Feeding and Nutrition :: Turtle Bone

[turboturtle8]

Do any of you guys use turtle bone. I saw it before but hesitated if I should buy it.It is the same thing as cuttlebone right ??Only made for turtles.If anyone uses it do your turtles like it is it a good product?

Ps I would have a picture of it but Photobucket was doing "site maintenance"

[Kallistos]

It's a good product, exact same as cuttlebone, except more expensive and w/o the hard backing

[SpotsMama]

Ummm, other people that have bought turtle bones say the hard backing is there just like it is with cuttlebones, so there's really no benefit to getting turtle bones (as opposed to plain cuttlebones) unless you just have too much money and need to get rid of some!

Either way, the cuttlebones aren't manufactured, they are natural. They are the endo skeleton of a cuttlefish, which is a kind of squid. And they are very very good for turtles.

[Safdar]

do hatchlings usually chew on it

[SpotsMama]

Turtles of all ages chew it. I suppose as young turtles are growing, it is even more useful for them to have cuttlebones as a source of calcium to build shell and bones.

You don't have to put the whole thing in the tank. Just some pieces will do. Be sure to remove (pry off or cut off) the hard backing that comes on one side. Leave the pieces in the tank for the turtle to gnaw on when he feels like it. My turtle likes it better when I clamp a piece of cuttlebone down with a veggie clip so it doesn't float away when he bites it, but you don't have to do that.

[Safdar]

huh thats wierd tito has no interest

[steve]

You can just leave it in there. You never know when he'll want to try it.

[SpotsMama]

After awhile, uneaten cuttlebone will get waterlogged and slimy and sink to the bottom of the tank. Most turtles won't eat it when it's like that, so you just take it out and replace it with fresh.

Sometimes turtles want a lot of cuttlebone and sometimes they are indifferent. I suppose it's driven by their need for calcium at the time.

[Tenodera]

But cuttlebone sinks after 3 days, isn't a waste to keep on replacing it? I just throw it in and replace it after she eats all of it. She prefers it at the bottom...

[SpotsMama]

Well, I guess it's different strokes for different turtles! Spot won't have anything to do with a cuttlebone unless it's fresh!

[jenaero]

Turtle bone is just the pet trade's way of giving a product a specific name so they can jack up the price. The guy at petland here showed it to me (knowing before hand what I'd think) and I just laughed.

[adam85491]

Turtle bone is the same price if not cheaper here than cuttlebone..I just got some last week since cuttlebone wasn't any cheaper..

[marisa]

The Turtle Bone was said to not have the hard backing, but every box I've ever opened to check had it. It's just cuttlebone in a fancy box.

adam85491, where do you find Turtle Bone that's cheaper than cuttlebone? The Turtle Bone here costs around $2.99 for two pieces. The Walmart here sells a pack of cuttlebone (2 pieces) for 88 cents...

[adam85491]

I get two pieces for $1.99 in NJ. The cuttlebone comes like one large piece for $1.50 or two regular for like $2.50. A four pack of really small ones is about $2.99. I've never checked walmart though.