UVB

[Tom]

Okay thanks!! does the calcium powder needs to have d3 too? or should i just buy the cuttlefish bone powder without d3?? because My pellets already have d3

It doesn't matter. It's fine if it has it, and it's fine if it doesn't. The small amount of D3 in calcium supplements, coupled with the small amount you will be using only twice a week is not enough to overdose them if they don't need it. So it won't hurt the tortoise and it may help if the tortoise is deficient.

In your climate with a good diet, you don't need pellets, calcium or D3. Lots of weeds, leaves and grasses, along with warm sunshine will get the job done well. The calcium supplements, with or without D3, is just to ensure that the tortoise is always getting enough as it grows, but these needs can be met with a good diet and frequent regular sunshine too. Calcium supplementation becomes more important for people who have growing babies that live in cold climates where the tortoise is indoors and eating mostly grocery store produce for many months of every year. In Jakarta, you have warm weather, good humidity, sunshine, and plenty of green natural food all around you all year long.

 

[lovesulcata]

It doesn't matter. It's fine if it has it, and it's fine if it doesn't. The small amount of D3 in calcium supplements, coupled with the small amount you will be using only twice a week is not enough to overdose them if they don't need it. So it won't hurt the tortoise and it may help if the tortoise is deficient.

In your climate with a good diet, you don't need pellets, calcium or D3. Lots of weeds, leaves and grasses, along with warm sunshine will get the job done well. The calcium supplements, with or without D3, is just to ensure that the tortoise is always getting enough as it grows, but these needs can be met with a good diet and frequent regular sunshine too. Calcium supplementation becomes more important for people who have growing babies that live in cold climates where the tortoise is indoors and eating mostly grocery store produce for many months of every year. In Jakarta, you have warm weather, good humidity, sunshine, and plenty of green natural food all around you all year long.

the small amount of d3 composition that u mean is 15% or how much % / IU ?
But if my tortoise rarely get sun, Even with or without d3 in the calcium powder, its still ok ? since the pellets has d3 too. And is it better just to give the cuttlefish bone powder or just original cuttlefish bone (not powder)?
And is there any other supplements/vitamin etc that sulcata need?

 

[Tom]

the small amount of d3 composition that u mean is 15% or how much % / IU ?
But if my tortoise rarely get sun, Even with or without d3 in the calcium powder, its still ok ? since the pellets has d3 too. And is it better just to give the cuttlefish bone powder or just original cuttlefish bone (not powder)?
And is there any other supplements/vitamin etc that sulcata need?

I don't know how else to tell you. None of that matters. Any way you want to do it will work and be fine.

Pellets twice a week, but not two days in a row. A pinch of calcium with or without D3 twice a week, but not two days in a row. This will give your tortoise enough of what it needs, but not too much.

And again, its better if you skip the pellets and the calcium supplementation entirely and just feed the tortoise lots of different weeds, leaves, flowers and grass.

 

[lovesulcata]

I would get calcium powder without vitamin D3, because pellets already contain some. Also, sunlight provides high enough UV all year round in your region.

Cuttlebone powder is okay. Also, you can get non crushed cuttlebone and leave it in the enclosure.

Calcium spray is, likely, just a powder dilluted with water so no real reason to get it.

As of pellets, I don't know what you can find locally... ZooMed Grassland, Hikari Mulberrific, Arcadia Optimized 52, Mazuri (Nutrazu) are good choices. You can look for something with similar ingredients and nutritional profile.

So i just leave the non crushed cuttlebone in the food dish, and if they need it, they’ll eat it ? So the cuttlefish bones were left until they finished them?

 

[lovesulcata]

I don't know how else to tell you. None of that matters. Any way you want to do it will work and be fine.

Pellets twice a week, but not two days in a row. A pinch of calcium with or without D3 twice a week, but not two days in a row. This will give your tortoise enough of what it needs, but not too much.

And again, its better if you skip the pellets and the calcium supplementation entirely and just feed the tortoise lots of different weeds, leaves, flowers and grass.

okay. if i buy cuttlefish bone (not powder) that means i just need to put the cuttlefish bone in the food dish and leave it ?? So they will eat it by themselves if they need to. So i leave it until the cuttlefish bone is finished by itself.

 

[Tom]

okay. if i buy cuttlefish bone (not powder) that means i just need to put the cuttlefish bone in the food dish and leave it ?? So they will eat it by themselves if they need to. So i leave it until the cuttlefish bone is finished by itself.

Yes, but I would still use the powdered calcium supplement. They don't always eat the cuttlefish bone.

