Hey.

As im a new tortoise owner , I have yet another question..

I was at a local herp shop n' they reccomended a 2 in 1 calcium/vitamin poweder to use 2 - 3 times a week for my young Sulcata.

Its T-Rex brand Herbivorous Reptile Formula, 2:1 Calcium/Phosphorus with vitamins.

It reads "Guaranteed Analysis per 60g :
Calcium (max) 32.4%
Calcium (min) 27.0%
Phosphorus (min) 16.5%
Vitamin A 21,600IU
Vitamin D3 2,160IU
Vitamin C 141 mg.

Is this a well rounded calcium/vitamin suppliment to be adding?

I also have a Cuttlefish Bone ( calcium bone ) placed in his enclosure , as a friend who owns a Russian Tortoise reccomended it as they can pick off as much calcium as they want when they feel the need for it...

is this sufficient?

If you have a uvb light set up or your tort spends time outside you don't want D3

is that true, robyn? Vitamin D3 can be replaced by sunlight or a UVB? i've been using a Ca powder with D3 in addition to my 10.0 UVB bulb

I understand that UVB provides D3, and natural sunlight is a stronger source of this...

I have one 10.0 uvb light,

is there such a thing as too much D3 ?

I have not supplimented my toroise yet as i just got him today...

but I do not want to under nourish him ( or over nourish him for that matter )

I wouldnt think that a single 10.0 uvb bulb would be sufficient for a growing tortoise... perhapse once the warmer months come and I have him out in the sun for an hour or more a day that it would become less needed...

any confirmation on this?

You can over do it with D3. Inside though with a still growing tortoise I would still use a vitamin supplement with D3 and the T-Rex one you mentioned is basicly the same as the one I use.
If you can get him outside at least 5 days a week, I would use a supplement than without D3
UVB lights help but can never replace sunlight for producing D3.

Danny

I know I'm new to the forum, but I think those suppliments should still be provided: The UVB bulb and the D3 dustings of the food. The UVB bulbs will never match the quality of the natural sun, so that is already lacking in effectiveness. By giving additional D3 and C suppliments, this will give the tortoise a better amount of vitamins to grow on.

This post was last modified: 03-16-2008 05:03 AM by Tatooineboy.

Thankyou, that is what i presumed.

Seeing as its still wintery here ( 3 ft of snow on the ground and just barely above the freezing mark ) I cannot get him outside for the natural light yet.

couple more months still.

will lower the d3 supplimenting once I get him into a regular outside schedule.

I supplement my hatchlings (& yearling Leo) with calcium w/ D3 daily, but my sub-adults & adults just get the supplement once a week.

Exact same situation here in Cleveland Waaaay too cold to let them outside or even open up the window to let some natural sunshine in. I think hatchlings need supplementing more than adults, though I could be wrong.

Sorry guys I forget we are all from differednt parts of the world. Here (CA) it is nice most days and I can get my torts out 5 to 7 days a week. Even winter allows them a day or two a week usually, for at least a couple of hours.

My Hatchling and those under one year I dust with Calcium and vits daily, as per Danny's suggestions

My large DT I usually dust 2-3 times a week.

So Danny with my little Sulcata you would suggest a Dusting, more than 2-3 times a week? She is 4-5 inches now.
I use calcium carbonate no D-3
But I do use the T-Rex Tortoise Dust Veggie Formula which does have some D-3 and Phos. in it.