Questions: amount of food, calcium/D3

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gecko1

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Hello!

I have an adult Russian tortoise named Oscar. He is a "rescue" from my friend's brother who wasn't really caring for him. When I got Oscar, he was very light and wouldn't eat. He seemed pretty ill. He had been on the total wrong substrate, with a horrible diet, incorrect lighting, and overall improper care (based on Petco advice). Anway, I kept him very warm and gave his cage a total make-over based on internet and book research. For a year Oscar has been doing great.

WEIGHT/AMOUNT: How do I know the proper amount to feed Oscar? I have been feeding him a lot to make up for the underfeeding problem at his old home, but now he is much heavier and healthier. I know Russians are voracious and I should limit his eating... but how much? Now I give him a bowl full of lettuce/greens every other day (more or less). He finishes it in one or two eating-sessions. Is there an ideal wieght for Russians? (Also, he has a pile of Timothy hay in his cage.)

CALCIUM/D3: I dust each bowl of greens which calcium/D3 powder (with NO phosporus). I feed him one bowl every day or every other day. I also have a UV light which I turn on about 4 days a week. Is this correct?

Thanks for any advice!
gecko1 and Oscar
 

Crazy1

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gecko1, since Oscar is an adult and is set up with a uv (b?) or (A?) light, If it is UVB I would be careful with the D3. Calcium without D3 may be a better bet for this boy. Too much D3 can be as bad as too little. torts get D3 from the UVB light or natural sunlight.
Each tortoise is different. Here is an excerpt I got from this site: http://www.sdturtle.org/RUSSIAN (Testudo Horsfieldii) CARE SHEET.htm
"Just be careful not to overfeed T. horsfieldii (Russians), as they tend to be overweight in captivity. If they are starting to look chubby when they pull back into their shells, cut back a little on the amount you are feeding."
gecko1, Perhaps posting the question regarding weight in the Russian area may bring more answers from owners.
 

gecko1

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Thanks! Answers...

Hello and thanks for the help!

This is horrible of me, but I don't know wether the light is UVA or UVB! I don't know where the box is. It is a curly bulb, and the light is very bright, blue-ish, and fluorescent-looking. It is what a Petco salesperson recomended (I know, not the best source).

I have three containers of calcium: "Reptocal with Calcium, Phosprous, and Vitamins A, D, B, E" and "Reptocal with Calcium and Vitamin D3" and "Rep-Cal with Calcium and Vit D3 - PHOSPHORUS FREE". Should I buy a pure-calcium supplement with no vitamins or phosphorus?

Thanks for the feeding-amount advice. Oscar does not look chubby when he pulls into his shell, but also not too skinny/light. I guess I'll keep feeding him his current amount.

Thanks again!
gecko1
 

Crazy1

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Gecko1, Please be careful of those bulbs Here is a site with some info on them.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm
Also I perfer Calcium Carbonate-Pure calcium. But thats just me. A lot of people use Vit with calcium only. I feed my torts a really wide variety of greens so I tend to use the pure calcium and soak my hatchlings in VitaSol when I do use vits. I have used Reitocal Tortoise dust or TNT. I stay away from anything with Phosphrous and D3 due to the amount of sunlight my torts get.
 

Meka

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I use Jurassi-Cal calcium supplement and Rep-Cal Herptivite as a vitamin supplement. My calcium has no D3 in it. Also, do you let Oscar have some natural sunlight, and if so, how much?
 

gecko1

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Oscar's cage gets some sunlight, but it passes through my window first, and he doesn't get much. (I'm trying to build him an outdoor enclosure soon.)

That UV website is really interesting. It's so complicated! What do you people use for UV lighting? What's best for a Russian Tortoise? I also have a leopard gecko and a crested gecko, so if anyone knows about those as well...

Thanks so much!
gecko1
 

Crazy1

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Gecko1, i use the T-Rex mercury vapor bulb 100 watt, it is the best of all worlds, it is a heat lamp, a uvb and uva lamp in one. Mega Ray also makes one and I have heard that it is one of the best (long lasting)next time I will try the Mega Ray so I can do my own comparison.
 
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