# Multivitamin??



## Tony the tank (Oct 5, 2011)

Well I have been reading about the use of Centrum multiple vitamins for sulcata tortoises... I have read some recommend centrum complete and some recommend centrum silver..

Silver I read has more b12 and vitamin d.. But less Vitamin a than regular centrum complete...

Which to use for a sulcata??


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## Kristina (Oct 5, 2011)

I have always used complete. If your tortoise is getting outside time, a good, varied diet and has a good UV bulb, Vit. D is really not a concern.


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## Tony the tank (Oct 5, 2011)

Kristina..His days outside are number..it's starting to get cold here...that's why I thought the silver would be better...But if you only used the complete..I guess I will return the silver and get the complete...

Can you tell me how much to I've a couple of 50lbs sulcatas..Can I just break a pill in half and give them each a half once a week??[/i]


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## Maggie Cummings (Oct 5, 2011)

I bird vitamins in the drinking or soaking water. I think it is hard for tortoises to utilize people vitamins...


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## Kristina (Oct 5, 2011)

Vitamins are vitamins, really, no matter who they are indicated for. As long as they are ground to a powder and sprinkled over the food, they should be able to absorb them no problem. 

To be completely honest, for a couple of 50lb torts, I wouldn't even BE giving vitamins. I only give vitamins to sick or underweight tortoises. Why? Because the food that they get in the wild, honestly, isn't very nutrient rich. The diet of grocery store greens and veggies that they get during the winter is already much more nutritious than MOST of what they would be grazing on in the Sahara or the Sahel (except at the height of the rainy season, which isn't very long.) 

Have your torts been outside all summer? If so, they should have enough D3 saved up in their systems to last through the winter months. All of my tortoises go outside for the summer, but live inside during the winter with no supplemental UV. Your tortoises are not babies, either. At their size, growth has slowed significantly, and again, with a good varied diet, there is little danger of MVB or other health problems.

If you already have the silver - just use it. It really isn't going to make a difference. Really.


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## dmmj (Oct 5, 2011)

Just don't give them any Viagra


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## Kristina (Oct 5, 2011)

Oh good lord David...


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## Turtle Guru (Oct 5, 2011)

dmmj said:


> Just don't give them any Viagra



I agree or your turtle is going to be like smiling bob lolololololololololol how did this come up dmmj you are funny man, I seen you post this so I had to check this out 

On a serious note vietnams will help you no matter what I would suggest using them on your tort.


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## Tony the tank (Oct 5, 2011)

Tiny the tort I adopted wasn't kept very well...and he does have a runny nose..so I wanted to supplement his diet with some Vitamins....He pooped over a pound and a half of rocks the first week I had him...and now he is biting the 2x4 that frame his hide..So I believe he is looking for something he is lacking..

Maggie as for the centrum vs the Reptile avian Vitamins..My vet has always recommended human Vitamins (as they are regulated by the FDA...) for my puppies/dog ... And while researching on the Internet quite a few use the Centrum Vitamins for the trace minerals on there torts...I believe I read an article by Melissa Kaplan.. That recommended human grade vitamins for reptiles...

Kristina....They have spent the summer outside....but I do not believe Tiny has been on a good diet.. And want to help him along.. As for UVB bulbs.. I order a few Megaray zoo bulbs....Which should be more than enough UVB and UVA rays for the winter..


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## Kristina (Oct 5, 2011)

Since they have been mistreated, then yes, I would offer the vitamins, at least through the winter until they can get back outside next spring. I still think the silver you already have will be just fine.

I agree in using human grade vitamins because of FDA regulation, and this is the reason that I have always used them, rather than "reptile" vitamins that we really don't know for sure what could be in them.

One note on the anapsid.org website - I *love* Melissa Kaplan and all the hard work and research she put into tortoise and iguana keeping, but, we have to remember that she has not updated her website in a very long time. We have made leaps and bounds in tortoise keeping in the last five years, and I do consider some of her information to be outdated, and it should not be considered the final word on what is best. 

I believe you made a good choice in the Megarays. I wouldn't waste my time or money with the tube UV or coil CFLs. If you are going to fork out the cash for UV lights, MVBs are the way to go.


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## Maggie Cummings (Oct 5, 2011)

I guess I am just old fashioned...


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## Tony the tank (Oct 5, 2011)

The Mega rays are nice.. They were a little hesitant about selling me the 250 watt zoo bulbs..until I explained my setup..I'm hoping they live up to all the hype..


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## Madkins007 (Oct 6, 2011)

Ditto what Kristina said. Good quality human vitamins, ground up fine, and used in moderation.

I tend to use a SMALL amount of multivitamin routinely in the winter when I am pretty much limited to grocery store foods that have usually traveled many days and already lost a lot of nutrients. I have a mix I've made up that consists of 1 crushed vitamin, about a tablespoon of calcium powder, and about 8-12 ground up cubes of Timothy hay (like you offer rabbits, etc.). I sprinkle this mix lightly on all meals that are mostly lettuces. The mix will last me months.

A lot of long-time keepers had learned that you cannot use human vitamins for reptiles since they have vitamin B12, and reptiles need B13. Since then, B13 has been pretty much dropped from the list of vitamins, but is still needed by the body- even in humans. It also turns out that reptiles need B12 just as much as other animals and humans. B13 is now called Orotic Acid and is available in many vegetables and leaves. You rarely need to supplement it.

When I kept tortoises in the 80's, the B13 vitamins bit was common knowledge and we searched vitamin labels for it. When I restarted keeping them this century, I tried to find B13 again and learned that the whole issue had changed.


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## Tony the tank (Oct 6, 2011)

Well I got the centrum complete this morning..I figure half a tab once a week will do them for the time being..

Another question..Do to there slow metabolism I'm guessing once a week will be more than adequate??


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