Limestone flour???

ethelandedna · 12-03-2011, 09:49 PM

This little phrase keeps popping up in threads I read about diet.

What is it? Is it necessary? I'm giving Pebble Nutrabol every other day on one meal, all of which he doesn't eat. Is this enough in the supplements department or do I need to get some limestone flour too?

(Vet lady turned her nose up and looked puzzled when I asked her about it).

**Alan1** · 12-03-2011, 10:17 PM

limestone flour is calcium carbonate and can be bought at horse feed suppliers for about a fiver for about 5kg or you can get it from pet shops as calcidust and various other fancy names. it's best to be offered to torts either in a dish or sprinkled on food to help prevent metabolic bone disease through lack of calcium. nutrobal contains a small amount of calcium but if you read the directions on a tub of nutrobal you will see how very little you are supposed to use.

cuttlefish bone is a good source of calcium too, if wetted every second day I find that they will eat it

Petrus · 13-03-2011, 07:15 AM

I use nutrobal and calcidust on alternate days and use a cuttlefish.

ethelandedna · 13-03-2011, 07:39 AM

He hasn't shown a great deal of interest in cuttlefish tbh. Have tried soaking it but he's still not bothered. There was one stone we put into his water dish that he loved though. He was trying to bite chunks out of it like me with a kilo of Dairy Milk!

I got a bit concerned that it might not be good for him. Don't really know why? I think my thoughts were it might make his beak sore or it might contain too much of a mineral in it that's not good for him - not knowing what it was. So have left it out.

**Alan1** · 13-03-2011, 07:42 AM

they don't take to cuttlefish bone right away, mine never bothered much with it for about a year but it's best to keep putting it in there, maybe just wet it a couple of times a week if they aren't interested just now. Some foods they don'y take to right away either but get there in the end

Petrus · 13-03-2011, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caledonia

they don't take to cuttlefish bone right away, mine never bothered much with it for about a year but it's best to keep putting it in there, maybe just wet it a couple of times a week if they aren't interested just now. Some foods they don'y take to right away either but get there in the end

Mine were the same. Then all of a sudden they started chomping on it.

kezia911 · 13-03-2011, 08:18 AM

I wondered about the limestone flour too, so thanks for asking!! also, why soak the cuttlefish?

**16 shells** · 13-03-2011, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kezia911

I wondered about the limestone flour too, so thanks for asking!! also, why soak the cuttlefish?

It is just different method's keeper's use to get them interested in gnawing the bone. I agree having it available is a bonus for a beak wear down, can take a year or two before they are interested, i put cuttle fish bone also in there outside enclosure can become manky when weathered, but they attack it sometimes. Some pet shop's sell a big bag cheap, last's yonk's

.

**16 shells** · 13-03-2011, 08:40 AM

Just a thought in the wild they have been known to gnaw on old weathered bone's, maybe this is a substitute, unless you have some old weathered bone's, my knee play's up sometimes.

DoodleBopper · 14-03-2011, 10:58 AM

Soaking the cuttle fish I think perhaps makes it a bit softer and might make it smell a bit more so they notice it. Mine have just come out of hibernation and are eating it like crazy! I have a few bits in their enclosure. You can also put chalk in their enclosure which they will eat sometimes, it is best to soak that too. Good luck!

12-03-2011, 09:49 PM	#1
ethelandedna Member Incubating Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lichfield, UK Posts: 201	Limestone flour??? This little phrase keeps popping up in threads I read about diet. What is it? Is it necessary? I'm giving Pebble Nutrabol every other day on one meal, all of which he doesn't eat. Is this enough in the supplements department or do I need to get some limestone flour too? (Vet lady turned her nose up and looked puzzled when I asked her about it).

13-03-2011, 08:40 AM	#9
16 shells Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hull Posts: 7,286	Just a thought in the wild they have been known to gnaw on old weathered bone's, maybe this is a substitute, unless you have some old weathered bone's, my knee play's up sometimes. __________________ Paul.

14-03-2011, 10:58 AM	#10
DoodleBopper Member Hatchling Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norfolk Posts: 717	Soaking the cuttle fish I think perhaps makes it a bit softer and might make it smell a bit more so they notice it. Mine have just come out of hibernation and are eating it like crazy! I have a few bits in their enclosure. You can also put chalk in their enclosure which they will eat sometimes, it is best to soak that too. Good luck! __________________

12-03-2011, 10:17 PM	#2
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	limestone flour is calcium carbonate and can be bought at horse feed suppliers for about a fiver for about 5kg or you can get it from pet shops as calcidust and various other fancy names. it's best to be offered to torts either in a dish or sprinkled on food to help prevent metabolic bone disease through lack of calcium. nutrobal contains a small amount of calcium but if you read the directions on a tub of nutrobal you will see how very little you are supposed to use. cuttlefish bone is a good source of calcium too, if wetted every second day I find that they will eat it

13-03-2011, 07:15 AM	#3
Petrus Banned Juvenile Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Glasgow Posts: 997	I use nutrobal and calcidust on alternate days and use a cuttlefish.

13-03-2011, 07:39 AM	#4
ethelandedna Member Incubating Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lichfield, UK Posts: 201	He hasn't shown a great deal of interest in cuttlefish tbh. Have tried soaking it but he's still not bothered. There was one stone we put into his water dish that he loved though. He was trying to bite chunks out of it like me with a kilo of Dairy Milk! I got a bit concerned that it might not be good for him. Don't really know why? I think my thoughts were it might make his beak sore or it might contain too much of a mineral in it that's not good for him - not knowing what it was. So have left it out.

13-03-2011, 07:42 AM	#5
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	they don't take to cuttlefish bone right away, mine never bothered much with it for about a year but it's best to keep putting it in there, maybe just wet it a couple of times a week if they aren't interested just now. Some foods they don'y take to right away either but get there in the end

13-03-2011, 08:18 AM	#7
kezia911 Member Hatched Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: chichester, west sussex Posts: 330	I wondered about the limestone flour too, so thanks for asking!! also, why soak the cuttlefish?

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