Baby Russian Calcium Concerns

[Ciera Stewart]

Hi I have a 4 month old Russian tortoise, and I am trying to make sure he is getting enough calcium. I feed him many different greens like kale, turnip greens, dandelion greens, and spring mixes which I read are high in calcium, and I also have a cuttle bone for him. But he hasn't touched the cuttle bone at all. Should I also be sprinkling calcium on his leaves? I've had him for about 3 weeks I just want to be sure in doing everything right for him. Thank you!

 

[JoesMum]

To answer your question first, a very tiny sprinkle of calcium powder on food 3 times a week is all that’s needed. If you do too much your tort will refuse to eat the food. You can give too much calcium, so don’t do it more frequently. Don’t worry if your tort starts chomping on the cuttlebone as well; it’s probably going on a growth spurt and knows it needs more.

I know I gave you the links on the correct care for your baby in your other thread.

Please read and act on them as your photo shows dry substrate and an unsuitable food dish.

Those reptile bowls are not suitable for tortoises; they’re a tipping hazard. A piece of flat rock or slate, or even the wrong side of a ceramic tile, makes a good rough food plate that will abrade your tort’s beak while it eats and keep the beak in shape.

The best water dish is a terracotta plant saucer that can be pushed into the substrate so the rim is level with the surface and is easy to enter and exit. Surrounded by stones, substrate is less likely to be dragged in.

Substrate needs to be damp to raise humidity. Substrate doesn’t take up water properly unless it is earthy. Fine grade orchid bark and coco coir are popular. They are much cheaper from a garden centre or online (eg Amazon) than from a pet shop. Just make sure the substrate contains no fertilisers and no white bits like perlite or calcium as you don’t want to encourage your tort to eat the substrate (and some pet store substrates do this!)

To achieve the necessary humidity level you need damp, not wet, substrate and the correct temperatures in a closed chamber.

To make the substrate damp, take all the decor out and tip water in from a jug then mix it thoroughly with your hands. Repeat until all the substrate is damp, but not wet.

You can spray with water from a plant spray bottle to slow down the drying out, but it will be necessary to repeat tipping water in every few weeks as the substrate dries.

 

[Ciera Stewart]

Thank you, I will buy some calcium powder! Also I recently bought some soil so it is not just the wood chips in there anymore and I must it at least 3 times a day so the soil is damp. Epsecially where he sleeps and burrows. The humidity is always at least 60-70 and temperature is about 85 during the day and 70 at night.

 

[Ciera Stewart]

Thank you, I will buy some calcium powder! Also I recently bought some soil so it is not just the wood chips in there anymore and I must it at least 3 times a day so the soil is damp. Epsecially where he sleeps and burrows. The humidity is always at least 60-70 and temperature is about 85 during the day and 70 at night.

I will also get a different eating bowl!

 

[JoesMum]

Thank you, I will buy some calcium powder! Also I recently bought some soil so it is not just the wood chips in there anymore and I must it at least 3 times a day so the soil is damp. Epsecially where he sleeps and burrows. The humidity is always at least 60-70 and temperature is about 85 during the day and 70 at night.

Good to hear

Misting alone isn’t enough. You need to tip water in as I said earlier.

 

[Ciera Stewart]

Oh ok so actually pour water in there to keep the soil moist longer?

 

[JoesMum]

1. Take all the decor out

2. Get a jug of water and tip some into the substrate

3. Mix it in thoroughly with your hands.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all the substrate is evenly damp ... right to the bottom and into the corners.

You don’t want soggy or muddy substrate so tip in water a cup or so at a time.

Continue to mist a couple of times a day as that slows down the drying out.

You will need to repeat the water from a jug thing every few weeks as the substrate will dry out.