{"product_id":"zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-banquet-feeding-block","title":"Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle Banquet Feeding Block","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA calcium block your turtle gnaws at, not a meal it eats.\u003c\/strong\u003e The Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle Banquet Block is a hard, slow-dissolving block held together with calcium sulphate, guaranteed at 25 to 29% calcium. Zoo Med sells it as an additional food source while you are away and as something for a turtle to work its beak against. It comes in two sizes on this page: Regular (Zoo Med item BB-50) and Giant (BB-52).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRead the guaranteed analysis below before you buy this as food. At a minimum 2.5% crude protein and 0.25% crude fat, it is a supplement block, and your turtle still needs its normal diet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e25 to 29% guaranteed calcium\u003c\/strong\u003e — the highest-value figure on the label, and the reason to have one in the tank.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSlow-dissolving\u003c\/strong\u003e — the block releases over days rather than clouding the tank in an afternoon, which is what makes it workable for a weekend away.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSomething hard to bite\u003c\/strong\u003e — Zoo Med markets the block as helping maintain a turtle's beak, which grows continuously and needs abrasive work.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVitamin and mineral fortified\u003c\/strong\u003e — the declaration below includes vitamins A, D3, E, B12, C and the B group, plus trace minerals.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo sizes on one page\u003c\/strong\u003e — Regular for hatchlings and single small turtles, Giant for adults and multi-turtle tanks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIngredients\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTranscribed from Zoo Med's published declaration, in the manufacturer's order, checked 7 August 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalcium Sulphate, Soybean Meal, Wheat Flour, Fish Meal, Wheat Mill Run, Corn Gluten Meal, Fish Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate, Kale, Lecithin, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Kelp, L-Lysine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Iron Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Beta Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Sulphate, Zinc Sulphate, Ferrous Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodate, Propionic Acid (preservative).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe single preservative declared is propionic acid. There is no ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT in the declaration, and no artificial colour — the colour comes from iron oxide and beta carotene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGuaranteed analysis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eComponent\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGuarantee\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCrude Protein\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2.5% minimum\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCrude Fat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0.25% minimum\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCrude Fibre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4.0% maximum\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMoisture\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e18.0% maximum\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCalcium\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e25.0% minimum, 29.0% maximum\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med does not publish a phosphorus guarantee for this block, so a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio cannot be calculated from the label. Dicalcium phosphate appears eighth in the ingredient list, well after the two calcium sources, but that is an ordering observation and not a substitute for a declared figure. If a stated Ca:P ratio matters to your feeding plan, work it from the staple diet, where Zoo Med publishes both numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich size do I need?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSize\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eZoo Med item\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eOur SKU\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBarcode\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBest for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRegular\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBB-50\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZM630\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e097612110500\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHatchlings and juveniles, single small turtles, smaller tanks where a large block would foul the water before it was used\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGiant\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBB-52\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZM631\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e097612110524\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAdult sliders, cooters and long-necked turtles, and tanks with more than one turtle working on the same block\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med does not publish a net weight for either block, so size the choice by your animal rather than by grams. A block that is gone in a day was too small; one still sitting untouched after a week was too big for that tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrop the block into the water and leave it. It is designed to sit there and be worked at, not to be eaten in a sitting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatch the water for the first few days. Calcium sulphate is the first ingredient, so a dissolving block adds calcium sulphate to the tank and will lift general hardness — usually a non-issue in a turtle tank, but worth knowing if you are also keeping fish with the turtle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemove any block that has gone soft, slimy or is being ignored. Uneaten food breaking down is the fastest route to a turtle tank going off, and