VitaShell

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Tom

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Neal said:
evlin, very nice leopards.

Tom, before each weekly application do you notice any still on the tortoises shell from the previous week?

Reason I ask, is when I started looking into this, all the negative information about the product indicated that it would keep building up on the tortoises shell. I've been using it on my two since January and I have never been able to scrape or brush any off at the end of the week, I assume it is either getting absorbed or brushed off as the tortoises rub up against objects in their enclosure. So I can't see why they say it builds up on the tortoises shell, but maybe my two are just different.

No sign of any build up, but their color does look a little more vibrant or richer than my other ones.
 

dmmj

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Just FYI sorry for going OT but not all ants are attracted to sweets, there are some that also go for greasy type of things.
 

sunshade

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I used it for mine just for two weeks (once a week), and it did bring out the pattern / color. I think it works - at least for my turtle. :)
 

evlinLoutries

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Tom said:
Neal said:
evlin, very nice leopards.

Tom, before each weekly application do you notice any still on the tortoises shell from the previous week?

Reason I ask, is when I started looking into this, all the negative information about the product indicated that it would keep building up on the tortoises shell. I've been using it on my two since January and I have never been able to scrape or brush any off at the end of the week, I assume it is either getting absorbed or brushed off as the tortoises rub up against objects in their enclosure. So I can't see why they say it builds up on the tortoises shell, but maybe my two are just different.

No sign of any build up, but their color does look a little more vibrant or richer than my other ones.

yeah, their color just like strengthen up..

dmmj said:
Just FYI sorry for going OT but not all ants are attracted to sweets, there are some that also go for greasy type of things.

thanks for your info..:)

sunshade said:
I used it for mine just for two weeks (once a week), and it did bring out the pattern / color. I think it works - at least for my turtle. :)

use vitashell or others?
 

evlinLoutries

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It's true that VCO attracts red ants..:(

But, when they get outdoor times, there's no red ants arround them, just now, I saw 7 (maybe more) red ants in their tort table..:(

So I take the ants and kill it, :D

I'm still looking how the ants can come to their place..
 

sunshade

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Evlin,
Yes, I used the Vita Shell, the same one in the picture in the Tom's original posting. My gulf coast box turtle's shell used to be very dry, and the color had faded out almost, but, now both color and pattern are coming back. I used it just for two weeks, and like others, the cream would stay on the shell for a few days but not too visible. I could see some part of the shell collecting dirt a bit, but the cream was usually absorbed well then.

I started feeding him lots of vegetables when I first applied the cream on him, and I think it might helped, too. :).
 

wrmitchell22

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I am considering trying this, I also live in AZ and worry about the desert drying out my Sulcatas shell and skin. I have a lot of trouble keeping the humidity up here in the desert. However, monsoon season is here so that may help for a couple months at least :)
 

Neal

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evlinLoutries said:
Really?? Vitashell did attract the ants too?
:(

It did, but not a whole lot though. They weren't all over the tortoises like they would be all over a peice of food left out or something. It was more like 3 or 4 ants were on the tortoises with vita shell and none on the others. It's still enough to make me cautious though.
 

evlinLoutries

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sunshade said:
Evlin,
Yes, I used the Vita Shell, the same one in the picture in the Tom's original posting. My gulf coast box turtle's shell used to be very dry, and the color had faded out almost, but, now both color and pattern are coming back. I used it just for two weeks, and like others, the cream would stay on the shell for a few days but not too visible. I could see some part of the shell collecting dirt a bit, but the cream was usually absorbed well then.

I started feeding him lots of vegetables when I first applied the cream on him, and I think it might helped, too. :).

Nice..
But why u stop to use it?

Neal said:
evlinLoutries said:
Really?? Vitashell did attract the ants too?
:(

It did, but not a whole lot though. They weren't all over the tortoises like they would be all over a peice of food left out or something. It was more like 3 or 4 ants were on the tortoises with vita shell and none on the others. It's still enough to make me cautious though.

Mines did the same too, there are just 4-6 red ants, but just in their tort table, not on the torts..
 

sunshade

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Evlin,
The condition of his shell improved a lot in two weeks - no need to use it any more. :) I will use it again if it gets drier again. :)
 

evlinLoutries

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sunshade said:
Evlin,
The condition of his shell improved a lot in two weeks - no need to use it any more. :) I will use it again if it gets drier again. :)

Ouwh, I see..
Do u have the pict before And after use vitashell?
 

Tom

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Update: All is well. They are growing similarly to last years EOP babies. They are housed in the exact same tank as last years babies too. Same substrate, same water bowl, same everything. Their weights are 100, 110 and 123 grams. Its still too early to call it done, but the VitaShell APPEARS to be making no difference. It does look nice and it does not cause any problem. I intend to continue this one for a few more months.

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dmmj

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Tom shame on you for letting them drink Dr. Pepper.
 

Redstrike

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Thanks for this Tom, very useful money saver! Hopefully future results will continue to show the same!?
 

Tom

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It occurred to me that I didn't put captions identifying which tortoise is which.

The top photo is the biggest one. He gets VitaShell once a week and no shell spraying.
The second photo is the smallest one. He gets VitaShell and several shell sprays a day.
The third photo gets no Vitashell, but several shell sprays a day. He's pretty easy to see in the group photos.

I have to admit, that the VitaShell does make them look pretty nice, if appearance matters to anyone.
 

TurtleTortoise

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Stupid question:

I don't know how or why, but would it affect their shells and the uv/UVB? Would it make it so less of it is absorbed? I don't know anything about UVB so it could not affect anything:p
-:tort:
 

Tom

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I don't know the answer either. From what I have gathered and been told, tortoises primarily convert D2 to D3 in their skin. So something on their shell should be irrelevant. These guys are out in the sun nearly every day and their shells are as hard as any tortoise I've ever raised, so it does not appear to interfere with UV absorption in any way.
 

Madkins007

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Even if the Vitashell was on the limbs, I would not expect a change in UVB absorption- the stuff is just a hand/body lotion formula, and wearing lotion on your skin does not affect your UVB absoption.
 

Lilithlee

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I've been watching/reading this forum, been keeping up with it. Have a question. This came from the fact I was feeding my Dad bird today and puts palm oil in there food. And I was wondering what about Palm oil on there shells? How this isn't a silly question. I'm just curious. Would this be good/bad/ no effect.
 

Tom

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I don't know. Never tried that, or heard of anyone else trying that. The VitaShell is made specifically for chelonian shells. So far, it does not seem to be making any difference. They are growing at about the same rate of smoothness as the three babies that I raised in this exact same enclosure with the exact same techniques as last year. The only difference between last years babies and this years babies is the application of Vitashell on two of the three.
 
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