# Zoomed Tortoise Block



## jaizei (Jul 21, 2011)

Has anyone tried it?


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## dmarcus (Jul 21, 2011)

Interesting, never seen that before. It's not very expensive.


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## mctlong (Jul 21, 2011)

dalano73 said:


> Interesting, never seen that before.



Same here. This is new to me, but I like the idea of a cuddlebone with cactus. If you try it, let us know if the torts like it.


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## Fernando (Jul 21, 2011)

wow never seen that either


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## jaizei (Jul 21, 2011)

I just saw an ad for it the other day myself. It seems like great idea.


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## AshleyJones (Jul 21, 2011)

Product Ingredients

Calcium Sulfate, Dried Nopales (Spineless Opuntia Cactus), Dried Carrot, Suncured Chopped Alfalfa, Dicalcium Phosphate, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Thiamine Hydrochloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Beta-carotene, Artificial Tropical Fruit Flavor, Yellow 5, Blue 1

These are the Ingredients, I dont know what some of them are, its a good idea though if everything is okay for tortoise.


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## Jacob (Jul 21, 2011)

Its New, I Might Try It Out


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## Mao Senpai (Jul 21, 2011)

Hmm that is very interesting... I think I'll give it a try.


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## jeffbens0n (Jul 21, 2011)

I've tried it, my DBT nips at it a little bit bit not like the packaging claims they will. My guys seems to like cuttlebone more.


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## DixieParadise (Jul 21, 2011)

Hmm....where did you get yours? I will have to look for it. Seems like a good idea. Mine just nibble at the cuddle bone, so..if they just nibble on this, it would be the same but with some cactus and vitamins.


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## dmmj (Jul 21, 2011)

Personally I will stick with the 25 cent cuttle bones.


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## Tortuga_terrestre (Jul 21, 2011)

do you guys think these big companies spy on us?..or are among us? lol and thats how they come up with these products? I mean we are the consumers and im sure the tortoise community isnt that big....hmmmm.


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## River14 (Jul 21, 2011)

I cant wait to try "cuddle bone" it sounds so cute, mine just get the old backbone of a cuttle fish broken up ) :


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## mctlong (Jul 22, 2011)

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> do you guys think these big companies spy on us?..or are among us? lol and thats how they come up with these products? I mean we are the consumers and im sure the tortoise community isnt that big....hmmmm.



They'd be fools not to.


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## yagyujubei (Jul 22, 2011)

I make my own blocks - calcium carbonate and water - and a mold. Mine love 'em.


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## Fernando (Jul 22, 2011)

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> do you guys think these big companies spy on us?..or are among us? lol and thats how they come up with these products? I mean we are the consumers and im sure the tortoise community isnt that big....hmmmm.



stop scaring the people with your conspiracy theories, Walter! lol


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## Tortuga_terrestre (Jul 22, 2011)

Fernando said:


> Tortuga_terrestre said:
> 
> 
> > do you guys think these big companies spy on us?..or are among us? lol and thats how they come up with these products? I mean we are the consumers and im sure the tortoise community isnt that big....hmmmm.
> ...



Hey I just want my cut...lol


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## dmmj (Jul 22, 2011)

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> do you guys think these big companies spy on us?..or are among us? lol and thats how they come up with these products? I mean we are the consumers and im sure the tortoise community isnt that big....hmmmm.


They're onto us, abort persona DMMJ


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## pierced_pixie (Jul 24, 2011)

Do any of you just sprinkle the calcium powder on your torts food? I do this with my other reptiles.


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## wrmitchell22 (Jul 24, 2011)

I keep a cuttle bone in the enclosure and on occasion I will break a piece off and sprinkle it on Boulders greens. I think this new thing looks pretty interesting, I may need to try it


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## DeanS (Jul 31, 2011)

I'd just as soon stick with REAL cactus and cuttlebone...nice try though!


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## Torty Mom (Jul 31, 2011)

yagyujubei said:


> I make my own blocks - calcium carbonate and water - and a mold. Mine love 'em.



What a great idea!! Do you add anything else? I so want to try and make that!


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## Ivyna J. Spyder (Aug 4, 2011)

I'd like to point out that cuttlebone comes from cuttlefish, which are awesome, and there's really no need for an intelligent animal to die for your tortoise.

Think of the cuttlefish. Use alternative supplements, your tortoise won't know the difference.


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## Byronie (Sep 20, 2011)

I am going to give this a try. I have tried cuttle bone and my tort didn't touch it much. She gets a good sized pinch of calcium powder w/o D3 daily. I'm thinking of this tort block as more of a healthy treat and beak cleaner...


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## tyler0912 (Sep 20, 2011)

Ivyna J. Spyder said:


> I'd like to point out that cuttlebone comes from cuttlefish, which are awesome, and there's really no need for an intelligent animal to die for your tortoise.
> 
> Think of the cuttlefish. Use alternative supplements, your tortoise won't know the difference.



