Vitamins? Calcium? Tap water?

[Lyric Aarhaus]

I am having trouble finding out if vitamin powder and calcium are necessary for my tortoise and if yes how often? I also need to know is regular tap water safe for tortoise consumption?

 

[TeamZissou]

Rep Cal Herptivite is the best vitamin supplement available for torts. Calcium powder in the form of calcium carbonate is what you want for a calcium supplement. You can use calcium with or without D3; it does not matter much as long as you have a good UVB lamp set at the correct height for a target UVI level for your particular species. Give the supplements twice a week. I alternate vitamins and calcium each week.

Tap water is fine, except for eggs.

 

[Lyric Aarhaus]

Rep Cal Herptivite is the best vitamin supplement available for torts. Calcium powder in the form of calcium carbonate is what you want for a calcium supplement. You can use calcium with or without D3; it does not matter much as long as you have a good UVB lamp set at the correct height for a target UVI level for your particular species. Give the supplements twice a week. I alternate vitamins and calcium each week.

Tap water is fine, except for eggs.


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I saw that some people use a cuttlebone instead of calcium powder is this fine?

 

[TeamZissou]

It's fine to offer that too, but some tortoises do not touch it for extended periods of time.

 

[Lyric Aarhaus]

It's fine to offer that too, but some tortoises do not touch it for extended periods of time.

Ah so a powder really is best okay thank you!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Ah so a powder really is best okay thank you!

Or pulverized Cuttlebone.
But that's a lot of work.

Don't use a lot of any supplement. Just a pinch. Any more of it and it turns off most tortoises. Especially very young and picky ones

 

[Lyric Aarhaus]

Or pulverized Cuttlebone.
But that's a lot of work.

Don't use a lot of any supplement. Just a pinch. Any more of it and it turns off most tortoises. Especially very young and picky ones

Oh much is too much? Just learn how much supplement the tortoise will eat and go from there?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oh much is too much? Just learn how much supplement the tortoise will eat and go from there?

Yes.

 

[TeamZissou]

Ah so a powder really is best okay thank you!

Cuttlebone is just crystallized calcium carbonate, so it is the same thing. It is just hard to say if your tortoise will show interest. Some large tortoises eat large chunks and then eventually pass them while small tortoises may nibble more.

At any rate, follow ZP's recommendation of just a pinch a couple of times per week so you don't overdo it. Put a pinch on the food and rub it in to the leaves to disperse it.

 

[Tom]

I am having trouble finding out if vitamin powder and calcium are necessary for my tortoise and if yes how often? I also need to know is regular tap water safe for tortoise consumption?

What species of tortoise, what age, what size, and what do you feed it?

The answer to your questions will vary with the answers to these questions.

If the tap water is safe for you to drink and bathe in, then it is also safe for your tortoise.