Feeding and Nutrition :: cuttlebone

[kiwigerman]

About a week ago I put a piece of cuttlebone in with George. It was the first time he has had one as we had previously been using those white turtle block things. The problem is, he hasn't touched it. It still looks exactly like it did when I put it in (floating on the surface). Any idea's?

[SpotsMama]

You don't see any nibbles around the edges?

The cuttlebones will get waterlogged after half a week or so and sink to the bottom. I don't know about other turtles, but mine won't touch a cuttlebone that's waterlogged. When it gets that way you can just take it out and throw it away.

Keep offering the cuttlebone. Eventually he'll figure out how good it is and start eating it. They probably eat cuttlebone in response to the need they feel for calcium. Once they start feeling the craving they will go for it. I see your RES is about the same age as mine - four years. By this stage they've completed most of their growth so won't want as much calcium as they did when they were little. But they still need constant access to it.

Have you removed the clear, plastic-like backing from the bone? You'll see that one side of the bone is "softer" than the other. The covering on the "hard" side needs to be removed. Most people use a knife to pry it off. It's kind of hard. The bone will break up into pieces as you do this and that's ok too. You can put a piece or two in the tank at a time and this way the bones will last longer.

I like to prepare several bones at a time and keep the pieces in a plastic baggie until I need them.

Your turtle can nibble on the bone if it floats in the water. But it's easier for them to get a grip if it's anchored with a veggie clip.

[adam85491]

My turtles only eat it when it is in a veggie clip..usually that is.

[turboturtle8]

Maybe you can crush up the cuttlebone and sprinkle it on their pellets so they will get use to the cuttlebone taste then gradually give them bite size pieces then start giving them 4 in peices to bite and nip at.

Your turtles might not be intrested with food floating at the top.I know mine wasn't the first time I gave it lettuce.Like what Spots said maybe consider getting them a veggie clip so they like it more if it was at there level at the tank.I started to feed mine cuttlebone about 1 year ago so they might have to get use to it.

[ice]

i didnt start feeding cuttlebone until recently. after he learned to eat out of my hand, i took some and held it there till he took it. then after he knew it was good eatin', i put it in the veggie clip. now it stays there for all of 5 minutes, then its all gone.

this is also a good way to get them to eat all kinds of stuff from the clip. at least, i think it is :-p

[RunninWideOpen]

How big of a piece do you guys put in at a time? Mine's about 2 inches wide, and I cut off about 1.5" and put it in. They only eat about half of it before it gets waterlogged and sinks. Would it be ok to just put in little pieces, so hopefully I don't waste as much of it?

[adam85491]

I put in like a half dollars worth (size-wise). You don't need to worry about sinking cuttlebone with a veggie clip.

[RunninWideOpen]

My cuttlebone still gets waterlogged on the veggie clip. Once it's waterlogged they won't eat it.

I'm wondering if breaking off bite size pieces would be okay?

[adam85491]

I guess........they will eat it when they want to though so smaller pieces would have to be eaten quickly.