Even if we stop theyres still going to carryon killing them so may aswell get our use out of them! ?


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## Grigor.Love. (Nov 16, 2011)

I'd like to try this product. Has anyone had any luck?


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## TylerStewart (Nov 16, 2011)

I've been using them a lot lately, and I like them. The bigger tortoises have been going through them too fast, so I'm mostly using it with smaller ones. A big sulcata could probably swallow one of these whole if it really wanted to (they're only about 4" x 2" x 2"), but on the Testudo, redfoots/cherries and leopards the idea works. Some torts use them more than others, but they've all got little wear and tear bite marks in them after a few days of being in the enclosures. 

My only gripe is that some of the pieces (cactus?) inside are big, so it weakens the block's shape. I was throwing a bunch of them out and a few of them broke in half (with interior cactus being the weak point) from a small underhand toss onto dirt or grass. If the cactus and veggies were smaller or ground into part of the powder, I think the block would last a lot longer. They are cheap (few dollars) and the light green color is more pleasant than white cuttlebone that is usually brown within a few days being in an outdoor pen. 

The surface of them is much "harder" than a traditional cuttlebone, so if beak trimming or wear is the goal, I think these would work much better than cuttlebone. 

For the record, I've seen photos of cuttlebone washing up on the beach by the thousands (I believe it was in some Asian countries), and I'm pretty sure that is how it's harvested. I don't think they go catch and kill the fish to sell their bone for $.25 retail after shipping it to the U.S.


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## Grigor.Love. (Nov 16, 2011)

TylerStewart said:


> I've been using them a lot lately, and I like them. The bigger tortoises have been going through them too fast, so I'm mostly using it with smaller ones. A big sulcata could probably swallow one of these whole if it really wanted to (they're only about 4" x 2" x 2"), but on the Testudo, redfoots/cherries and leopards the idea works. Some torts use them more than others, but they've all got little wear and tear bite marks in them after a few days of being in the enclosures.
> 
> My only gripe is that some of the pieces (cactus?) inside are big, so it weakens the block's shape. I was throwing a bunch of them out and a few of them broke in half (with interior cactus being the weak point) from a small underhand toss onto dirt or grass. If the cactus and veggies were smaller or ground into part of the powder, I think the block would last a lot longer. They are cheap (few dollars) and the light green color is more pleasant than white cuttlebone that is usually brown within a few days being in an outdoor pen.
> 
> ...



Thanks! I have had cuddle bones, but my tort doesn't pay it any mind. So I was looking for an alternative. I have two russians. 


Do you order them online or purchase them somewhere else?


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## TylerStewart (Nov 16, 2011)

Grigor.Love. said:


> Do you order them online or purchase them somewhere else?



Well, I bought a bunch wholesale (to sell on my site), but you can probably find them locally for a lower price than if you found a cheap one online and paid shipping on it. I don't know if they've made it to Petco/Petsmart yet, but they'll probably be there eventually.


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## Grigor.Love. (Nov 16, 2011)

TylerStewart said:


> Grigor.Love. said:
> 
> 
> > Do you order them online or purchase them somewhere else?
> ...



You sell them?
I haven't seen them around PetSmart or PetCo yet. 
Is there any other alternative that you (or anyone else) knows of? Besides the cuddle bone.


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## FADE2BLACK_1973 (Nov 16, 2011)

Grigor.Love. said:


> I'd like to try this product. Has anyone had any luck?



No but I posted this about acouple of days ago and found out that they had already had a thread on Tortoise Block..lol. But I think its a great idea that ZooMed made one though. It's a Calcium and vitamin block. Not sure if Spike will chew on it but it wont hurt tryin. 

I can not find it at any of my local petshops but there is afew places online that you can buy them.


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## Grigor.Love. (Nov 16, 2011)

I just placed an order for two, on Amazon.com


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## oscar (Nov 16, 2011)

our local petco and petsmart have cuttlebone but they are located in the bird suppply section. I have never got them there cause they were too expensive and were sold in packs of two only.


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## FADE2BLACK_1973 (Nov 16, 2011)

oscar said:


> our local petco and petsmart have cuttlebone but they are located in the bird suppply section. I have never got them there cause they were too expensive and were sold in packs of two only.



Tortoise Block and cuttlebones are 2 totally different things. Pretty much does the same thing with suppling calcium but Tortoise Block is more of a calcium and vitamin block rather that pure bone like a cuttlebone. ZooMed Turtle Bone are cuttlebones like you buy for birds. They wanted to put their name on it for the use for reptiles. There is ZooMed's Tortoise Block and then there is ZooMed's Turtle Bone.


