Sulcata diet questions

[Iruhaku]

Hey all, I feed my Sulcata many different food stuffs, the vast majority of which is grass mainly Timothy and rye (from garden) mixed with a little cucumber, dandelion, thistle, nettle and others (tortoise table) with a little (tiny piece) of rehydrated Arcadia freshly pressed tortoise food. I was using pure calcium but switches to calcium+D3 but I’ve now heard I should not give +D3 and only give pure calcium. Is this correct? I currently sprinkle a very little amount in a cup, mix the food slightly to mix it in and then sprinkle a very very light dusting on top.

So should I keep the +D3 or just dump it and not use it?

He is currently 13 weeks old.

He does get Arcadia UVB 12% 24W from 11AM-4PM
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hey! Sounds like a great diet so far

I’m going to paste this response from one of our lovely members that might hopefully answer your question:

“1. To absorb calcium and make use of it, tortoise needs vitamin D3.
2. Tortoise can produce vitamin D3 in its skin when has access to natural sunlight or basking + UVB lamps.
3. If we suspect that UVB exposure is insufficient we can provide supplemental vitamin D3 with food. Dietary vitamin D3 is less effective but still better than nothing. E.g. in UK it's often recommended because sunlight UV index is low most time of the year.
4. There is a risk of overdose with dietary vitamin D3. However, it's not likely when low-D3 supplements are used (e.g. ZooMed Repticalcium).

If you don't have a good UVB lamp and tortoise spends less than 2-3 hours a week outside, I suggest you to get calcium powder with D3 and use it once a week (a tiny pinch, as with usual calcium powder).”

In your case, you have a reliable uv brand so a supplement with d3 shouldn’t really be necessary

 

[Iruhaku]

Hey! Sounds like a great diet so far

I’m going to paste this response from one of our lovely members that might hopefully answer your question:

“1. To absorb calcium and make use of it, tortoise needs vitamin D3.
2. Tortoise can produce vitamin D3 in its skin when has access to natural sunlight or basking + UVB lamps.
3. If we suspect that UVB exposure is insufficient we can provide supplemental vitamin D3 with food. Dietary vitamin D3 is less effective but still better than nothing. E.g. in UK it's often recommended because sunlight UV index is low most time of the year.
4. There is a risk of overdose with dietary vitamin D3. However, it's not likely when low-D3 supplements are used (e.g. ZooMed Repticalcium).

If you don't have a good UVB lamp and tortoise spends less than 2-3 hours a week outside, I suggest you to get calcium powder with D3 and use it once a week (a tiny pinch, as with usual calcium powder).”

In your case, you have a reliable uv brand so a supplement with d3 shouldn’t really be necessary

Excellent once again, thank you so much, just dumped out his food right now and made it again with pure calcium.

 

[Tom]

Hey all, I feed my Sulcata many different food stuffs, the vast majority of which is grass mainly Timothy and rye (from garden) mixed with a little cucumber, dandelion, thistle, nettle and others (tortoise table) with a little (tiny piece) of rehydrated Arcadia freshly pressed tortoise food. I was using pure calcium but switches to calcium+D3 but I’ve now heard I should not give +D3 and only give pure calcium. Is this correct? I currently sprinkle a very little amount in a cup, mix the food slightly to mix it in and then sprinkle a very very light dusting on top.

So should I keep the +D3 or just dump it and not use it?

He is currently 13 weeks old.

He does get Arcadia UVB 12% 24W from 11AM-4PM
Thanks for any advice.

It doesn't matter. Use the stuff with the D3. In your climate, the tortoise is not going to be getting a lot of direct sunshine for most of every year, so the D3 in the calcium is cheap insurance. You won't overdose the tortoise by using a small amount two or three times a week. If my tortoises were not getting direct sun every day all year long, I would use a calcium supplement with D3.

Calcium supplementation is good, but be careful to not over do it. They don't need tons of it every day.

Timothy hay and other grasses are more for older larger sulcatas. The only grass that a 13 week old baby should be eating is freshly sprouted tender young grass. Favor more of the weeds and other natural foods at this size, and move toward more grass as the baby gains size.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

It doesn't matter. Use the stuff with the D3. In your climate, the tortoise is not going to be getting a lot of direct sunshine for most of every year, so the D3 in the calcium is cheap insurance. You won't overdose the tortoise by using a small amount two or three times a week. If my tortoises were not getting direct sun every day all year long, I would use a calcium supplement with D3.

Calcium supplementation is good, but be careful to not over do it. They don't need tons of it every day.

Timothy hay and other grasses are more for older larger sulcatas. The only grass that a 13 week old baby should be eating is freshly sprouted tender young grass. Favor more of the weeds and other natural foods at this size, and move toward more grass as the baby gains size.

Would you say it’s more a technically shouldn’t be necessary with a good uvb source, but won’t hurt in small amounts kind of thing?

 

[Iruhaku]

It doesn't matter. Use the stuff with the D3. In your climate, the tortoise is not going to be getting a lot of direct sunshine for most of every year, so the D3 in the calcium is cheap insurance. You won't overdose the tortoise by using a small amount two or three times a week. If my tortoises were not getting direct sun every day all year long, I would use a calcium supplement with D3.

Calcium supplementation is good, but be careful to not over do it. They don't need tons of it every day.

Timothy hay and other grasses are more for older larger sulcatas. The only grass that a 13 week old baby should be eating is freshly sprouted tender young grass. Favor more of the weeds and other natural foods at this size, and move toward more grass as the baby gains size.

Thanks I’ll put a small pinch every 2-3 days as I do live in Scotland so he will very rarely see sun. Yes I only put small amount of calcium in per day. Thanks I’ll stick more to the weeds and only “offer” a little grass. The grass is freshly cut weekly so it should be fairly young don’t know if that’s what’s meant, thanks for the tips

 

[Tom]

Thanks I’ll put a small pinch every 2-3 days as I do live in Scotland so he will very rarely see sun. Yes I only put small amount of calcium in per day. Thanks I’ll stick more to the weeds and only “offer” a little grass. The grass is freshly cut weekly so it should be fairly young don’t know if that’s what’s meant, thanks for the tips

Think of how soft and delicate freshly sprouted grass is compared to older more mature grass that has been cut many times. The older grass is much stiffer and harder for a baby to eat. The only grass I feed to babies is freshly sprouted tender young grass, and I don't feed them a lot of it until they gain some size.

 

[Tom]

Would you say it’s more a technically shouldn’t be necessary with a good uvb source, but won’t hurt in small amounts kind of thing?

If the UV bulb is good, the D3 isn't needed. If the UV bulb has degraded, then the D3 is cheap insurance to make sure the tortoise has what it needs. If the UV bulb is excellent and the tortoise is able to make 100% of the D3 it needs, the small amount of D3 in the calcium supplement will do no harm at all.

3 options:
1. UV is good, and D3 is given = no problem ever.
2. UV is not good (for whatever reason), and D3 is given = no problem ever.
3. UV is not good (for whatever reason), and D3 is not given = problem.