Feeding and Nutrition :: Cuttlebone HELP

[zeek]

ok I went to the pet store and asked for a cuttlebone, but they gave me this bottle with this calcium thing, I did not buy it because it is not a bone lol, it this powder thing, and my RES eats under water, so I can't exactly sprinkle the powder in the water, so what does the cuttlebone look like.

[Cramer]

Typical pet store personnel. I had a guy at Petco refuse to sell me a fish once...I knew more about the fish than he did!

Good job, you were right and they lost a sale. Powdered calcium is not going to stick to the food once in the water. I have seen "recipes" for calcium "cookies" using powder, but same yourself the trouble and get the cuttlebone. And tell them they don't know what they're talking about.

[zeek]

lol I would love to see the expression on that fish guys face lol

[Cramer]

heh. Tell I sent ya!

[evlock]

Quite often you will find them in the bird section of the store. They are sort of flat, long ovals...not very "bone" looking at all.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Yeah, I went looking for my first cuttlebone last weekend. They actually look like bars of soap, although on closer inspection, they aren't wax, but rather styrofoamy like. You can get a variety of sizes (and flavors, I couldn't bring myself to buy flavored ones ...), but ultimately, you'll break it smaller. At my Petsmart, I think they cost ~$1.50 each. Oh, and they are in the bird section. There were lots and lots of brands/sizes/etc where I was at. And remember to peel off the nasty backing, which I might add isn't so much as backing and isn't so much as peeling as it is a mess! We had to use a knife and trim it off.

[LOBO]

growing up i always had birds so its funny for me to think of someone not knowing what a cuttle bone is. but here it is for those who dont know what one looks like.

[honeeb6]

so i bought some of those surfboard shaped cuttle bones and didn't really see a backing...is there one on those ones?

[TheComputerGremlin]

It blends in. Take whichever side wasn't facing the plastic packaging. The side facing the packaging should feel almost like styrofoam. The other side, it should have a thin piece of kinda plastic over it. Mine was really hard to see until we broke on in half, and then it was obvious. I suppose some brands may not have the backing, but the generic thing I got did. I assume that cuttlebone is ground up, then pressed into those shapes (since it doesn't look natural), and a backing is placed on so it can clip to the bird's cage. I'm guessing birds don't bother eating it, but most turtles will eat anything!

[FLhaven4strays]

Push you fingernail against both sides...one side will be soft & your nail will sink in. The other will be hard. That's the backing side. I break the bone in several pieces & cut away the backing.

[octpusgirl8]

The backing is part of the cuttlebone, it's not plastic. The cuttlebone you buy at the store is pretty close to what you would find if you cut open a cuttlefish.

[izziepop07]

I'm looking into buying some cuttlebone for my RES, after you cut the backing off, then how do you dispurse it, do you just put little bits in every once in awhile??

[TheComputerGremlin]

Some people put bits in (I do at least), others clip larger sections to the water's edge and their turtles pick at it. Some females go through a whole cuttlebone a week, others eat it less often.

[izziepop07]

Thanks for the info!