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Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 14 Mar 2019, 10:55
by SilverWings
Hi guys! I've been giving Bella nutrobal 3-4 time a week (alternated with her calcium) and, whilst she does eat her food with nutrobal on, it's not as keenly as perhaps without. I got a sample of reptivite with one of my snake products and offered her a sprinkling of that on her food today. I was a bit dubious as it smelled stronger than the nutrobal, perhaps a bit malty, but she seemed to actually enjoy it and couldn't get her food in her mouth fast enough! The sample is without D3 but they do one with D3 too.
My question is, is one of these preferred over the other, i.e. considered better? Or are they all much of a muchness? If the reptivite is just as good or better then I might switch her over if we ever use all the nutrobal.

Re: Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 14 Mar 2019, 12:20
by Nina
Hi -- and it's a good (but difficult question) that you ask. We have a little summary of minerals and supplements here
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tor ... IpD97jgq9s
which includes Reptivite -- and also Reptavite (with an 'a'), which is a different product but has a confusingly similar spelling. Our assessment of Reptivite is not great, but it does have the correct calcium to phosphorous ratio, and I have to say that our entry was written quite a long time ago now, and I don't know if the product itself has changed/improved.

As far as I know, Nutrobal is still considered the best, but Rep Cal with D3 is also supposed to be good. I would say that Reptivite is probably not as good as Nutrobal but if you use the version with D3 and then add some other source of calcium regularly (limestone flour or pure calcium carbonate powder) that it would be OK.

Nina

Re: Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 14 Mar 2019, 14:08
by SilverWings
What is considered the correct calcium:phosphorous ratio? Looking at reptivites own page it's 2:1 which, under the reptavite section, you guys say is low? She does get calci-dust on the days she doesn't get nutrobal.

If nutrobal is considered better I shall keep her on that (easy enough since we sell it in my shop), I was only wondering because like I said, she seemed to like reptivite better.

Thanks :)

Re: Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 14 Mar 2019, 15:09
by Nina
Well, I think the minimum ratio that you want is 2:1 calcium to phosphorous (and that is what Reptivite has). However, ideally you want the calcium level as high as possible because if phosphorous levels in the body get too high, the body takes calcium out of the bones to bind with the phosphorous, and that can obviously be of detriment to the tortoise. They estimate that in nature the calcium to phosphorous levels are really high -- over 20:1 in many cases, and of course there will other sources of phosphorous in the tortoise's diet, so you have to consider those too. Here is a really good article on all of that, and I think it should help to clarify the situation.
https://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/calcium.htm

Nina

Re: Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 15 Mar 2019, 17:05
by SilverWings
Thank you, that was very informative.

Re: Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 29 Aug 2019, 11:40
by Heather
Agree - excellent - I hadn't previously found this very informative info! (Slap wrists), but use Nutrobal daily on a small slice of cucumber.

Heather

Re: Nutrobal vs Reptivite?

Posted: 29 Aug 2019, 12:05
by Nina
Sounds perfect, Heather, What annoys me is the dosage instructions for Nutrobal. They recommend a pinch per kilo of tortoise -- but if you have a small tortoise then you are left deciding what fraction of a pinch to give -- and depending on the size of your fingers, surely that determines the size of the pinch!

Nina