Calcium + D3?

[lupitapliego]

I bought calcium + D3 thinking it would be better for my little tortoises, but I didn't even consider all the time they get to be outside. And only till after did I read some stuff about how it can be bad for them, too. Ohhh, stupid me for not reading enough!
My question is, is it dangerous to give it to them once a week? They get at the very least 8 hours of REAL sunshine. Then they're inside.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Is there a way you could just return it and exchange it for calcium/mineral supplements?

 

[lupitapliego]

Well it's already opened so I don't think so. Do you think I should go out and buy just calcium without the D3?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Yup. I've got both. I was given a box of the Min-er-al for indoors, so it contains D3. I've also got 20lbs. of calcium power. Maybe 4 times a year, I use the stuff with the D3 to get the added minerals otherwise, I use the calcium.

 

[lupitapliego]

Alrighty then. I'll go purchase some this weekend thank you, sir!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Thank you for asking and wanting to do the best for your tortoise.

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What kind do you keep?

 

[lupitapliego]

Of course. So far I only have 2 Russian tortoises. but when I'm older I hope to have waaaaay more! What about yourself?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Currently, I've got 10 russians, 6 Sulcatas, and 3 pancakes. All are my favorites.
When I was young, I had a California desert tortoise.

 

[lupitapliego]

That is ALOT! Do you have separate enclosures for every single one of them or do you just have a large enclosure for every species? How do you handle so many?! Hahaha
In the future I'll probably stick to little guys, like more Russians and other small species.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

My “herds" have large outdoor enclosures. This time of year the russians are all brumating,(hibernating) but my sulcatas have a large heated shed they sleep in at night and in the daytime they come out to graze. Here's a picture of the sulcata yard:
The barn is 24' at that end so you have an idea of the size of the yard. We have 5 acres of south facing hillside here in Oregon. I'll dig up a picture of my russians yard, it's a large “L" shape, overgrown with weeds. The pancakes live in an indoor enclosure.

 

[lupitapliego]

You guys have a lot a land just for them! Lucky little (& big) guys.
Do the pancakes get any bigger?

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How much did it cost to build those enclosures?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

The pancakes stay smaller than an adult female russian.
The yard for the sulcatas I made with scrap plywood here at the house. We had some storm damage one winter to our roof and it needed to be replaced. The roofers stripped the old plywood off and were going to take it to the dump and I told them to leave it. At the time I didn't know what I was going to use it for, but I figured out a use, and now, I try to scrounge any plywood I can just to make it bigger. Lol. The pancake enclosure I used all new material for, and it was something like $150 including the thermostat, lights, and glass doors. The glass doors were the most expensive part I think.

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And we used to have horses. That's why we have the land.

 

[lupitapliego]

Woah. Big change from horses to tortoises! haha
Hey, the price for the pancake one actually isn't too bad.
Very nice enclosures btw.

 

[Tom]

I bought calcium + D3 thinking it would be better for my little tortoises, but I didn't even consider all the time they get to be outside. And only till after did I read some stuff about how it can be bad for them, too. Ohhh, stupid me for not reading enough!
My question is, is it dangerous to give it to them once a week? They get at the very least 8 hours of REAL sunshine. Then they're inside.

The small amount of D3 in your supplement won't hurt anything, especially if you are only using it once a week. You can just use it up without worry.

 

[lupitapliego]

Alright thanks, Tom.
I didn't think it would be too bad but didn't really wanna risk it. Originally I was giving it twice a week, until I read up on the subject a little more. Thanks for the input

 

[bettinge]

Yup. I've got both. I was given a box of the Min-er-al for indoors, so it contains D3. I've also got 20lbs. of calcium power. Maybe 4 times a year, I use the stuff with the D3 to get the added minerals otherwise, I use the calcium.

Ken,

What kind of calcium do you use that's economical in 20 lbs?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I use organic limestone flour. I free broadcast it in the outdoor pens. What doesn't get consumed, gets absorbed be the soil and taken up by the plant roots. And it comes in 50 lb. bags.