how much calcium & vitamin to give

Status
Not open for further replies.

Diana Stone

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
185
I am confused and a bit frustrated. Help me please! The more I read the more different opinions you get. I would like to know from all of you how many days a week do you dust the food with calcium and vitamin mineral supplements? I have Russian tortoises in varied ages. Adults down to 1 1/2 yr old. What is best?
:(
 

egyptiandan

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
5,788
Location (City and/or State)
USA
With growing animals I'd dust with calcium at every feeding. With adults, once or twice a week is fine. Vitamin supplements, 2 to 3 times a week for growing animals and once a week for adults.

Danny
 

aktech23

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
136
How do you do this when the animal is getting 95% of it's diet from grass growing in my yard?
 

K9KidsLove

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
586
Hi...Put it on the other 5%!! Or clip some weeds you know he likes, dampen them & sprinkle with the calcium & vitamins and serve on top of a paving brick.
Good luck
Patsy
 

aktech23

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
136
thanks for pointing out the obvious :D

i give treats about once a month, other then that it's basically grass. I don't know if it uses it's cuttle bone. I'll start dusting the treats.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I have also worried that the "graze" might be getting depleted of vitamins and minerals, so I've started feeding everyone a meal of Mazuri Tortoise Diet once a week. If I sprinkle supplements on it the tortoises don't eat it, so I just get up a very large bowl of Mazuri, cover it with warm water for about 45 seconds, drain off the water and go feed it to the tortoises. Everyone will eat it with the exception of the Manouria and Yellowfoot. The Aldabrans especially love it. I have not "humanized" the Aldabran tortoises, so they don't like me to interact with them, but when they see that big blue bowl coming in their pen they both start to crowd me. LOL!

Yvonne

(I plan on fertilizing the pens during the winter months right before it rains, while the torts have to stay inside. Hopefully that will re-new the grasses and weeds)
 

Diana Stone

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
185
I bought a bag of that Mazuri diet from the reptile show here and no one eats it. They sniff and turn to look for something better. What a disapointment. It sounds like its good for them. How do you get the kids to eat the brocolli, sort a speak? :p
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Here at my place, the tortoises that took to it just ate it right away without any prompting. The ones that won't eat it never would after a week of offering it every day instead of their regular food.

Yvonne
 

DAC8671

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 9, 2008
Messages
423
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego CA
Where do I get Mazuri? Do I have to order it online? Can I get it at Petsmart/Petco?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
DAC8671 said:
Where do I get Mazuri? Do I have to order it online? Can I get it at Petsmart/Petco?

Any dealer or store that sells Purina products can order it for you. (Not Petsmart/Petco) Look in the phone book for feed dealers and make some calls. I buy mine at the place where I buy my hay for the horses. If they sell any Purina products, they can order it. The official name is: Mazuri Tortoise Diet.

Yvonne
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top