# Cuttlebones. Can they eat too much?



## Tom (Feb 19, 2010)

I used to always use these for baby torts, but none of mine ever really showed much interest, so, some years ago, I just stopped putting them in there. When Cory came by the other day, I explained how I soak and feed Daisy everyday BEFORE putting in her in her outdoor pen as she has a tendency to eat little pebbles. She doesn't seem to do it if she's already full. He wisely suggested that I give her some cuttlebone to chew on as she might be trying to compensate for a mineral deficiency. I went and got some the next day and put them in both her indoor and outdoor pen. As I expected she just ignored them. She already gets regular calcium and vitamin supplements. Well, yesterday I heard the unmistakable crunching/scraping noise coming from her pen and when I looked in, sure enough, she was munching away. More of the same today. She's eaten quite a bit of it now, and I'm wondering if they can eat too much. She was munching on it instead of her greens today. She eventually ate her greens too, but she ate a lot of cuttlebone first.


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## terracolson (Feb 19, 2010)

At our club meetings, we have a sulcata that eats a whole one in 5 mins...

If they need it, they will eat it..

But yes you can over do calcium, if she does you will notice constipation


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## chadk (Feb 19, 2010)

I wouldn't worry about it.


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## terryo (Feb 19, 2010)

My Cherry Head eats one every two weeks. Sometimes he will come out of his hide, and just eat the cuttle bone and nothing else. He's been doing this since he's little.


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## Stephanie Logan (Feb 19, 2010)

...and so we learn that TFO's own Pio the shy but photogenic prodigy, is in fact a closet calcium fiend. Another one joins the club! 

By virtue of her size, Daisy will have to be the Club's spokestortoise, I guess. 

Good photos as usual, Tom.


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## tortoisenerd (Feb 19, 2010)

Pure calcium is water soluble. Supposedly they will only eat what they need, but if they do eat extra, they will pee it out. It would be a calcium supplement with D3 that you would have to worry about overdosing a tort on as D3 is fat soluble. My little guy has only been known to nibble the cuttlebone a few times in a year. I call it his little surfboard as he walks over it if it is in his way and it looks like he is surfing (makes a loud noise too!).


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## Homerist (Feb 20, 2010)

my hatchling star ate abit of the cuttlefish bone on the first few days when i got him.
since then i have not witness him eating it. the cuttlefish bone now has become like a toy to him, for him to climb over and stuff,
haha..

too much calcium with contribute to constipation?
if they get the UV to convert the calcium into vit D3 with the consipation be avoided?

anyway i agree with the lads that they will eat what they need and excess they will pee them out.


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## GBtortoises (Feb 20, 2010)

I have always offered calcium to all of my tortoises, regardless of species or age, seperate, never on their food. Medium to large tortoises get broken up cuttlebone, small ones get powdered calcium carbonate. Each and every tortoise is different in their preference and need to consume calcium. Some of mine will devour large amouts of it for a few days and then not for weeks or longer. Some will eat a little bit every few days. Some I have never seen eat any. All of my tortoises have solid, well shaped shells and are strong and healthy. I've always been an advocate of letting them decide how much calcium they need and when. By doing so, there is no way that they can "overdose" on calcium, because they are freely controlling their intake. I think they know much better when they need it than we do.


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## ChiKat (Feb 20, 2010)

I agree with GBtortoises. I leave small capfuls of calcium powder in my leopard geckos' enclosures so it made sense to let me let my tort control his calcium intake as well. Although I can't leave the dish in his enclosure because he tends to knock it over or get substrate in it, so I just offer it to him regularly.
He had never shown much interest in his cuttlebone except for the time I held it in front of him. He is more of a calcium powder addict 

and Steph you are too funny!!


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## Tom (Feb 20, 2010)

ChiKat said:


> I agree with GBtortoises. I leave small capfuls of calcium powder in my leopard geckos' enclosures so it made sense to let me let my tort control his calcium intake as well. Although I can't leave the dish in his enclosure because he tends to knock it over or get substrate in it, so I just offer it to him regularly.
> He had never shown much interest in his cuttlebone except for the time I held it in front of him. He is more of a calcium powder addict
> 
> and Steph you are too funny!!



I might have to try the powdered Ca, just to see what happens. The photo op alone makes it worth the effort.


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## ChiKat (Feb 20, 2010)

Roachman26 said:


> I might have to try the powdered Ca, just to see what happens. The photo op alone makes it worth the effort.



You mean like this?


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## Tom (Feb 20, 2010)

That's exactly what I mean!


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## GBtortoises (Feb 20, 2010)

"Although I can't leave the dish in his enclosure because he tends to knock it over or get substrate in it, so I just offer it to him regularly."

I use small, shallow plant pot bases and low sided lids, sink them in so that the rim is barely above the substrate. Over a period of time, they do get substrate pieces tracked into them but I just empty them and add more calcium.


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## ChiKat (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks for the pics, I'll have to try that!


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## terryo (Feb 20, 2010)

Katie...you have to enter that picture in some contest. It is one of my favorite pictures on here. I wonder what would happen if I offered a plate of that to Pio.


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## tortoisenerd (Feb 20, 2010)

Terra-Can you please provide a source and/or further information for your statement that too much calcium can cause constipation? I have not heard this before. Thank you.


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