turtle tanks are already the hardest tanks in the shop to keep clear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e red-eared sliders, cooters, Australian long-necked and short-necked turtles, map turtles, musk turtles and other aquatic and semi-aquatic species that will take food in water. Useful as a calcium top-up alongside a proper diet, and as a short-term supplementary food source over a weekend away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot suitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e a staple diet at 2.5% minimum protein, feeding a turtle while you are away for longer than a few days, tortoises and other fully terrestrial species, or as a replacement for UVB lighting. Not suitable either as the only calcium source for a growing hatchling, which needs calcium in its daily food, not just a block in the corner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat a calcium block cannot do\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDietary calcium is only half the equation. Turtles need UVB light to synthesise vitamin D3 and use the calcium they eat, and a turtle kept without adequate UVB will not get the benefit of any calcium supplement, block or otherwise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe block also does not feed a turtle. If you are away for more than a long weekend, arrange for someone to feed properly rather than relying on a supplement block to carry the animal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eStorage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStore the unopened blocks somewhere dry and sealed. They are hygroscopic — calcium sulphate takes up moisture from humid air, and a block left open in a Queensland summer will soften on the shelf before it ever reaches the tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZoo Med does not publish a shelf life or best-before period for the blocks. Buy what you will use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-food-adult-maintenance\"\u003eZoo Med Aquatic Turtle Food Adult Maintenance\u003c\/a\u003e — the staple diet this block supplements rather than replaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-food-growth-formula\"\u003eZoo Med Aquatic Turtle Food Growth Formula\u003c\/a\u003e — the higher-protein staple for hatchlings and juveniles still growing shell.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-uvb-heat-lighting-kit\"\u003eZoo Med Aquatic Turtle UVB \u0026amp; Heat Lighting Kit\u003c\/a\u003e — the UVB without which dietary calcium is largely wasted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-lighting-combo\"\u003eZoo Med Aquatic Turtle Lighting Combo\u003c\/a\u003e — the alternative lighting route for an existing basking setup.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-reptisafe-water-conditioner\"\u003eZoo Med ReptiSafe Water Conditioner\u003c\/a\u003e — for the water changes a turtle tank needs whether or not there is a block in it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWarranty and delivery\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFoods do not carry a manufacturer warranty in the way equipment does, but they are covered by the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, which apply to this product regardless of anything the manufacturer states.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard freight. Shelf stable, no cold chain, no dangerous goods handling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I feed my turtle only banquet blocks while I am on holiday?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly for a few days. The Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle Banquet Block guarantees a minimum of 2.5% crude protein and 0.25% crude fat, which is a supplement-level analysis, not a diet. For anything longer than a long weekend, arrange for someone to feed the turtle its normal food.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is the block actually made of?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalcium sulphate is the first ingredient, which is what makes the block hard and slow to dissolve. Bound into it are soybean meal, wheat flour, fish meal, corn gluten meal, fish oil, kale, dried kelp and a full vitamin and mineral premix. The complete declaration is listed in full above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill it cloud or foul my tank?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA block dissolving as intended releases slowly and should not cloud a filtered tank. It does add calcium sulphate to the water and will lift general hardness over time. A block that has been ignored and gone soft is a different matter — take it out, because decomposing food is what actually fouls a turtle tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt cannot be stated from the label. Zoo Med guarantees calcium at 25 to 29% but publishes no phosphorus minimum for this block, so any ratio quoted for it would be a guess. Calcium sulphate and calcium carbonate both sit above dicalcium phosphate in the ingredient order, but that is not a substitute for a declared figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes the block replace a calcium and D3 supplement?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The block delivers calcium into the water for a turtle to gnaw at when it chooses to, which is not a measured dose. A turtle's calcium status depends far more on its staple diet and on having adequate UVB lighting to use that calcium at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is the difference between the Regular and Giant blocks?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize only — Regular is Zoo Med item BB-50 and Giant is BB-52, with the same formulation and the same guaranteed analysis. Choose Regular for hatchlings, juveniles and single small turtles, and Giant for adults or tanks where more than one turtle is working on the same block.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ZooMed","offers":[{"title":"Regular(1)","offer_id":55293331734819,"sku":"ZM630","price":9.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Giant(1)","offer_id":55335439237411,"sku":"ZM631","price":10.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-banqu-10281454436643-1-dq.webp?v=1790372897","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/zoo-med-aquatic-turtle-banquet-feeding-block","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}