General Care Discussion :: Calcium

[danny123]

so ive heard crushed egg shells are good for turtles because they are rich in calcium. is that true?? Would the shells have to come from a boiled egg?

[marisa]

Yes, you'd have to boil the shell to soften it (egg shell pieces can have really sharp edges) and crush it into tiny pieces. I tried it once, but stopped when I noticed that my RES was pooping out the pieces. I really think it's better, if you want to increase the calcium in your turtle's diet, to supplement with cuttlebone or a nonphosphorus calcium powder.

[fishyfingers]

I don't know bout egg shells, but feeding cuttle bone is the most accepted way of getting calcium into a turtles diet.

I also feed snails from planted tank. My southern painted loves them.

[PcBuilder14]

How do you get more calcium in your turtle if he won't eat cuttlebone?

[marisa]

Leafy greens like dandelions, collards (not lettuce) are good. I sometimes use a powdered calcium supplement (as was mentioned above). If you give them snails, the shell also contains calcium.

[PcBuilder14]

Okay thanks! I'll probably try snails since he won't eat veggies.

[danny123]

would the powered calcium come off the food once it touches water??

[steve]

The method I've read people do is to moisten the pellet and let it dry with powder on.

[mikee]

Or you could hand feed them. I dip the food in the powder and then hand feed them. By doing this I know who is eating what and how much. It easy to train them. M.

[marisa]

I usually do what mikee does---moisten the pellets and feed them to the turtle by hand---they get more of the powder that way and it's less messy as well.

[novroz]

can I give her human calcium pill? after I grill it.

[marisa]

What do you mean by "grill it?"

Why would you want to give a calcium supplement meant for humans when you could offer cuttlebone and other foods?

[PcBuilder14]

Some turtles don't eat cuttlebone, like mine!LOL

[novroz]

coz I don't know where to find cuttlebone!! the place where I use to buy her pellet, doesn't know either

[octpusgirl8]

It's usually in the bird section of a pet store.