concerned about RT's

[jamest0o0]

I have RT's and all of the sudden they became very unactive and stopped eating. What would cause this? Also I sprinkle vitamins and calcium on their food when I feed them (usually a nice clump of greens 1-3x a week). I was never really sure how much and how often I should feed them and how much vita/calc powder should I sprinkle on? Should it be D3 free?

I've had them for about 5 years now and they have always been fine eating whatever I gave them.

 

[egyptiandan]

What are your temperatures in your enclosure and how long are the lights on for?

Danny

 

[Yvonne G]

If your tortoises are outside, they have probably stopped eating because they are cleaning out their systems prior to hibernating. If they are inside, its the same reason. If you don't want them to hibernate, you need to provide artificial daylight for longer than natural daylight at this time of year. You should leave their lights on for 12 hours a day. Don't let them know that the nights are cool and the days are short. Its natural and normal for them to slow down prior to hibernating.

Yvonne

 

[jamest0o0]

I have UVB and heat bulb on from 10am-10pm.

 

[egyptiandan]

Do you know the temperatures? The length of time the lights are on for is fine.

Danny

 

[jamest0o0]

D2? What exactly is that? My warm side of the enclosure is about 95 give or take, cool side probably 70-80 depending on my room's temp.

 

[jamest0o0]

tortoise organism can't assimilate vitamine D2 as i know! so it will be hard job to kidneys... D3 is necessary)

Wow, I've never heard that before thanks for letting me know I'll have to check. I know this is off subject, but does anyone know if a leopard gecko would need D3?

Anyway how much vitamins/calc should I powder their food with? How often should I be feeding. They seemed to always be fine with how much I fed them, but now that they are like this I want to make sure everything is right.

thanks for all the help!

 

[skittles1]

May I ask why you feed them 1-3x a week?? I feed my guys everyday and just take out what they don't eat in a reasonable time. Add TNT from carolina pet supply it is pretty all inclusive for vitimins and calcium. I would certainly feed them more often.
Janay

 

[Clementine_3]

I know this is off subject, but does anyone know if a leopard gecko would need D3?

How old is the Leo? Yes, they do need calcium with D3 but not tons. Just like torts it can build up in their system and do more harm than good. They need pure calcium as well, and vitamins/minerals. If s/he is less than a year or so the schedule should be pure calcium 5 times a week, D3 once a week and vitamin/minerals once a week. You can cut back to a few times a week for the pure calcium and a few times a month for the D3 and vitamin/minerals each for an adult. Also leave a small milk cap of pure calcium in the tank at all times.

 

[jamest0o0]

Thanks for the info. vita/d3 calcium 1x a week and then pure calcium everyday fine for my torts then? Also I'm just double checking, but UVB should be changed every 6 months?

I know I should have researched this before I got them, but I was a little kid and my parents just let me get them because they no pretty much nothing about any sort of animal, so now I am just trying to fix everything that I have wrong.

 

[jamest0o0]

May I ask why you feed them 1-3x a week?? I feed my guys everyday and just take out what they don't eat in a reasonable time. Add TNT from carolina pet supply it is pretty all inclusive for vitimins and calcium. I would certainly feed them more often.
Janay

I just looked at the TNT, how often do you use this and would I need to supplement anything else if I got it? Does you get it with the probiotics?

 

[jamest0o0]

Anyone?

 

[Yvonne G]

I just looked at the TNT, how often do you use this and would I need to supplement anything else if I got it? Does you get it with the probiotics?

This is what they say about the product on the web site:

"This blend of powders was developed for Russian Tortoises, but is excellent for all tortoises, turtles, bearded dragons, geckos, all herbivore and omnivore reptiles and gut loading crickets, superworms and mealworms. It has been tested over the last 10 or so years on hatchlings and adults. By using this (with cuttlebone)I have eliminated the need to use any other supplements including calcium powders. All ingredients were chosen for their health benefits, palatability and nutritional content. The result is a mix with balanced amino acids, high calcium and magnesium, low phosphorous and high soluble and insoluble fiber. "

You just put a pinch or so over the food once or twice a week. I have heard it said that the probiotics aren't stable and don't last very long on the shelf, but I don't know if that's true because I'm not a scientist.

Yvonne

 

[Crazy1]

James, here is a great site that gives you lots of info on your RT.
http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm

 

[jamest0o0]

I just looked at the TNT, how often do you use this and would I need to supplement anything else if I got it? Does you get it with the probiotics?

This is what they say about the product on the web site:

"This blend of powders was developed for Russian Tortoises, but is excellent for all tortoises, turtles, bearded dragons, geckos, all herbivore and omnivore reptiles and gut loading crickets, superworms and mealworms. It has been tested over the last 10 or so years on hatchlings and adults. By using this (with cuttlebone)I have eliminated the need to use any other supplements including calcium powders. All ingredients were chosen for their health benefits, palatability and nutritional content. The result is a mix with balanced amino acids, high calcium and magnesium, low phosphorous and high soluble and insoluble fiber. "

You just put a pinch or so over the food once or twice a week. I have heard it said that the probiotics aren't stable and don't last very long on the shelf, but I don't know if that's true because I'm not a scientist.

Yvonne

Okay thanks, I did read that I just like to get the opinions from multiple people rather than just one person from a site that is trying to sell something.

 

[Crazy1]

Okay, I understand that. I don't have RT but I do have Greeks and have fostered RT. I use Calcium carbonate for them without D3 if I have them under a UVB bulb or sunlight. I feed them a varied diet so that they can get a variety of nutrients.
Here is what concerned me about giving them D3 they can be overdosed on this vitiman if given to them and they are under a uv bulb or in the sunlight. Which could cause drastic effects such as renal failure as well as death.
Here is where I got some of that info.
http://www.anapsid.org/dietcons.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/dietcons.html
http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/testudo/v5n3barrows.htm

For my hatchlings and gravid females I give a light dusting of calcium carbonate powder daily. for my adults they get the dusting weekly and I have cuttle bone in each ones enclosure for additional calcium if needed.

 

[skittles1]

I use it 2-3 times a week. I acutally found just pinching and sprinkling out of a bag to be a pain, most of it sticks to your fingers. I used one of those bottles that you get parmisian cheese in to sprinkle mine on their food. I find its much better to handle that way. I only have two so the 8oz lasts for several months, but I keep it in the fridge to make sure its as fresh as possible. You should not add calcium with this product. Adding calcuim would be giving them too much. But you can put a cuttlebone in with them if they need the additional calcium they will use it. Mine have never touched the cuttlebone.
As far as the probiotics being unstable I don't think so. But some probiotics is better then none.

My male was in sad shape when I got him. He was being fed the wrong kind of diet, but the TNT really brought him arround. He is much healthier and more energetic now.

---

Oh yeah I do get it with probiotics. It helps keep the proper balance in the flora of their intestines. Inbalance in the flora such as feeding too much fruit can cause parasite blooms like pin worms. Healthy tummy and sunshine proper temps and substrate all mean a healthy tort. Don't foget the regular soakings too for hydration.
Janay

 

[jamest0o0]

Thanks everyone I appreciate all the help! I just ordered some TNT and I will give it a try, I'm also going to try to grow some dandelions and other plants for them to munch on whenever.