supplementing

[SweetPete7]

Just read on a website that supplements should not be used (calcuim, reptimin, D3, etc) on tortoises under 6 months of age. Is this true?

 

[-JM]

Oh I hope you get a good answer I bought some supplements to feed my hatchling.

 

[Greg T]

I'm not sure, but someone with more expertise will speak up soon I bet. I think maybe they steer clear of supplements at young ages to try and prevent accidental overdoses possibly? I'd like to hear what others say about this also.

 

[Tom]

Not true. There is so much bad info out there...

A little bit, a couple times a week is a good thing. I don't use the Ca with D3 because mine get daily sun, but I do use plain Rep-Cal. I use vitamins about once a week. Some people like to use more, but I have found these amounts to work well for me.

It all depends on your species and age of tort, your climate, current weather, and the conditions where you house your baby.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I disagree with that too. I think pure calcium should be used from the start (very important for hatchlings especially!). Dose varies on age as needs decrease as the tort ages. Some believe to let the tort self-regulate. I like to just sprinkle it on. If you didn't give your hatchlings calcium until 6 months I think it might even kill it, depending on the diet it was fed. Just going a couple weeks without calcium has caused many member's hatchlings issues including death here.

Most don't need to supplement D3 since if your tort has a UVB bulb or gets sun you don't want to risk overdose.

I'd never give an actual vitamin supplement like Reptamin or whatever--too tough to know how much is too much.

Natural supplements like TNT are great because you can't over do them, but they aren't by any means necessary if your tort gets a natural varied diet. In the wild they actually have a very nutrient deficient diet and many species hibernate a good part of the year too while in captivity many of us keep them up year round so they grow quicker and get more nutrients.

 

[-JM]

Tom, what vitamins do you use, and how much? I know you said once a week but should i use less than the "recommended dose" for a hatchling verses an adult?

I have the Rep-cal calcium and herptivite, btw.

 

[Tom]

I'm pretty sure mine is the Herptivite too. I just sprinkle on a little with some greens that they really like. I don't measure it or anything. I use it less often for adults or big juveniles, but in an appropriately larger amount. Now that I'm feeding my adults some occasional Mazuri, I probably don't need it.

My torts also get a very varied diet, so I feel even less inclined to supplement.

 

[-JM]

Yeah I can't start providing weeds and such until the seasons turn a couple times. I can't grow them inside, and obviously it's about to be winter. So I want to be sure he's getting all the vitamins he needs. Thank you for your help--over dosing really concerns me.