 

[lovesulcata]

Yes, but I would still use the powdered calcium supplement. They don't always eat the cuttlefish bone.

Hi again Tom, My sulcata got bladder stone, How do i get it out? What medicine should i use??He had been pushing the bladder stone but it didn't come out.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Long soaks, 40 mins to an hour should help. A bigger tub where he moves around should help too.

You can lubricate the cloaca with mineral oil using a q tip. You can also feed the mineral oil wrapped in lettuce or with pellets.

Sometimes foods with laxative properties like aloe vera, cucumber or pumpkin might also help.

 

[Tom]

Hi again Tom, My sulcata got bladder stone, How do i get it out? What medicine should i use??He had been pushing the bladder stone but it didn't come out.

What @The_Four_Toed_Edward said. If those things don't work, then it must be surgically removed.

Bladder stones happen because of too much protein and not enough hydration. In most cases, they take weeks or months to form.

 

[lovesulcata]

What @The_Four_Toed_Edward said. If those things don't work, then it must be surgically removed.

Bladder stones happen because of too much protein and not enough hydration. In most cases, they take weeks or months to form.

good thing he pushed until it came out by itself

 

[lovesulcata]

Long soaks, 40 mins to an hour should help. A bigger tub where he moves around should help too.

You can lubricate the cloaca with mineral oil using a q tip. You can also feed the mineral oil wrapped in lettuce or with pellets.

Sometimes foods with laxative properties like aloe vera, cucumber or pumpkin might also help.

okay thanksbut good thing, he pushed until it came out by itself

 

[lovesulcata]

Yes, but I would still use the powdered calcium supplement. They don't always eat the cuttlefish bone.

could u recomend me greens(like bokchoy) that are safe for sulcata to eat everyday?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

good thing he pushed until it came out by itself

Good to hear! Now you just need to prevent this from happening again with proper hydration and diet.

 

[Tom]

View attachment 381419
good thing he pushed until it came out by itself

That is the wrong substrate to be using, and it is bone dry. This is part of the cause of your issue.

 

[Tom]

could u recomend me greens(like bokchoy) that are safe for sulcata to eat everyday?

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[lovesulcata]

That is the wrong substrate to be using, and it is bone dry. This is part of the cause of your issue.

The good substrate is coco coir/peat? But coco coir is in powder form, won't it get in his eyes? I'm afraid he'll get eye problems

 

[lovesulcata]

What @The_Four_Toed_Edward said. If those things don't work, then it must be surgically removed.

Bladder stones happen because of too much protein and not enough hydration. In most cases, they take weeks or months to form.

If i use this schledule, will my tortoise still get bladder stone? And what do u mean horse hay pellets at wednesday? Greens with mix-ins, whats the mix-ins?

 

[Tom]

View attachment 381770
If i use this schledule, will my tortoise still get bladder stone? And what do u mean horse hay pellets at wednesday? Greens with mix-ins, whats the mix-ins?

I don't know if your tortoise will get bladder stones. It depends on many variables. Food and hydration being the primary ones.

Look up horse hay pellets. It's horse food. Its ground hay formed into pellets to feed to horses.

Read the threads to see what mix-ins and amendments are. It is all explained in detail there.

Please read these threads for the answers to your questions:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

The good substrate is coco coir/peat? But coco coir is in powder form, won't it get in his eyes? I'm afraid he'll get eye problems

Orchid bark is the best substrate. Coco coir will not cause a problem if you keep it properly damp and hand packed. Any substrate is a problem if you keep it too dry. Again, all of this is explained in the threads. Please read them.

 

[lovesulcata]

I don't know if your tortoise will get bladder stones. It depends on many variables. Food and hydration being the primary ones.

Look up horse hay pellets. It's horse food. Its ground hay formed into pellets to feed to horses.

Read the threads to see what mix-ins and amendments are. It is all explained in detail there.

Please read these threads for the answers to your questions:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Orchid bark is the best substrate. Coco coir will not cause a problem if you keep it properly damp and hand packed. Any substrate is a problem if you keep it too dry. Again, all of this is explained in the threads. Please read them.

Ohh ok, what fruit that are safe for sulcata?

 

[Tom]

Ohh ok, what fruit that are safe for sulcata?

The types of fruit bought at a grocery store are not good for sulcata. It is too sugary and it can wreak havoc with their gut flora and fauna. Best to skip fruit like berries or citrus. Opuntia cactus fruit are okay once in a while. Squash or pumpkin is technically a fruit and those are okay in moderation, but you should be looking for weeds, leaves and grasses primarily.