Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have knowledge of Calcium Carbonate and have used it with no ill effects on their tortoises? I seen online there is ground limestone and ground oyster shell and can the ground limestone be used as dietary suppliment for calcium? I know the oyster shell can. I'm looking for someone who maybe has dietary and/or chemistry knowledge of this......Thanks in advance for your answers!

Barry

according to www.tortoisetrust.org

"On balance, the safest and most effective calcium supplements for routine use with captive tortoises would appear to be a calcium carbonate based, phosphorus-free ground calcium powder, preferably of commercial quality, either with or without added vitamin D3."

I use Rep-Cal Phosphorous-Free calcium with D3. Label says it is calcium carbonate from 100% natural oyster shell. I also add a little scraped cuttle bone to the diet and leave one in the enclosure.

I have two torts. One sulcata and one baby leopard. I was using reptical calcium/D3 until I learned some disturbing facts from a yahoo african tortoise group. You can give too much D3 if your using a quality UVB light. This has the same effects as no calcium. Most of the group uses TNT (total nutrition for torts)and a cuttlebone in the enclosure. TNT is carried by Carolina Pet Supply. An all natural calcium supplement.

Julia

Julia.
Even the best UV lamps do not come near to the sun in UV production.
A tortoise can have too much D3 but this is rarely if ever a problem for a tortoise kept under lights - most simply do not produce ehough UVB to cause the reaction to D3 & calcium.
Having said that, I usually use plain calcium carbonate & occasionally MinerAll with D3. Plus I have been known to give the occasional treat of moistened Mazuri tort food mixed with orchard grass hay.
I believe Carolina Pet is Owned by the moderator/owner of the Yahoo African Tortoise group - hence possibly not an unbiased source of info.

Yes you are correct the owner/moderator is Joe Heinen from Carolina Pet Supply. The expensive active UV heat bulb that I purchased recommends supplementing with D3 once a week only. Regardless whether the product is sold by the moderator of the list it still works. My tort's shells are hard as rocks. There are several tortoise rescue groups that also recommend TNT.

Julia

The Active UV heat lamp is an excellent lamp - I have have several.
With this lamp you will probably only need to use a supplement with D3 once a week at most. I would still use a light dusting of calcium carbonate with every feeding free access to cuttlebone.
You would have probably had the same excellent results with any quality calcium supplement - I am glad you have had good luck with Joe's supplement.
I have seen tortoise groups recommend many calcium supplement products.
Please visit the UV Meter Owners' group for more info.

A good place to research this question is the Yahoo UVB Meter Owners group.
They have great info on the process of calcium metabolism in reptiles plus they rate the commercially available reptile lights.

>>A good place to research this question is the Yahoo UVB Meter Owners group.
>>They have great info on the process of calcium metabolism in reptiles plus they rate the commercially available reptile lights.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Hi,

Limestone is almost 100% calcium carbonate (CaCo3), and most of the tortoise keepers in the UK use the ground version (called limestone flour, which is the consistency of flour), dusting it on the tortoise food every day, and supplementing with something like Nutrobal (which has D3 and other vitamins) a couple of times a week. If you wet the weeds, the limestone flour sticks to it, and is readily eaten.

Nina