# Tortoises and CALCIUM!



## PlatinumTortoise (Jul 29, 2015)

How do you get your tortoise the Calcium it needs.. Please be specific!


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## spud's_mum (Jul 29, 2015)

I use nutroball supplements on food ever other day and then I also have a cuttle bone on the enclosure tht he occasionally nibbles


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 29, 2015)

I make sure that there is always a cuddlebone nearby so they can nibble when they feel the need to. For young tortoises I've used a supplement called REPASHY. It gets eaten easier than the white powder I.M.O.
That and lots of outdoor sunshine.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jul 29, 2015)

Fresh foods grown in the right conditions should contain all the calcium a tort needs.
Just to be on the safe side though we tend to add some, especially for younger, growing tortoises. Cuttle bone is good, as it also helps keep the beak trimmed, but some torts won't touch it.
In which case a little can be scraped off onto the food a couple of times a week.
Supplements, as mentioned above and products like Mazuri, are other alternatives.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 29, 2015)

If you do decide to use a powdered calcium supplement, don't use too much. They don't like the taste and if they can smell it they won't eat. Just a tiny pinch between your thumb and index finger over the food a couple times a week is enough. Calcium-rich foods such as collards, kale, turnip greens, arugula (rocket), mustard greens and okra, just to name a few. And remember - all the calcium in the world isn't going to do your tortoise a bit of good without UVB either from the sun or from a GOOD UVB light. Calcium and UVB work in conjunction with each other.


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## Tom (Jul 29, 2015)

I feed them a diet of weeds, leaves and cactus pads that are all high in calcium. I also supplement them with Mazuri once or twice a week, and I use small amounts of powdered calcium. I leave cuttle bones for them to nibble on too.


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## Rutibegga (Jul 29, 2015)

Would you recommend supplementing a baby? 

I'm getting a hatchling (hatched in April) and have been poring over nutrition threads. I'm starting clover, testudo broadleaf mix, and dandelion right now, and I've got collard greens growing in my garden. I will mix in other greens for variety (the breeder has been feeding spring mix and some mango and banana here and there--didn't mention supplements) I'm planning a trip to a garden center later this week to look for other plants for hiding areas and possible munching as well. I have a bag of mazuri and was thinking of adding a small amount of that once or twice weekly, but I'm getting mixed signals on calcium supplementation.


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## Prairie Mom (Jul 29, 2015)

Grape leaves and mulberry leaves are also really high in calcium.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 29, 2015)

Rutibegga said:


> Would you recommend supplementing a baby?
> 
> I'm getting a hatchling (hatched in April) and have been poring over nutrition threads. I'm starting clover, testudo broadleaf mix, and dandelion right now, and I've got collard greens growing in my garden. I will mix in other greens for variety (the breeder has been feeding spring mix and some mango and banana here and there--didn't mention supplements) I'm planning a trip to a garden center later this week to look for other plants for hiding areas and possible munching as well. I have a bag of mazuri and was thinking of adding a small amount of that once or twice weekly, but I'm getting mixed signals on calcium supplementation.


You'll soon see how much powder to use. Like what has already been said. If your tortoise can taste it, they wont eat it. Mazuri is GREAT because you can wet it and turn it into something like peanut butter and sprinkle some in there. It will get eaten.


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## Rutibegga (Jul 29, 2015)

ZEROPILOT said:


> You'll soon see how much powder to use. Like what has already been said. If your tortoise can taste it, they wont eat it. Mazuri is GREAT because you can wet it and turn it into something like peanut butter and sprinkle some in there. It will get eaten.



I see some people saying supplementation is unnecessary if you're feeding the right things, vs other people saying it's absolutely necessary. I bought the Mazuri because I figured supplementation can't hurt. I was also thinking of leaving chunks of cuttlebone out. 

In another topic... Redfoot and protein. Bugs once or twice a week? 

It's hard to sort through opposing opinions and outdated care sheets to find the best practice!


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## Tom (Jul 29, 2015)

*IF *(big if...) you feed the correct diet, you can get away with no additional calcium supplementation. Why risk a deficiency? Its not "absolutely necessary" in every case, but using a little bit now and then will insure that everything goes well as the tortoise grows. If you offer a tiny pinch twice a week and your tortoise really doesn't need it that week, nothing bad will happen. On the other hand, if your tortoise is experiencing a minor calcium deficiency week after week, for whatever reason, the result can eventually be catastrophic.

Do your best with the diet (sounds like you are off to a great start...), but there is no harm in a little supplementation even if the diet is perfect.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 29, 2015)

Rutibegga said:


> I see some people saying supplementation is unnecessary if you're feeding the right things, vs other people saying it's absolutely necessary. I bought the Mazuri because I figured supplementation can't hurt. I was also thinking of leaving chunks of cuttlebone out.
> 
> In another topic... Redfoot and protein. Bugs once or twice a week?
> 
> It's hard to sort through opposing opinions and outdated care sheets to find the best practice!


Sorry for the confusion. We pretty much all agree its just that keeping adults and babies differ, as does keeping tortoise indoors or outside. There are also differences in the ways that different people raise their tortoises.
For babies, I do supplement. Not a lot and right now, I have no small tortoise. They live indoors in a closed chamber and have U.V.B lighting. My out doors tortoises are adults. I do not give them supplements, but do leave cuddlebones around. They nibble when they feel the need to. (If I don't, they will eat rocks!)
If you truly feed a wide variety of foods and DO have the correct lighting, you can use little to no added calcium for a baby.
My adults live outdoors and eat everything imaginable. With hours of real sunlight, they do not require anything else.
I use Mazuri as a food that they all love. Not as an added calcium source. It is good for mixing with medicine, etc and for if you happen to run out of fresh greens.
Mine eat Mazuri at least once a week. Sometimes with some fruit smashed in it. They all love it.


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## Carol S (Jul 29, 2015)

I use Miner-All by Sticky Tongue Farms. They make an indoor and outdoor one (indoor contains D3). A few years ago one of my Desert Tortoises started eating dirt. I was told that it was probably because of a mineral deficiency. I ordered the Miner-All and it solved the problem. It has a berry flavor and smell and all my tortoises seem to not be bothered with it on their food. It contains calcium as well as different minerals.


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## Rutibegga (Jul 29, 2015)

Tom said:


> Do your best with the diet (sounds like you are off to a great start...), but there is no harm in a little supplementation even if the diet is perfect.



I'm trying! This forum has been the best source of information I've found, but there's still a lot to sift through. I'm starting to recognize the old pros here and look for their advice over the crowd.  

Does the Mazuri provide calcium, or is it negligible? 

I'm hoping my seeds arrive today so I can get my weed mixes planted (something I never thought I'd say) before my tort arrives. I've got some clover and dandelion growing wild in my garden, but it won't last long.


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## Tom (Jul 29, 2015)

Rutibegga said:


> Does the Mazuri provide calcium, or is it negligible?



Mazuri is complete and balanced nutrition and it is a good way to get calcium into a tortoise. Personally I would not add calcium to Mazuri, because that will disturb to proper balance of nutrients. Not a big deal or anything, but Mazuri is good as is. I often mix it with other greens to get torts to eat stuff they are not as into.


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