Help please!!! (won't eat calcium)

[Tort93]

im still fairly new to this and I need help with a few things.... I've had Tort for a few months and she's always had a bit of a 'bendy' plastron and I'm trying my best to up her calcium but she just won't eat food when I put calcium powder on it! Her behaviour has changed lately too, she's very lathargic, won't come out of her bed unless I take her out, and just generally moves and eats less, and Im worried this could be caused by lack of calcium.... Can anyone suggest any foods that are high in calcium for me to feed her (I live in the UK) ? She normally has dandelion leaves or rocket, which she sometimes eat but sometimes leaves alone, and never eats if there is calcium powder on.... Any help greatly appreciated!!! ☺️☺️

(mod note - 1 year old Russian tortoise)

 

[Careym13]

Do you provide cuttlebone? Endive and Escarole lettuce both have decent calcium/phosphorous ratios so you could add those into the diet. What kind of access does your tort get to UV light and to real sunshine?

 

[kirsty Johnston]

im still fairly new to this and I need help with a few things.... I've had Tort for a few months and she's always had a bit of a 'bendy' plastron and I'm trying my best to up her calcium but she just won't eat food when I put calcium powder on it! Her behaviour has changed lately too, she's very lathargic, won't come out of her bed unless I take her out, and just generally moves and eats less, and Im worried this could be caused by lack of calcium.... Can anyone suggest any foods that are high in calcium for me to feed her (I live in the UK) ? She normally has dandelion leaves or rocket, which she sometimes eat but sometimes leaves alone, and never eats if there is calcium powder on.... Any help greatly appreciated!!! ☺️☺️

You can also get liquid calcium to put in her water whilst bathing her - I had the same problem with my little fella not eating with the calcium dusted over the top and that helped a lot.
Also as per the other post cuttlefish bone is great - also keeps their beaks trimmed.

What are your temps?

 

[Yvonne G]

This is what one of our vet members has to say about calcium and the sun:

If the tortoises are in a correct diet, there likely is no need for supplementation. Remember that calcium is absorbed through the gut due to the mechanism of Sunshine Vit D7>D3> 1,25 dhydroxycholecalciferol, with this pathway. Bottom line is UV is responsible for correct absorption of calcium. If you supplement w/ calcium and there is no natural or synthetic UV. The calcium will not be absorbed.


So feed calcium rich foods and get him into either the real sun, or an expensive UV bulb.

If he won't eat when you sprinkle calcium on his food, you're using too much. You only need a small pinch between your thumb and index finger.

 

[Gillian M]

This is what one of our vet members has to say about calcium and the sun:

If the tortoises are in a correct diet, there likely is no need for supplementation. Remember that calcium is absorbed through the gut due to the mechanism of Sunshine Vit D7>D3> 1,25 dhydroxycholecalciferol, with this pathway. Bottom line is UV is responsible for correct absorption of calcium. If you supplement w/ calcium and there is no natural or synthetic UV. The calcium will not be absorbed.


So feed calcium rich foods and get him into either the real sun, or an expensive UV bulb.

If he won't eat when you sprinkle calcium on his food, you're using too much. You only need a small pinch between your thumb and index finger.

Hi. Do you mean that the sun/UV would be enough, if calcium weren't available?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi. Do you mean that the sun/UV would be enough, if calcium weren't available?

No - in order for the calcium to work you must also offer sun (UVB). The calcium comes from either the food you feed or a supplement.

 

[Gillian M]

No - in order for the calcium to work you must also offer sun (UVB). The calcium comes from either the food you feed or a supplement.

Thanks your reply - appreciate it.

 

[Keith D.]

im still fairly new to this and I need help with a few things.... I've had Tort for a few months and she's always had a bit of a 'bendy' plastron and I'm trying my best to up her calcium but she just won't eat food when I put calcium powder on it! Her behaviour has changed lately too, she's very lathargic, won't come out of her bed unless I take her out, and just generally moves and eats less, and Im worried this could be caused by lack of calcium.... Can anyone suggest any foods that are high in calcium for me to feed her (I live in the UK) ? She normally has dandelion leaves or rocket, which she sometimes eat but sometimes leaves alone, and never eats if there is calcium powder on.... Any help greatly appreciated!!! ☺️☺️

(mod note - 1 year old Russian tortoise)

Hello and Welcome to TFO.
You can feed him collard greens which is very high in calcium 14.5:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. And get him out into the sun for a few hours a day (with constant supervision) let him walk and roam, the walking will improve his appetite and the sun will help him as well.

 

[christinaland128]

I put my vitamin supplement in a mashed banana and they go nuts for it. I also use this stuff on their greens occasionally, it smells like blueberries so they really like it....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[Keith D.]

I put my vitamin supplement in a mashed banana and they go nuts for it. I also use this stuff on their greens occasionally, it smells like blueberries so they really like it....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Just remember to much fruit can make them sick.

 

[Tort93]

Thank you everyone! I do already have cuttle bone in with her, but I've never seen her eat it. I have a pretty expensive Mercury vapour bulb, and I do try to get her out as much as possible, the sun is shining today so she will be outside shortly once she's had her bath. Can anyone recommend any liquid calcium to use?

 

[Tort93]

I put my vitamin supplement in a mashed banana and they go nuts for it. I also use this stuff on their greens occasionally, it smells like blueberries so they really like it....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Thank you! I will be buying some of that! How often do you give it to your tortoise?

 

[christinaland128]

Thank you! I will be buying some of that! How often do you give it to your tortoise?

2 times a week. And I offer a varied diet. Mostly greens but some variation. You just pour a small amount of the supplement on chopped greens or other food.

 

[Angel Carrion]

I put my vitamin supplement in a mashed banana and they go nuts for it. I also use this stuff on their greens occasionally, it smells like blueberries so they really like it....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Haha I use the same stuff but strawberry flavored!

 

[Tort93]

Thank you everyone! I have ordered some liquid calcium, I'm also changing the substrate in her house after doing some reading in case she is just generally unhappy! Hoping this will help!

 

[christinaland128]

Good Luck!! lol, see that stuff is good @Angel Carrion.

 

[Tort93]

Hello everyone, thank you all for you your advise, unfortunately Little Tort didn't make it and passed away on Monday I tried everything I could but she must have been too poorly... RIP Little tort

 

[Robertchrisroph]