powder vitamin d3

[Blakem]

what is your take on powder vitamin d 3? because of weather conditions I cannot provide my Russian proper vitamin d3 nutrients. Thanks in advanced for the advice.

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Nevermind, I decided a different plan of action.

 

[Madkins007]

Vitamin D is needed to allow the calcium to be used correctly by the cells. It is not an optional nutrient, but we do not understand everything about it. Excess D is stored in the fatty tissues but too much above that can cause problems.

The BEST source of D seems to be sunlight, then a good UVB bulb, and sadly not all bulbs are created equal.

You can use vitamins- powder or liquid (liquid in theory should be better) but there is some research that suggests it just does not work as well, and maybe not at all.

Of course, some other research seems to suggest that they can 'charge up' on solar D in a few months and live off it all winter- certainly while hibernating, but possibly also when active.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Vitamin D is needed to allow the calcium to be used correctly by the cells. It is not an optional nutrient, but we do not understand everything about it. Excess D is stored in the fatty tissues but too much above that can cause problems.

The BEST source of D seems to be sunlight, then a good UVB bulb, and sadly not all bulbs are created equal.

You can use vitamins- powder or liquid (liquid in theory should be better) but there is some research that suggests it just does not work as well, and maybe not at all.

Of course, some other research seems to suggest that they can 'charge up' on solar D in a few months and live off it all winter- certainly while hibernating, but possibly also when active.

Yeah, Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so animals from tortoises to humans can synthesize a whole bunch when it's sunny, store it in our adipose tissue, and then dip into our reserves even when it's not sunny out. Having a constant stream of Vitamin D3 is preferable, but we can still get a lot from sunshine whenever possible, eating it in our food, or a combination of the two.

If you have an outdoor tortoise, I would say that supplementing with Vitamin D3 is not necessary, and may even be excessive. However, for indoor tortoises, I think it's a good idea to sprinkle some calcium + Vitamin D3 on their food two or three times a week, just to make sure they are getting some, in case the artificial UVB light or the occasional time outdoors is not enough. That's what I do for my guys.

 

[Blakem]

Thanks for the replies. I decided 59 degrees outside isn't too cold. Especially if the sky is.blue and he is in direct sunlight. It gets decently warm just sitting in the sun.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Thanks for the replies. I decided 59 degrees outside isn't too cold. Especially if the sky is.blue and he is in direct sunlight. It gets decently warm just sitting in the sun.

Russian tortoises don't naturally emerge from their burrows until the air is at least 68 F (Lagarde et al. 2002).

 

[Blakem]

So, that means its much too cold for him?

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

So, that means its much too cold for him?

I think so. The carapace is good at absorbing heat, but air temperatures in the 50s, or even low 60s are probably still too low. According to Lagarde, wild Russians don't emerge from their burrows until the air is at least 68 F. Even then, it's the males and juveniles that come out first, because they are smaller and can warm up faster. The larger females must wait until air temps get a bit higher still (can't remember the exact minimum temperature right now, but it's probably in the low 70s). Being bigger, they take longer to warm up, and so have a slightly higher minimum temperature requirement for activity.