Calcium vitamins and how much is too much?

[TheBeard9789]

Hey guys I'm using a vitamin someone suggested and my beardies like the taste so no problem there. But I am also using calcium with D3 and my question is how much calcium is enough? Sometimes I put enough calcium to cover them white and then they eat and it makes a powdery mess. So is it too much and I should just dust or is coating them fine? Also I'm giving them bugs 2 days a week and on those days I use calcium and vitamins. I haven't tried to put anything on their greens due to them not liking it so is that ok or should I try it on the greens as well?

Note: Was wondering if liquid calcium and liquid bee pollen would work for the greens

 

[AHBD]

It's always a bit of a struggle to find the right amount, especially since that differs throughout the stages of growth. How old are your beardies ? Can you post pics of them and of the supplements telling how much you use ? A couple of tips, use them very lightly, some people say you don't want the food to look like a powdered donut. It sounds like you're using a lot if there's leftover powdery mess. Just a light coating and no extra on the veggies, no need for liquid Cal. or Vit. at all as long as your dragon is eating fairly regularly. Keep in mind that some beardies, including mine, brumate for months with no food or supplements so they are pretty hardy and don't require a lot of supplementation.

 

[TheBeard9789]

It's always a bit of a struggle to find the right amount, especially since that differs throughout the stages of growth. How old are your beardies ? Can you post pics of them and of the supplements telling how much you use ? A couple of tips, use them very lightly, some people say you don't want the food to look like a powdered donut. It sounds like you're using a lot if there's leftover powdery mess. Just a light coating and no extra on the veggies, no need for liquid Cal. or Vit. at all as long as your dragon is eating fairly regularly. Keep in mind that some beardies, including mine, brumate for months with no food or supplements so they are pretty hardy and don't require a lot of supplementation.

Chubbs is around 4 1/2 and my Amber is going on 3yrs old Amber eats greens much more than Chubbs. So technically Amber eats everyday and/or every other day it just depends if she wants salad or not. Chubbs refuses to eat greens maybe a bite or 2 a week she is very very stubborn and wants bugs EVERYDAY. I'm feeding both of them bugs 2 days a week and sometimes a super/butter/hornworm as a nice little treat. I will admit I do sometimes feel the bugs are not coated evenly so I have gone overboard. I'm giving repti calcium and herpivite with beta carotene as a multivitamin 2 days a week with snacks/treats

Amber is orange Chubbs is "fancy" I guess they call her morph and some pics are a few weeks/months old

 

[AHBD]

First of all. I love those pics ! I think I remember them now from another thread , nice to see them looking healthy out in the sun and the uneven shed is always really striking on a colorful dragon. It's a good idea to keep both types of Cal. powder, with D3 and w/out. For dragons that get a lot uvb it's good to switch between the 2 so they don't get too much D3. That's just a suggestion since there's no real way to measure the levels to be certain. The vits. should just be given very lightly 1-2 X a week, they get a lot from their food.

 

[xp29]

I like the pic of the 2 of them, it looks like it should be in the Jurassic Park movies lol. Amber looks like she is on the hunt.

 

[TheBeard9789]

First of all. I love those pics ! I think I remember them now from another thread , nice to see them looking healthy out in the sun and the uneven shed is always really striking on a colorful dragon. It's a good idea to keep both types of Cal. powder, with D3 and w/out. For dragons that get a lot uvb it's good to switch between the 2 so they don't get too much D3. That's just a suggestion since there's no real way to measure the levels to be certain. The vits. should just be given very lightly 1-2 X a week, they get a lot from their food.

Thank you!! And I agree I normally always use D3 but never got a clear answer if it is bad or good I see a lot of people flip flopping. I also use the vitamin lightly but I'm having a issue with is that it doesn't really coat the bugs like the calcium does. Doesn't really "stick" I'm guessing because it's not a very fine powder but I always add a pinch of both calcium/vitamins.

I also love the shed pattern it really pops out at you on Amber and thankfully the pic of her on my shoe is the most recent. Chubbs has a tiny bit on her back that's coming off but is being stubborn other than that they both are happy and healthy

One more thing I'm gonna pick up a new case of calcium powder I heard from some it can be put in the fridge? Same with the vitamin to make it last longer? Would that be ok and just take it out on bug day so it's not cold for them when they eat?

 

[TheBeard9789]

I like the pic of the 2 of them, it looks like it should be in the Jurassic Park movies lol. Amber looks like she is on the hunt.

They are prehistoric!!! They can cause double trouble when one goes one way and the other goes the other way. They like to eat grass and weeds so I gotta babysit and it keeps me on my toes

 

[AHBD]

Yes, my dragons like to chomp on dandelion + clover leaves in my yard. Just an FYI, daffodil is supposedly toxic so if you get those in the spring keep dragons away.
As for your question, I'm not sure about refrigerating. I have read [ and believe it's probably true ] that many things last past the expiration date . I've used calcium powder that was over a year past the exp. date, nothing noticeable happened. That's up to each person to decide for themselves though of course.

 

[TheBeard9789]

Yes, my dragons like to chomp on dandelion + clover leaves in my yard. Just an FYI, daffodil is supposedly toxic so if you get those in the spring keep dragons away.
As for your question, I'm not sure about refrigerating. I have read [ and believe it's probably true ] that many things last past the expiration date . I've used calcium powder that was over a year past the exp. date, nothing noticeable happened. That's up to each person to decide for themselves though of course.

I try not to give them anything outside im very inexperienced with what they can eat outside safely. Plus I never know what is it/on the grass and plants because I rent not own. Amber will lick and rarely eat but Chubbs wants everything yet won't eat greens I place in her enclosure lol. I read about the herpivite it can last a bit longer in the fridge but the calcium I have no idea