from April through October, has proven to be successful.
When outdoors, I supplement with Calcium powder without D3.
I use a mixture of store bought greens (romaine lettuce, chicory, escarole, dandelion, salad mixes, mixed veggies,
etc...) and yard collected weeds (like clover), as available. It is good to offer a variety of foods.
~C

 

[marcy4hope]

just today i saw my sulcata eating his substrate. i had seen my leopard do this, but not the sulcata. but, i just saw him in his enclosure eating something and i watched him and he was eating substrate. can't wait for that minerall to get here and see if that helps this issue. i did switch to the tap water as well.