I bought my tortoises 2 cuttle bones a piece. The only problem is, they wont eat them. They look at it and walk away. Is getting cuttle bones a waste of money, is there any particular way they like it?
Most likely it means your sulcata are getting enough calcium from other sources. With cuttlebones some tortoises seem to think they are candy, yet other tortoises seem to ignore them forever, then one day it's like they inhale the entire piece. Some seem to like them all new and shiny white, while others want the dirty old ones. I look at this way, cuttlebones are cheap and so easy to just have laying around in the enclosure, why not have them? That way, when and if your tortoise decides it wants or needs it, the cuttlebone is there and waiting.
Ya my sulcatas don't want it. My russain doesn't either.. I do put calcium supplement on their food. I use Sticky Tongue Farms supplement. So it means they don't need the calcium
I only give it to them in the winter time. Mine are outside during spring, summer, and most of the fall. They get their calcium from the natural sun and the food that they eat.
My experience is identical to Jacquies. Many of my tortoises just ignore them entirely for months on end. Every once in a while, one will just chow down on one for a while after walking by it and ignoring it for months. I find that if they are getting enough elsewhere, they are less likely to want to eat cuttlebone. I agree that's it's cheap and does no harm, so I leave it in with mine even though they usually ignore it.
When I first got Willie, he never touched it then after a month outside he went through a half dozen in a few weeks.. The last one I gave him has been hanging out in his enclosure for a while now, not touched but i Figured when he wants it it's there!
Cook some eggshells and peel the skin from the inside ... Then crush the shells in very tiny pieces -
I lay this in a dish and ready to serve...
They love it ....
Try breaking pieces off and sticking them inside squash. If I let them, 2 of mine would eat as many as I give them, my other one won't eat cuttlebones unless I hide them in his food.
I have been offering it for many many years now and no one touches it (CDT, Russian, Sulcata, RF and boxies). But I continue to offer it, at 25 cents a piece I don't consider a waste of money.
I have had some in my adult steppe tortoises enclosure for seven months now, he has not touched it. My two babies do munch on them though, especially tootsie roll, who has had a huge growth spurt. She chews on that thing like there's no tomorrow!