Calcium powder

[chubu]

Hello! is it enough to give my tortoises calcium powder once a week? or should I give them everyday?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello! is it enough to give my tortoises calcium powder once a week? or should I give them everyday?

A small pinch, once or twice a week is enough. With a proper varied diet, supplements like Mazuri and a cuttlefish bone lying around in the enclosure you might not need powder at all.

 

[Tom]

Hello! is it enough to give my tortoises calcium powder once a week? or should I give them everyday?

What species, what size, and what age?

More calcium for growing babies and egg laying females. Less is needed for adult males. I do a small pinch mixed in with the food twice a week for small growing tortoises. I feed mostly weeds, leaves, cactus pads to adults, so no need to supplement my adult males.

 

[chubu]

What species, what size, and what age?

More calcium for growing babies and egg laying females. Less is needed for adult males. I do a small pinch mixed in with the food twice a week for small growing tortoises. I feed mostly weeds, leaves, cactus pads to adults, so no need to supplement my adult males.

i dont really know what age they both are since i rescued them but they are both hermanns male tortoise. one is 16cm (6.3inch) (i measured from the head to bottom) and one is 14cm (5.4inch)

 

[Tom]

i dont really know what age they both are since i rescued them but they are both hermanns male tortoise. one is 16cm (6.3inch) (i measured from the head to bottom) and one is 14cm (5.4inch)

You know they should never be kept in pairs, right?

 

[chubu]

You know they should never be kept in pairs, right?

yes, each one has their own enclosure

 

[Tom]

yes, each one has their own enclosure

Excellent!

 

[BajatheChickenMan]

On this subject, I keep chickens so I have plenty of crushed oyster shell. I have read that would be okay for tortoises in the same small amounts you mention above. Is this true?

 

[Tom]

On this subject, I keep chickens so I have plenty of crushed oyster shell. I have read that would be okay for tortoises in the same small amounts you mention above. Is this true?

For a large tortoise, if you can get them to eat it some how, it could work, but I'd be worried about impaction. Sand or gravel will cause impaction if enough is ingested over time. Crushed oyster shell would be similar. Will the calcium dissolve and pass through? Maybe. Maybe some will and some won't.

Personally, I would not use it for tortoises. Its not worth the risk. Buy the powdered stuff and use it sparingly, or just feed lots of high calcium foods like mulberry leaves and spineless opuntia cactus pads.

 

[BajatheChickenMan]

For a large tortoise, if you can get them to eat it some how, it could work, but I'd be worried about impaction. Sand or gravel will cause impaction if enough is ingested over time. Crushed oyster shell would be similar. Will the calcium dissolve and pass through? Maybe. Maybe some will and some won't.

Personally, I would not use it for tortoises. Its not worth the risk. Buy the powdered stuff and use it sparingly, or just feed lots of high calcium foods like mulberry leaves and spineless opuntia cactus pads.

Okay sounds good. I'll order some of the powdered stuff today then. I was looking to see if I had mortar and pestle to grind up the oyster shell but sadly I do not.