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## DolanKoops (Nov 17, 2011)

I've used it my tort wouldn't eat it so I broke it up coz I thought she might eat it in small chunks mixed with her other food and she didn't


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## jaden21 (Nov 18, 2011)

Im gonna try to find it at the next reptile show. No stores around me sell it.


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## Tom (Nov 18, 2011)

I'm here at the TTPG conference and the owner of ZooMed is here along with several ZooMed employees. The are a sponsor of the conference and have given out some goody bags. The new tortoise blocks are one of the goodies. I'll be trying them when I get home. We actually discussed them with the ZooMed folks during the course of the discussion yesterday, and it seems like another well thought out and researched product from these guys.

... how come more of you don't come to these things? I have found no better source for learning about tortoises. No offense to TFO, but the room full of people here is awesome. Richard Fife showed us his trip to Ethiopia and the giant Leopards that live there, Jerry Fife showed us all the details of his recent Galopagos hatchlings, we've had two presentations on the four tortoises of Madagascar, plus and extra "Pyxis Summit". Did you know there are an estimated 6.5 million radiateds left in the wild? I didn't. Today we will here from Tomas Dlange from Senegal, who run a sulcata research center there. Apparently, sulcatas are near extinction in the wild. Hey, I know where they can find some replacements...

Anyhow there is a ton more too and its all good info. More later...


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## Grigor.Love. (Nov 18, 2011)

I'd love to go. If they were any in my area.


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## FADE2BLACK_1973 (Nov 18, 2011)

WOW!! thanks for sharing that with us, Tom . I would love to go too if it was near me.


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## Neal (Nov 18, 2011)

Tom said:


> ... how come more of you don't come to these things? I have found no better source for learning about tortoises. No offense to TFO, but the room full of people here is awesome. Richard Fife showed us his trip to Ethiopia and the giant Leopards that live there, Jerry Fife showed us all the details of his recent Galopagos hatchlings, we've had two presentations on the four tortoises of Madagascar, plus and extra "Pyxis Summit". Did you know there are an estimated 6.5 million radiateds left in the wild? I didn't. Today we will here from Tomas Dlange from Senegal, who run a sulcata research center there. Apparently, sulcatas are near extinction in the wild. Hey, I know where they can find some replacements...



Wish I could have gone, I'm really bummed. But it was good to meet up with you guys.

I really hope they keep it in AZ.


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## phantoms (Nov 18, 2011)

The Tortoise Block they sell around me is actually cuttlefish bone. This one I have never seen before. Might have to keep an eye out for it though.


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## FADE2BLACK_1973 (Nov 18, 2011)

phantoms said:


> The Tortoise Block they sell around me is actually cuttlefish bone. This one I have never seen before. Might have to keep an eye out for it though.



I seen the cuttlebone for turtles and tortoises but not the true Tortoise Block yet. There is a big difference between the 2. Both serve as chew sources. Only the cuttlebone is 100% natural bone. While Tortoise Block is a calcium and vitamin block made up of all sorts of things. So what you see for sale around you is probley Zoo Med's Turtle Bone but still a must need calcium source for turtles and torts.


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## bfmorris (Nov 18, 2011)

yagyujubei said:


> I make my own blocks - calcium carbonate and water - and a mold. Mine love 'em.




For the sulcata tortoises the mix can be stiffened with one part plaster of paris to two part calcium carbonate and poured into a mold container like a one gallon plastic bucket, to cure.


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## FADE2BLACK_1973 (Nov 19, 2011)

bfmorris said:


> yagyujubei said:
> 
> 
> > I make my own blocks - calcium carbonate and water - and a mold. Mine love 'em.
> ...



With your giant sulcata's, I hardly think the Tortoise Block would be even worth adding...lol. They would probley swallow it whole. So is that what you use for your giants, homemade calcium blocks the size of bricks? I think ZooMeds Tortoise Block would be more for young torts or or for the smaller species.





DolanKoops said:


> I've used it my tort wouldn't eat it so I broke it up coz I thought she might eat it in small chunks mixed with her other food and she didn't



It was meant to be used of a chew/supplement. The main purpose is for trimming with the added calcium and vitamins. If you are going to break it up, why not just use a powder supplement instead? I dont they will just run over to it as soon as you put it into their enclosure. Would really have to leave it in there and they might chew on it when they feel the need. Kinda like the one that bird owners have done with their blocks. Yeah the Tortoise Block is pretty much like those calcium/vitamin block they use for parrots for beek trimming.


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## phantoms (Nov 19, 2011)

FADE2BLACK_1973 said:


> phantoms said:
> 
> 
> > The Tortoise Block they sell around me is actually cuttlefish bone. This one I have never seen before. Might have to keep an eye out for it though.
> ...



Thanks for the correction. That's exactly what it is. I made an error on the name of it. It is in fact Turtle Bone sold for $1.99 for 2 in the box.


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