Feeding and Nutrition :: Calcium/Vitamin D

[DanM]

I want to get my turtles some calcium and vitamin D, and while going through my medicine cabinet to find aspirin the other day, I came across an unopened bottle of Vitasmart "Natural oyster shell Calcium/Vitamin D" tablets which contain 400 IU of Vitamin D (100% DV, whatever that means) and 500mg of Calcium. I figured that's probably too high, but does anyone know if it'd be ok to use part of a pill? If so, how should I go about it? Crush some up and sprinkle it on food? In the water?

I'm going to ask the vet as well (when he finally calls me back...) but I figured I'd throw it into the forum as well.

Some stats on the vitamins: no flavor to them (I chewed one to be sure... ugh), 400iu of Vitamin D and 500mg of Calcium (as I said already I suppose), and the ingredients are: calcium carbonate, maltodextrin, cellulose, mineral oil, soy polysaccharides, hypromellose, polyethylene glycol, carnauba wax, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, crospovidone, and cholecalciferol.

If that doesn't work I'll hunt down a pet store (I live in the middle of -no where-, you have to understand) and inquire about it.

Thanks!

[steve]

It's only necessary to add a supplement if there is a deficiency in the diet. Offered a well varied and balanced diet, it shouldn't be necessary. There are also supplements made specifically for reptiles (like Rep-Cal Calcium). I would avoid any supplement containing D3 since it is better for your turtle to produce its own D3 through UVB rays.

And go for some cuttlebone if you want to add calcium.

[DanM]

Ok, thanks Steve. Their diet's pretty good (at least as far as I know). They get pellets (Warley or something such as this?) that have "extra fortified calcium" every day as well as some green lettuce and the occasional chunk of nightcrawler or piece of boiled chicken, so I probably shouldn't worry too much on that front... ?

I'm going to get a cuttlebone eventually here. After I get them taken care of at the vet, I'm going to go and get the little odds and ends supplies that I've wanted to pick up lately.

Thanks again sir. You've been a huge help.

[steve]

I'd shoot for Reptomin Baby pellets which are super easy to find. You should limit the chicken since it should not be part of a regular diet and the worms are up to you, but are not necessary and can be offered sparingly.

[DanM]

It seems Roderick only eats pellets if they are wrapped in a very small amount of chicken. The times I DO put that in there are a treat, he gobbles it up and only nibbles at the pellets. I'm trying to avoid doing that too often, of course (the wrapping of the pellets in chicken, I mean).

Heaven forbid I ever take him to KFC.

I'll get some Reptomin baby pellets as soon as I find some, I'll go on a hunt this weekend. Sadly the only thing in this backwards, hick-covered patch of forest I live in to buy supplies ends up being Wal Mart, but I'm sure there are pet stores within an hour or so away from here. I'm going to see with the vet if he even might have something I can get in that sense.

Imagine walking into the "pet section" of my Wal Mart and seeing nothing but bulk bags of dog food, collars for cats, some fish food, Wardley turtle food, cheap, generic filters, and hand-nets for scooping random things from tanks... haha.

[adam85491]

I've seen reptomin at the local grocery stores and Kmart...

[steve]

They are exceptionally good at begging and holding out for treats If your turtle is healthy, no need to give in.

[DanM]

I've seen reptomin at the local grocery stores and Kmart...

Already checked the grocery stores here, Kmart, and Wal Mart, actually.

[marisa]

For me, regular Reptomin is very easy to find (you must have found some at Walmart), Reptomin Baby is a different story. If your turtles aren't hatchlings/small, regular Reptomin and cuttlebone would be fine. (Regular Reptomin broken up is actually OK for hatchling as well.)