Feeding and Nutrition :: Pictures of Cuttlebone Backing

Turtle diets and eating habits discussed here.

Post Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:22 am   

finally i found a good board about cuttlebone thanks vry vry much ^^
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♣ • [[I am owner of a 2 year old male turtle called Ver]] • ♣
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yiziee
 
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:44 am   

Sooo... why does the backing have to come off? Is it inedible?
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:20 am   

queenjane wrote:Sooo... why does the backing have to come off? Is it inedible?

Basically, yes.
It's incredibly hard to digest. It has the consistency of plastic. Plus, when it breaks it is very sharp. Not something that would go smoothly through the digestive track.
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Post Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 2:11 am   

That's terrible! Do you know if it's at all good for birds? I mean, why would they even put backing on there if even birds can't eat it.

Doesn't make sense.
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Post Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:04 pm   

queenjane wrote:That's terrible! Do you know if it's at all good for birds? I mean, why would they even put backing on there if even birds can't eat it.

Doesn't make sense.

The hard part is a part of the bone, it is not put onto the cuttlebone.
When I had birds they never ate the hard part, just the soft area. I guess keeping the hard part helps the bone keep it's shape while the birds pick away at it. If birds eat it the use small stones, grit and sand in their gizzards which work as a mill grinding up their food before it passes into their stomachs.
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Sassamo
 
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Post Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:05 pm   

^ Like Sassamo said, birds just gnaw at the soft side, and I think you replace it when they get down to the backing.
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BullDog
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Post Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:02 pm   

I'm somewhat sure that the backing is added artificially to keep the bone from breaking apart in the birdcage.
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:15 pm   

Here I hope this link helps with the backing. Since it's the spine of the cuttle fish the hard backing makes sence. I also read the soft area is where they regulate the amount off air inside for boyancy.
http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_cuttlebone.mgi
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:47 pm   

Steve, I'm fairly sure the hard side is natural. Check out this link, which talks about using cuttlebone for casting jewelry.

It has a hard and thin crust on the outside encompassing the internal softer part, the pulp, which is much thicker, and this is the part that can hold the impression of the model, the part that can be carved.


Good link Sassamo :)
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BullDog
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:38 pm   

Thanks for the link. It's just seemed too convenient and I'm always the skeptic :)
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steve
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Post Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:15 pm   

Image

Cuttlefish. :) You can almost see where the cuttlebone comes from :shock: :lol:
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Post Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:57 am   

To add a contrarian opinion: I've been feeding Herc cuttlefish bone with the backing left on for over a year now and he doesn't seem to mind. Bear in mind he's a 16 yr. old adult so he's large and hardy at this point.

While the backing may seem hard to you, turtles in the wild will happily devour snail shells, frogs with the bones in, and the like. Compared to those, cuttlefish bone is a relatively soft treat.

I break them in half and attach them to the side of the aquarium under the waterline via suction cup food clips. He bites off pieces as he sees fit.
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Post Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:51 pm   

Thank you for the instructions and the pictures. VERY helpful to a newbie like me!
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:04 pm   

same brand of cuttle bone i use =D
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:51 pm   

The backing is sharp when broken. Even a small piece could cut the mouth as it's crunched (or worse if it gets caught in the digestive track).
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