Cuttlebone?

[Kailey]

Am I able to leave a cuttlebone in my Russian's enclosure? I'm concerned about his beak. He has a clay food dish to wear his beak down on, but he prefers to walk through it and eat out of the dirt. Also, can a beak be worn down too much?

Thanks.

 

[jackrat]

Yes,you can leave a cuttlebone in his enclosure.

 

[Kailey]

Should I be concerned about the tortoise consuming too much of it? Does it contain protein, or anything I should worry about?

Thank you for the quick reply.

 

[AnthonyC]

I don't have Russians, but I do have Sulcatas and they love biting on their cuttlebone. I just leave it in their enclosure and every once in awhile I hear them chomping away at it. To be honest I don't know if it contains protein, but I know that it's loaded with calcium. I suppose that if you check the box that it came in it'll have a breakdown of all the nutritional values it contains. Good luck!

 

[Jacqui]

Of course you can have too much of anything, but it would be almost impossible for them to eat too much cuttlebone, so relax on it. Some tortoises never seem to touch it at all and then one day you may discover they have been gnawing on it. Just as some seem to like them once they are "aged to perfection".

As to the beak, the answer is yes. However that is more likely to occur, when somebody files down their beaks. They can break off or split the beak on their own (usually as a result of it getting too long) and end up with the beak too short. While it seems to hinder eating and to hurt them when too short, the good news is it grows out fairly quickly.

 

[tyler0912]

Of course you can have too much of anything, but it would be almost impossible for them to eat too much cuttlebone, so relax on it. Some tortoises never seem to touch it at all and then one day you may discover they have been gnawing on it. Just as some seem to like them once they are "aged to perfection".

As to the beak, the answer is yes. However that is more likely to occur, when somebody files down their beaks. They can break off or split the beak on their own (usually as a result of it getting too long) and end up with the beak too short. While it seems to hinder eating and to hurt them when too short, the good news is it grows out fairly quickly.

TIAGO has not ate it in the 2 years of me havng him but now he muches on it daily!

 

[african cake queen]

HI ,I LEAVE THE CUTTLEBONE IN WITH MY CAKES. THEY MUST USE IE IT BECAUSE I NOTICE BITE MARKS.

 

[cemmons12]

I have a Sulcata and he loves his cuttlebone and I leave it in at all times. I think they know when they have had enough of it. I would just leave it in. Good luck!

 

[Kailey]

Okay, I picked him up an exoterra sepia bone for tortoises and turtles. He seems to like it because he immediately climbed on top of it and nibbled it.


....But then he peed on it, so I'm not really sure how he feels.

 

[Jacqui]

Okay, I picked him up an exoterra sepia bone for tortoises and turtles. He seems to like it because he immediately climbed on top of it and nibbled it.


....But then he peed on it, so I'm not really sure how he feels.

That does sound like a mixed review.

 

[AnthonyC]

I've never heard of a exoterra sepia bone. What the heck is it??

 

[Torty Mom]

Maybe he peed on it so no one else uses it! Kinda like tortie savers!!! Mine love their cuttlebone "aged to perfection"

 

[fbsmith3]

Sepia bone is CuttleFish bone. Exo Terra is the trade name of Hagen. So Hagen is being "Kool" by calling themselves Exo Terra and selling Sepia bones instead of Cuttlefish.

Sorry I hate Hagen, I've had a history when I worked for a Veterinarian and one summer several dogs and cats got sick from Hagen flea treatments.

 

[lynnedit]

Yeah, he peed on it to mark it!
They will chew on it a lot, and then ignore it. I think they know when they need it.

 

[cemmons12]

A mixed review, lol! I love that one!

 

[Kailey]

Sepia bone is CuttleFish bone. Exo Terra is the trade name of Hagen. So Hagen is being "Kool" by calling themselves Exo Terra and selling Sepia bones instead of Cuttlefish.

Sorry I hate Hagen, I've had a history when I worked for a Veterinarian and one summer several dogs and cats got sick from Hagen flea treatments.

I've had problems with their products as well, with my bearded dragon. However, the other cuttlebones at the store were only 35% calcium, while this was is 85% (according to the boxes.)

 

[murple]

Has anyone got any tips on getting their tortoise to actually eat the cuttlefish?

I have had my Tort for 5 months and have always provided him with cuttlefish but am not sure he had it before I had him. He's beak is a little overgrown and a vet wanted to trim it the other day but Reggie was having none of it! He has been a little unwell and was very lethargic but I also am thinking the vets caused him distress because from a lot of care since he's been home he seems better.

Still can't get him to eat the blooming thing though, so he will have to go back and get it sorted, but not just yet as he needs to feel happy at home again.

 

[laramie]

I wonder that too. I have not gottent a cuttlebone yet, but I think I may, now that I know you can just leave it in the enclosure. Not sure about wearing down a beak too much.