# Redfoot with cuttlebone



## Jacqui (Jun 16, 2009)

We always tell folks to keep a cuttlebone in with their tortoises. Some gnaw on them right away, while others don't touch them for months. I caught this female Redfoot in the act of eating a piece of cuttlebone.

Here she is coming up and checking out a hunk.






Then instead of gnawing on it, she takes the entire hunk and chews on it.


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## tortoisenerd (Jun 16, 2009)

Storing up calcium for egg laying? Going to town on that! Awesome.


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## Stazz (Jun 16, 2009)

LOL !!! Thats funny. Being a piglet like Tallula


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## Isa (Jun 17, 2009)

Sooo cute 
She finds the cuttlebone yummi


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## Jacqui (Jun 17, 2009)

tortoisenerd said:


> Storing up calcium for egg laying? Going to town on that! Awesome.



Actually that was my first thought. She is just getting into breeding size and shortly before this set of pictures the male had been tempting to breed her.


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## tortoisenerd (Jun 17, 2009)

Awesome! I just love that picture.

Today I noticed some cute hatchling behavior. My Trevor couldn't bite the mustard greens on his own as it was too thick/stalky. I had fed him some with his parasite meds, and then left the rest. Came back and it was still there which is very odd as he seemed hungry. I held it out for him and also helped by holding him in place....it's kinda funny but when he eats he will scoot backwards and lose his grip on the food! We help him sometimes. So spoiled. He does great with the spring mix but some of the others are quite tough.


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## terryo (Jun 19, 2009)

I notice Pio, loves the cuttle bone too. I put a new one in once a month. That's about how long it lasts with him.


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## Jacqui (Jun 20, 2009)

terryo said:


> I notice Pio, loves the cuttle bone too. I put a new one in once a month. That's about how long it lasts with him.



Wow Pio is serious about cuttlebone isn't he? None of mine are great cuttlebone eaters. They last for months..or until I can't stand it any longer and throw the old ones out.


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## jlyoncc1 (Jun 20, 2009)

Great pics! Eggs would be nice!


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## Jacqui (Jun 20, 2009)

jlyoncc1 said:


> Great pics! Eggs would be nice!



Someday, but they could wait a year or two.

When I told Josh (my son and their caretaker when I am gone) that he was trying to breed this female [Plus he and Jeff thought they could hear the male breeding her...me being hard of hearing couldn't hear him], Josh got kinda panic stricken. Not sure why, since he is the one who usually finds the Hingeback eggs. So to relieve stress on the poor kid  maybe they should hold off egg making for awhile.


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