Natural Cuttlefish Bone for Reptiles, Tortoises, Snails, Birds and Small Animals, 4-6 inch, Twin Pack

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Here is why you should use cuttlebones as a calcium supplement for your tortoises, 1. For Healthy Bone Growth

For young tortoises, the portion size of cuttlefish may be smaller than that of adult tortoises. This is because young tortoises have smaller mouths and digestive systems, and may struggle to consume larger pieces of cuttlefish. It is advisable to chop the cuttlefish into smaller pieces or even puree it to make it easier for young tortoises to eat. As the tortoise grows, the portion size can gradually increase to match its size and nutritional requirements. When feeding tortoises cuttlefish, it is essential to do so in moderation. It should be offered as a supplement to a balanced diet rather than the primary source of nutrition. Most tortoises require a diet high in fibrous plants, fruits, and vegetables. Cuttlefish should only be given occasionally to avoid an imbalance in their diet. The more you vary the diet the happier your Tortoise will be, try and mix the ingredients as much as possible and try not to to give the Tortoise to much Cucumber and Lettuce as these have no nutritional value but can help rehydrate your Tortoise. Offer the cuttlefish to your tortoise and observe their response. Some tortoises may take to it immediately, while others may require some time to get accustomed to the taste and texture.

If you want to prevent nutritional metabolic bone disease and shell deformities like pyramding, one of the best ways to offer your tortoise more calcium is through cuttlebones. Chelonians in general seem to love cuttlebone. They help prevent overgrown beaks When serving cuttlefish to a tortoise, it should be cut into small, manageable pieces to prevent choking. It is also advisable to remove any hard or sharp edges to minimize the risk of injury. The cuttlefish can be offered either raw or cooked, but it is important to avoid using any seasonings or additives that may be harmful to the tortoise. Honestly, cuttlebones have a stale smell, and not every tortoise can stand it. As a result, you may notice your tortoises avoiding this calcium source. In such scenarios, you have to look for alternatives. Unfortunately, many home tortoise keepers seem to be unaware that their tortoises need a calcium rich diet and they feed their tortoises on fruit and salad. While these things are fine, in small quantities, they aren’t supposed to make up the main part of a tortoise’s diet. Fresh cuttlefish bone can also be ground up and sprinkled on your tortoise food as a calcium supplement

As mentioned, cuttlebones are useful for tortoises, birds, and other pets. These oblong, white, chalky textured bones are rich in calcium carbonate (85%). Of course, you will also find other minerals like sodium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus. But the amount is negligible. Unfortunately, calcium carbonate doesn’t dissolve and often if you need to put calcium in solution, you’d opt for calcium citrate which may only have half as much calcium but will easily dissolve in room temperature water. They may also give themselves a little extra calcium by eating some of the soil (or possibly, sand) when they are feeding. If the tortoise’s body signals that there is a calcium shortage going on – the tortoise will seek out a major source of calcium (this might be something like a discarded snail shell or a bone that has been fully bleached in the sun). The calcium level required in a tortoise’s diet is generally accepted as being 1% of the dry matter and a calcium: phosphorous ratio of 2:1 in the total diet is recommended. However, at certain life stages there are increased demands on calcium. For example, to lay a single egg can require an extra 500mg of calcium to be added to the diet. Thus reproductively active females have a higher requirement and some authors recommend providing them with a 10:1 ratio in the diet. These females may also be anorexic and thus avoid ingesting calcium just at the point when they need it. As mentioned, you can collect cuttlebones from your nearest beach for free. If you do so, you must go through an extensive process to prepare the cuttlebones ready-to-eat for the pets. The steps look like this,Because of the high percentage of calcium, cuttlebones are a favorite supplement for pets. But yes, you can not feed your tortoises the ocean-retrieved cuttlebones as they may contain germs or bacteria. You have to process them by proper sanitization.