An original idea or a bad idea. Your thoughts?

[pumpkinman]

So I use a lot of water crystals to hydrate my feeder bugs. I just found out that the zoomed brand repti calcium with D3 (fine) is very water soluble.
What if I add some powder to my water when making a batch of crystals to increase the calcium content of my bugs????

Love to hear thoughts, pros and cons of this idea.

Cheers, Chris

 

[Denduran87]

depending on the feeder i believe it wouldn't hurt anything. Flukers makes a calcium water crystal for crickets but i've heard for dubias if you add too much calcium to their diet it can cause their shells to get quite hard possibly causing a impactions but i wouldn't know as far as dubias in first hand experience.

 

[ziggy23]

I believe high levels of calcium is fatal to crickets as well. The reason why they recommend you gut load within 24 hours is because the high level of vitamins that is best for the reptiles can be toxic levels for them.

I know there are water crystals you can buy with that stuff in them, but I'm not sure if it's toxic levels or not. I personally wouldn't do it because I wouldn't want to deal with potentially killing all my feeders. But if it's something you're willing to risk, then I don't see the harm in trying. Perhaps you could set up a small control group to experiment with.

 

[Denduran87]

I believe high levels of calcium is fatal to crickets as well. The reason why they recommend you gut load within 24 hours is because the high level of vitamins that is best for the reptiles can be toxic levels for them.

I know there are water crystals you can buy with that stuff in them, but I'm not sure if it's toxic levels or not. I personally wouldn't do it because I wouldn't want to deal with potentially killing all my feeders. But if it's something you're willing to risk, then I don't see the harm in trying. Perhaps you could set up a small control group to experiment with.

wow i had no idea! could be why im getting so many dead. i'm using calcium food and calcium crystals.

 

[Gail]

Yep, feeder insects shouldn't get extra calcium, the calcium water crystals is just a sales gimmick. Stick with supplement powders for your dragon.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

If you use them fast no big deal, but like the above posters said to much calcium in a bugs diet will kill them off. They cant molt.

 

[pumpkinman]

Thanks for your imput guys. I have done some other reading today and the consensus is that it's not a good idea. That's why I love the Internet!

Cheers.

Chris