NUTROBAL and LIMESTONE FLOUR!!! help

chris_d · 07-10-2009, 02:33 AM

Hi, getting my new 1 year old horsfield tortoise next week and have heard all sorts about nutrobal and limestone flour, im so confused on how often to provide it to my tortoise, is it everyday or every other day or once a week and is it the same for limestone flour and nutrobal or do they need less of one and more of one or what? please help advice needed! thanks

**Alan1** · 07-10-2009, 06:43 AM

People all do it differently but by the Nutrobal instructions.. one pinch per Kg of tortoise, put it on your hand and blow it over the food. As your tort is 1 year old it may weigh something like 50g (just a wild guess) so that would mean only a 20th of a pinch which is practically nothing at all.

If you can measure a 20th of a pinch I wouldn't blow it as it's likely to not land on the food. Instead I would just put it on a piece of food that it will definitely eat. Most people completely overdo the amount given but 3 times a week I reckon is the most common but a lot of people do it every day.

Limestone flour can be either sprinkled on food daily or left in a dish for it. Sprinkled on food means it is definitely getting it (as long as it eats the food). Cuttlefish bone should be left in the enclosure so it can eat it if it wants to. Some people do limestone one day then nutrobal the next.

Some people find their torts won't eat the food with anything on it, mine are like that too if they have spent time outside and are back indoors again so I put the stuff on the leaves below the top layer so they start eating the bare leaves then just keep going through greed

purplelynn · 07-10-2009, 06:45 AM

I put limestone flour(calcium) in the enclosure in a pot as well as sprinkling a little over the food every day. Nutrobal is different and I use a small pinch 2-3 times per week, I know others dip the weeds in it to ensure torts are getting right amount.

I am by no means an expert but this works for me and agrees with much of the advice on here - I am sure others will offer their opinions soon

burnt toast · 07-10-2009, 01:28 PM

One tip I was given was to wash the food & place (whilst still damp) in a plastic bag (small sandwich type) pop a pinch of whichever you were using in & shake well. This way it sticks nicely to the leaves.

I believe you can also make limestone flour "cakes" there is a recipe on here somewhere if you search - but I think basically you mixed the limestone flour with water to a stiff paste, shaped it into small "stones" & let it dry overnight. You then scatter them around the enclosure, obviously not too big.

Another tip about cuttlefish bone I was told was to rub it with dandelions of their favourite food which would encourage them to try it. Mine all like it anyway & it seems to depend on the individual tort & stages of growth, if theyre having a spurt they eat more.

Good luck with your new tort

chris_d · 07-10-2009, 03:40 PM

Thanks very much for all your replies, I feel a little more confident now and cnt wait to go pick him up!

07-10-2009, 02:33 AM	#1
chris_d Member Egg Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Manchester Posts: 54	NUTROBAL and LIMESTONE FLOUR!!! help Hi, getting my new 1 year old horsfield tortoise next week and have heard all sorts about nutrobal and limestone flour, im so confused on how often to provide it to my tortoise, is it everyday or every other day or once a week and is it the same for limestone flour and nutrobal or do they need less of one and more of one or what? please help advice needed! thanks

07-10-2009, 06:43 AM	#2
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	People all do it differently but by the Nutrobal instructions.. one pinch per Kg of tortoise, put it on your hand and blow it over the food. As your tort is 1 year old it may weigh something like 50g (just a wild guess) so that would mean only a 20th of a pinch which is practically nothing at all. If you can measure a 20th of a pinch I wouldn't blow it as it's likely to not land on the food. Instead I would just put it on a piece of food that it will definitely eat. Most people completely overdo the amount given but 3 times a week I reckon is the most common but a lot of people do it every day. Limestone flour can be either sprinkled on food daily or left in a dish for it. Sprinkled on food means it is definitely getting it (as long as it eats the food). Cuttlefish bone should be left in the enclosure so it can eat it if it wants to. Some people do limestone one day then nutrobal the next. Some people find their torts won't eat the food with anything on it, mine are like that too if they have spent time outside and are back indoors again so I put the stuff on the leaves below the top layer so they start eating the bare leaves then just keep going through greed Last edited by Alan1; 07-10-2009 at 06:48 AM.

07-10-2009, 06:45 AM	#3
purplelynn Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Surrey Posts: 1,403	I put limestone flour(calcium) in the enclosure in a pot as well as sprinkling a little over the food every day. Nutrobal is different and I use a small pinch 2-3 times per week, I know others dip the weeds in it to ensure torts are getting right amount. I am by no means an expert but this works for me and agrees with much of the advice on here - I am sure others will offer their opinions soon

07-10-2009, 01:28 PM	#4
burnt toast Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,246	One tip I was given was to wash the food & place (whilst still damp) in a plastic bag (small sandwich type) pop a pinch of whichever you were using in & shake well. This way it sticks nicely to the leaves. I believe you can also make limestone flour "cakes" there is a recipe on here somewhere if you search - but I think basically you mixed the limestone flour with water to a stiff paste, shaped it into small "stones" & let it dry overnight. You then scatter them around the enclosure, obviously not too big. Another tip about cuttlefish bone I was told was to rub it with dandelions of their favourite food which would encourage them to try it. Mine all like it anyway & it seems to depend on the individual tort & stages of growth, if theyre having a spurt they eat more. Good luck with your new tort

07-10-2009, 03:40 PM	#5
chris_d Member Egg Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Manchester Posts: 54	Thanks very much for all your replies, I feel a little more confident now and cnt wait to go pick him up!

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