In fact, as most tortoises have too much phosphorus in their diet already , you might make any calcium deficiency they have worse by using bone meal. What’s Wrong With Egg Shells? But yes. Eliminating calcium altogether from meals will pose a greater danger. Such as, 1. Soft Shells: Cuttlebones give them something to chew on. And best of all, they are an excellent source of calcium.

Just break a small portion of the cuttlebone and feed your tortoise directly from your hands. Well, there is a risk of getting bitten. But at least you ensure that the pet is not overfeeding or underfeeding on the calcium. Wear latex gloves as protection. 2. Sprinkling: A vitamin and calcium supplement must be added to the food every other day we find Nutrabol is great for this and we always try to leave a cuttlefish bone in the enclosure for the Tortoise to chew on. Hibernation for Horsefields and Mediterranean Tortoise

Food Items As A Guide

Tortoises are a grazing reptile so planting an outdoor enclosure with feed safe weeds is ideal for foraging which is a natural source of enrichment. If your tortoise has access to this type of enclosure there is no need to offer additional feeding. You can also grow weeds inside on a windowsill and snip off food as required whilst ensuring that it is free from animal droppings and chemicals such as insecticides and exhaust fumes. It is essential to feed your tortoise a wide variety of food items for optimum health. Food Items As A Guide Additionally, cuttlefish is a good source of calcium. Calcium is crucial for the healthy development of a tortoise's shell and bones. It helps to maintain the structural integrity of their bodies and prevents issues like shell deformities. Tortoises require a consistent supply of calcium in their diet, and cuttlefish provides an excellent natural source of this essential mineral. 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. Cuttlefish is a marine mollusk, small in size, and looks similar to a squid. But these fishes are not directly fed to the reptiles, birds, and other pets. Instead, the internal structure of these fishes, aka the cuttlebone, is useful. This is achieved by providing a temperature gradient in the enclosure, ranging from around 33 °C at the hot end to 18 °C at the cool end. The animal will then choose a position in the enclosure to reach its desired temperature

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. 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. 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. So what is a cuttlebone? Although called a bone, this material is actually the internal shell of cuttlefish which is actually a mollusk. There are other minerals that may/may not be important (our understanding is not entirely clear) including zinc, boron, strontium and manganese. However, given that these would only be required in trace quantity, it is very unlikely that your tortoise has a shortage of these minerals in their body or their diet.

Nutritional Mineral and Vitamin Supplements

Fresh cuttlefish bone can also be ground up and sprinkled on your tortoise food as a calcium supplement The temperature should be around 5 degrees C. As an alternative, the box can be stored in a refrigerator. For this method to be used, the fridge should be in regular day to day use, to permit air flow.

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. Many people are accustomed to using Vionate (Sherley’s) which is considerably cheaper, although it does have a higher dosage rate (1/4 teaspoon per kg). The ratio of calcium:phosphorus in Vionate is only 1.4:1, which is sufficient for adult males and non-breeding females, but inadequate for hatchlings, juveniles and egg-laying females, which have an enormous requirement for calcium in the growing shell, bones or eggshells. Therefore if you use Vionate, you must add extra calcium – for example, an equal amount of limestone flour can be mixed in. Other methods of adding calcium are by grating cuttlefish bone onto food; sprinkling on oyster shell grit, available from bird seed suppliers; crushing eggshells onto the food (less effective); or by adding crushed calcium lactate or calcium gluconate tablets. It is even better to use calcium tablets with vitamin D3, which is essential for calcium metabolism. You are then approaching the D3 content of Nutrobal, which is seven times that of Vionate.Juveniles from the age of approximately 4 years should be offered a calcium, mineral and vitamin supplement every other day, with calcium supplementation on the remaining days. breeder will help you know exactly what to feed your little tanky friend. Additional pet tortoise food ideas One reason why tortoises can consume cuttlefish is because it is a rich source of protein. Protein is essential for the growth and development of tortoises, and it helps to build strong muscles and organs. Cuttlefish contains all the essential amino acids that tortoises require, making it a valuable addition to their diet. If your tortoise does not get this much sunlight, you should give them UV-B lighting in their environment and hopefully this will provide enough vitamin D3. However, if you feel that your tortoises are getting enough calcium but are still appearing to be vitamin deficient, it’s fine to add a vitamin D3 supplement to their feed. N.B. It is advised that Ace High vitamin supplement is only used under the advice of a veterinarian because of the risk of overdosing the tortoise with vitamins.

a blend of Nutrobal and Ace-High (2:1). It provides a Calcium:Phosphorus ratio (Ca:P) of 30:1 and contains vitamins A, C and E, making it suitable for the maintenance of adult reptiles. Ace High:contains high levels of vitamin A, C, and E. These higher levels of vitamins are beneficial during periods of stress and disease. Vitamin A and E are both involved in helping the body resist infection. Vitamin A is essential for healthy mucous membranes such as mouth, lungs, and gut. Vitamin E has been shown to boost the immune system. Vitamin C is rapidly utilised by the body when a tortoise is under stress. We also sell broken cuttlefish pieces. This is the same product as the whole cuttlefish, but broken into smaller, more manageable pieces. Excellent value for money and your tortoise won’t know the difference! The best cuttlebone for tortoises has to be natural.While Cuttlefish bone may not be a requirement, it is the best source of calcium you can use to supplement your tortoise’s diet. This isn’t completely understood. We know that an excess of calcium in human diets can cause problems, for example, the most common consequence was thought to be the fairly unpleasant condition called kidney stones.

How to Offer Cuttlebone to Your Turtles

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! The calcium level required in a tortoise’s diet is generally accepted as being 1% of the dry matter and a calcium: phosphorous ratio of 2:1 in the total diet is recommended. However, at certain life stages there are increased demands on calcium. For example, to lay a single egg can require an extra 500mg of calcium to be added to the diet. Thus reproductively active females have a higher requirement and some authors recommend providing them with a 10:1 ratio in the diet. These females may also be anorexic and thus avoid ingesting calcium just at the point when they need it. In the wild, tortoises and turtles alike eat a complex diet rich in vegetation and protein. These food sources are loaded with all the vitamins and minerals they need to grow healthy and strong. One of the most important minerals for tortoises is calcium. Why do tortoises need calcium? 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.