General Care Discussion :: How much calcium supplement based on turtle size?

[Mosswell]

I feed my RES dried, mashed sardine (innards, flesh and a little skin - no bones) and I think this may be an easy way to introduce more calcium into his diet, as he hasn't had any calcium supplement yet. If I were to mix powdered calcium into his sardines, how many grams should I use "per serving" (usually a thin, 1cm in diameter puck) and would it be okay to use crushed up calcium supplements meant for humans, as in the kind you can buy near the vitamins at the drug store? How should these amounts change as he grows?


General information about the RES if it helps you in answering:
I got my RES about a month ago and he is currently about 2cm across the shell. He usually lives in 6cm of water with a basking rock and a heater (under a kotatsu if anyone knows what that is.) He also usually gets ample UV from being outside (in a safe place) for about 6-8 hours every day. He used to eat cat food, but now he eats mostly sardine, with a little bit of boiled egg or vegetable for a treat. At the moment he is recovering from a respiratory infection, so his water is only about 2cm deep and he is indoors but under a window so he can stay near his heater. He is also currently taking antibiotics.

[happycamper]

I think your turtle may need a little help with his setup. He needs enough room to swim around. At least as deep as his shell is long. Possibly post some pics of your setup in a new thread?

As far as diet goes, I would consider getting some turtle pellets. There are recommended brands in the nutrition section, and they have calcium and other things to help your turtle have a well balanced diet. Pellets and fresh veggies should be the staples.

[Mosswell]

Thanks for responding. As I said above, his shell is 2cm in diameter, and his habitat's water depth is 6cm, except very recently and only while/because he is recovering from an infection - that is three times his shell length. I am feeding him sardines (as his staple food, as opposed to pellets) on the advice of a reptile vet, and he only gets veggies as infrequent treats since very young turtles are primarily carnivorous, all of which is why I am inquiring about other forms of supplemental calcium.

[steve]

Pellets can be a good source of protein, calcium and vitamin d3. Are these fresh sardines or canned?

[Mosswell]

Fresh, whole sardines. I debone, mash and dry them myself.

[steve]

If those bones are soft, you can use them as a calcium source. However, you should add more variety to the diet.

[richieboy]

I would trust this forum over a vet when it comes to general care. When you have a sick turtle that needs medical attention, that's what the vet is for. I would use turtle sticks, lettuce and some cuttle fish bone.