Calcium is vital to keep your sulcata tortoise healthy. It ensures strong bones and healthy growth and bodily functions. It’s important to make sure that your sulcata consumes calcium in his diet, whether by feeding calcium-rich foods or offering a calcium supplement.
Without proper calcium, your tortoise can develop metabolic bone disease, which can be very painful and possibly lead to deformity and death if not treated. Other illness
Offer greens like kale, collard greens and spinach are rich in calcium. You don’t want to overfeed these greens because they are also high in oxalates, but the dark, leafy greens are safe to feed as a part of a varied diet.
To ensure that your sulcata tortoise is consuming appropriate calcium, sprinkle a calcium supplement on the tortoise’s food a few times a week or provide cuttlebone for your tortoise to chew on.
What Calcium Should I Give My Outside Sulcata Tortoise?
Tortoises that spend at least a few hours a week outside absorb natural UVB from the sun. UVB triggers the body to create vitamin D3, which is important for calcium absorption.
If your tortoise spends time outside, you want to offer a calcium supplement that does NOT have D3.
Too much vitamin D3 can cause calcium and vitamin absorption problems. So when shopping for calcium for an outside sulcata tortoise, be careful of reading the labels.
Zoo Med Reptile Calcium
Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 is an ultra-fine phosphorus-free calcium carbonate supplement. This calcium supplement has a unique surface area per gram that results in a better absorption rate.
Fluker Labs Liquid Calcium Concentrated Supplement
Fluker’s liquid calcium is a high-quality liquid calcium supplement. For best results, add it drinking water. This calcium supplement is highly concentrated, so pay close attention to the directions.
Zilla Calcium Supplement Spray
Offer Zilla Calcium Food Spray one of two different ways. 1) Spray the supplement directly onto your sulcata tortoise’s food. 2) Directly give the tortoise a few drops in its mouth. If you have a tortoise that is exhibiting signs of a calcium deficiency, give the tortoise the liquid calcium directly per the directions.
