So I finally figured out how to get Oliver to eat cuttlebone.
I shave some off with a sharp knife and tap it so it becomes a very coarse powder.
Then I gut-load his favorite veggies/fruits. When it's blueberry time (once every couple weeks) he gets a blueberry filled to the brim with cuttlebone. When it's green bean time, the hollow space inside is perfect for hiding cuttlebone. It's even possible to bore a hole into sweet potato pieces and hide some calcium in there (this is important for sweet potato anyway, since it has some oxalates and should be given with a calcium supplement).
Unfortunately, the "safe for regular feeding" veggies are harder to hide cuttlebone in. I've found that covering hard veggies (like carrot) in a cuttlebone paste is useless - the stuff just floats right off as soon as it hits the water. But this way, at least Oliver gets a little extra calcium about once a week. I can start cooking the carrot, too, to make it tender enough to bore a hole into. I think I'll try that tomorrow!
Would I like him to get it more often? Yes. But since he won't eat it any other way, I figure a little is better than none!
