Natural Cuttlefish Bone for Reptiles, Tortoises, Snails, Birds and Small Animals, 4-6 inch, Twin Pack

Product Information

Natural unfiltered sunlight plays a significant part in the production of vitamin D3, which plays a major role in forming bony tissue in chelonians. The levels of UVB present in countries like the UK often fall far below that required of individual species and therefore artificial UVB lights and normally a vitamin D3 supplement may be required, depending on where you live and what species you keep. Fruit is the equivalent of junk food for a tortoise so should be given very occasionally and make up no more than 5% of their diet (strawberry, apple, pear, tomato, melon, plum, apricot). Ideally fruit should be avoided altogether!

Oddly, magnesium helps the body to absorb calcium and, in particular, it appears to play a part in the production of hormones that regulate calcium in the metabolism. Tortoises will always get enough magnesium in their diet. Phosphorus This is cheap and readily available, not to mention super easy to use. Just do a light dusting of the powder over their food 2 to 3 times per week. Aside from calcium, it is also high in vitamin D3. They should be provided with a wide range of edible materials and a shallow water dish. They eat for about an hour before returning to the house.

How to Offer Cuttlebone to Your Turtles

Why do you think tortoises eat snails in the wild? It turns out that balancing a tortoise’s diet for calcium is too challenging for you and it’s too challenging for tortoises. MBD will not only greatly shorten a tortoise’s life but can cause damage that is irreversible even if the deficiency is later corrected. How To Ensure Your Tortoise Gets Enough Calcium

Here is why you should use cuttlebones as a calcium supplement for your tortoises, 1. For Healthy Bone Growth Interestingly, cuttlebones are so high in calcium that they are even used in commercial calcium supplements for reptiles. Interestingly enough, cuttlebone is usually a byproduct and not the main reason for harvesting cuttlefish. Cuttlefish is usually harvested for food with cuttlebone being collected as a byproduct. Hi Debi, I think we discussed that kale and spinich were not good for his diet. Tomatoe is a fruit which is a no no, the VERY odd end of one occasionally will do no harm but don't go out of your way to feed these, cucumber is ok if the weather is hot as it is a good way of hydrating a tortoise but is of very little nutritional value to him. The vitamin supplement I think you need to get tuff and stand your ground with this little chap! Remind me of what age? Mean while I will go and do a whip round to send you to the 'Get Tortoise Tuff' school. Your 4 kids are going to remind you of this later LOL.

Hibernation for Horsefields and Mediterranean Tortoise

Another great way to ensure your tortoise gets enough calcium is to give them calcium powder. A great option for this is calcium carbonate.

Basically, you cannot just sprinkle huge amounts of Vionate on the food to try and match the vitamin and mineral content of Nutrobal; you must adjust the proportion of calcium to keep your captive chelonians healthy. When serving cuttlefish to a tortoise, it should be cut into small, manageable pieces to prevent choking. It is also advisable to remove any hard or sharp edges to minimize the risk of injury. The cuttlefish can be offered either raw or cooked, but it is important to avoid using any seasonings or additives that may be harmful to the tortoise.

Diet & Supplements

Feeding your pet tortoise enough calcium can be easy or difficult. Some tortoises will avoid foods sprinkled with calcium powder. Yes, vitamin D3 is important to the tortoise’s ability to affix calcium from the diet into bones, nerves, the shell, etc. so, if the tortoise isn’t getting enough vitamin D3, they’re going to show the same symptoms as though they were calcium deficient. Even though they might be getting enough calcium. Do You Need Vitamin D3 Supplements Too? With sufficient calcium in the meals, tortoises do not have to face such problems. Feeding the pets cuttlebones will ensure the healthy growth of the carapace and plastron. In terms of the nutritional benefits, cuttlefish can be a valuable addition to a tortoise's diet. It is rich in protein, calcium, and other minerals that are essential for the growth and maintenance of healthy bones and shells. However, it should not be the sole source of these nutrients and should be balanced with a variety of other foods, such as leafy greens, vegetables, and commercially available tortoise pellets. Calcium is an essential part of the tortoise’s diet and is vital for even shell growth, to help prevent metabolic bone disease and for general good health and wellbeing. A calcium supplement can be used on food, such as Limestone flour or Pro Rep's 'Calci Dust' which is a phosphorus free calcium powder that can be sprinkled over the food 4-5 times a week. A combination of calcium and UVB aid your tortoise in essential vitamin D3 synthesis.