Calcium and Vitamin supplementation

[SubGuy]

So with my last dragon I always subscribed to the 5 days of calcium 2 days of vitamins philosophy, but recently I've been wondering, why split the two out? Wouldn't a similar ratio mixture of the two dusts given daily yield the same results? Theoretically, couldn't it be healthier? I think maybe, and correct me if I'm wrong, it might be good to 1) not give the vitamins in large single doses that they have to metabolize all at once and 2) not miss days on that all so important calcium, particularly with growing juveniles/babies. Thoughts?

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

Your reasoning is sound, and you make a good point about making the vitamin dosing smaller as opposed to a large dose of it.

However, since we aren't actually measuring and knowing exactly how much calcium and vitamins we are giving.
One good indicator is paying attention to the urate. If the urate is getting discolored, it's a potential sign that you are over supplementing.

You could do what you propose. But personally I'd just take one of your points and go with that. Continue the normal schedule for calcium. And then do smaller amounts of vitamins but maybe more often. For instance just barely getting some dust on the insects a few times a week as opposed to fully dusting them 2x a week.

Personally I dont really use multi vitamin powder at all. Maybe once or twice a month. I'm more a proponent of a varied diet providing micro nutritional requirements. but that's another topic.

-Brandon

 

[SubGuy]

My concern with trying to do diet only is availability. Currently living in small town upstate NY, and it's hard to find certain veggies. Collard greens and oddly enough escarole are easy to find here but turnip and dandelion greens are seemingly impossible. And I think if I kept five bunches of things we dont eat in the fridge the missus would kill me. So if I did microdustings with vitamins, would you do calcium all seven days? Do you ever offer undusted bugs? I do occasionally if I do multiple feedings per day

 

[Claudiusx]

So just to be clear, calcium dusting 5x a week means 5 times a week, not 5 days a week. So if you are feeding 3 insect meals a day, you're only dusting 1 of those meals, not all of them.

So yes, I do have many meals that aren't dusted

If you were to do the micro dusting of the vitamins, I'd still do calcium only 5x a week.

And I totally get ya on the trouble with providing a variety. It gets easier the more dragons you have as you end up wasting less food. Maybe you can use that logic with the boss haha
But anyways, that's why I dont denounce multi powder, it does fill a void that can be difficult to fill via diet.

-Brandon

 

[MrSpectrum]

Some grocery stores carry these (or similar). They're inexpensive, and last about a week with lots of variety and little/no waste.

 

[DragonPete]

Even though there are 5-6 different greens suggested for feeding, it doesn't mean you have to feed them all. ? That makes it easier for us, so we can feed what's available. If you're feeding a couple different greens, in my opinion your fine. I switch off every couple weeks, depending on what looks good at the store. Having only 1, as Brandon said, is different from having more dragons. Last trip to the store yielded some nice collards, before that was Mustard which he didn't care much for. His fave is Turnip greens but can't always get them. Being winter, some things are harder to get. If we have a couple warm days, I'll pick a few small tender dandelion leaves from the yard (NO chemicals in yard) to add to his greens, not a fan, also a few tiny leaves of wild mint, also not a fan. Trial and error. But he always has a green with a squash, either summer or zucchini, shredded sweet potato or carrot, sliced snap bean, etc, so he has variety. I do use a tiny bit of vites and calcium powder a couple times a week, he's 2.5 yo and eats well but I feel better for the addition to his food. ?
Sorry about writing a book! LOL!
-Dee

 

[SubGuy]

Well keep in mind my other veggie issue is that she is 3 months old. And oh lord does she not do salads. My last dragon LeeRoy, loved his greens. And raspberries. He'd darn near fly to get at a raspberries. Leia however, earns her Princess title. Fruits, she will eat occasionally, if hand fed. But she rarely, if ever touches her salad bowl, even if I add bugs. Maybe LeeRoy was the same at that age and I've just forgotten all these years later lol. TLDR; she's young and stubborn so dusting is a must

 

[MrSpectrum]

ZaRDoZ is a week shy of 5 months, and didn't really start eating salad until the past couple weeks (4 mo.+) so don't give up hope yet. I think/believe it was the cilantro (a.k.a. coriander) that turned the tide; after getting tricked into eating some with his bugs, he tried some by itself, and then after eating some, would try other things. I wish I could get him to try other vegetables and/or fruit. He tried a nibble of a blueberry once, but nothing since. I'll keep trying though. :mrgreen:

This 4 month age concurs with advice I got from a small pet store owner who raised dragons (didn't sell them).