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Posted by Lisa and Virgil on April 06, 2002 at 18:56:17:

In Reply to: Lisa and Virgil...... posted by Terry on April 03, 2002 at 20:49:06:

:
: Lisa,
: I asked my vet if he thought Hoku was too small for his age. He didn't seem to think he was at all. He thought Hoku was a pretty resonable size. So Hoku and Virgil aren't dwarf sulcata!

: I also asked what he thought the major causes of kidney/liver problems are. As he had mentioned that many torts lives are shortened because of kidney and liver problems.

: Over supllementing with both calcium d3 products and vitamins was his answer.

: He suggested that calcium *with vitamin d3* was not required for *outdoor* torts. And that it's also very possible to over supplement with vitamin powders/supplements.

: Got my attention and I'm no longer giving my outdoor sulcatas calcium products with vitamin d3.I'll stick to leaving cuttle bone out for them.

: Vitamin supplements if used at all, once a week. But I've decided to ditch those too.If the tortoise is on a good/varied diet, vitamin supplements aren't needed.

: I'm not suggesting that everyone follow suit,just mentioning a little conversation I had.

: It's great to finaly have a vet I have confidence in.If only I'd had a vet like this when I had my C. galbinifrons.

Thanks for the info. When you think about it, the torts in the wild aren't getting any supplements (although lots of natural sunlight) and their food choices in the desert just can't be as nutritional as what captives are fed (hence the pyramiding, etc.) If they're really the tough guys that make the most out of practically nothing, then it certainly makes sense. My driveway has turned into a dandelion patch. I've never been so thrilled to see weeds in my gravel.

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: : : : Lisa, : : I asked my vet if he thought Hoku was too small for his age. He didn't seem to think he was at all. He thought Hoku was a pretty resonable size. So Hoku and Virgil aren't dwarf sulcata! : : I also asked what he thought the major causes of kidney/liver problems are. As he had mentioned that many torts lives are shortened because of kidney and liver problems. : : Over supllementing with both calcium d3 products and vitamins was his answer. : : He suggested that calcium *with vitamin d3* was not required for *outdoor* torts. And that it's also very possible to over supplement with vitamin powders/supplements. : : Got my attention and I'm no longer giving my outdoor sulcatas calcium products with vitamin d3.I'll stick to leaving cuttle bone out for them. : : Vitamin supplements if used at all, once a week. But I've decided to ditch those too.If the tortoise is on a good/varied diet, vitamin supplements aren't needed. : : I'm not suggesting that everyone follow suit,just mentioning a little conversation I had. : : It's great to finaly have a vet I have confidence in.If only I'd had a vet like this when I had my C. galbinifrons. : Thanks for the info. When you think about it, the torts in the wild aren't getting any supplements (although lots of natural sunlight) and their food choices in the desert just can't be as nutritional as what captives are fed (hence the pyramiding, etc.) If they're really the tough guys that make the most out of practically nothing, then it certainly makes sense. My driveway has turned into a dandelion patch. I've never been so thrilled to see weeds in my gravel.

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