Do you have to remove the backing of a cuttlebone for a turtle?

Question

I have a cuttlebone and some people say I don't need to remove it but others say I do.What should I do?

Answer 1

I never removed it for mine (red-eared sliders, a spiny softshell, and a snapping turtle). Just use a clip to keep it out of the water or it grows "bacterial slime" and gets nasty. If you need to put it into the water for them to use it, I would break it into smaller pieces and rotate them through the tank so they would have a chance to be cleaned and to dry out.