Liquid calcium vs powder

[Ashleymthornton1990]

My bearded dragon will only take calcium powder with super worms. If there is any powder on her roaches or crickets she will not eat them. I do not want to feed her only super worms. She already has health issues and I don’t want set backs with her not receiving calcium. I rather just give her liquid calcium 3 times a week. My real concern with liquid calcium is I am unsure if liquid calcium comes with D3. Does anyone have any recommendations on liquid calcium?

 

[Catzo]

Have you tried putting the powder on her veggies?

I don't know much about liquid calcium but there are some horror stories out there of it killing reptiles. I don't know how common this is or if it has any validity.

 

[VenusAndSaturn]

Try dusting the underside rather than the whole bug. I had a slight problem with my male with this for a few weeks.

 

[Ashleymthornton1990]

Yes she will only eat it with super worms. Her stool has been normal and passing stool at least once a week. I been feeding both my dragons super worms for about a month because they seem to like them a lot more then crickets and roaches. But everyone is always saying how bad they are. My other dragon will eat calcium on any thing. But I can only get my rescue to eat it with super worms. And I’m starting to run out of options.

 

[Catzo]

I personally don't think superworms are that bad and I'll probably get some pushback on this but-

Ive been feeding my leopard geckos supers as a staple for years and none have any weight issues or health problems. I know theyre higher in fat than other feeders so its good to add in other feeders but if thats all he eats then better than not eating. I say let him eat his supers for now and work on getting him onto something else. The alternative would be to starve him and eventually he will accept anything but I prefer the former.

If you feed supers every other feeding and theyre always dusted, and then he eats un dusted crickets every other feeding, heck thats perfectly fine in my book even long term.

 

[VenusAndSaturn]

You have to remember though beardies and leos are very very different in terms of what they can handle.
I feed my leo superworms as well, along with crickets and mealworms and I feed the same food items to my beardies as well but in different amounts and only to specific ages as young beardies can't handle mealworms or superworms very well as they are still undeveloped compared to an adult but a leo pretty much can at a young age.

My main issue with superworms is that they are fatty and addictive. You have no idea how painful it is to get your beardies off superworms and for it to take a total of 5 months to do so. And then another 5 months for them to even dare look at their salad because for the past months all they would accept was superworms and didn't acknowledge anything else as food.

We also dont know the exact age of the posters beardie so feeding daily could be overfeeding.
Along with that supers should only be offered one or two times a week at the very most to avoid addiction and other issues caused in beardies with this feeder. And only 4-5 at the most for a feeding day.

 

[Catzo]

You have to remember though beardies and leos are very very different in terms of what they can handle.
I feed my leo superworms as well, along with crickets and mealworms and I feed the same food items to my beardies as well but in different amounts and only to specific ages as young beardies can't handle mealworms or superworms very well as they are still undeveloped compared to an adult but a leo pretty much can at a young age.

My main issue with superworms is that they are fatty and addictive. You have no idea how painful it is to get your beardies off superworms and for it to take a total of 5 months to do so. And then another 5 months for them to even dare look at their salad because for the past months all they would accept was superworms and didn't acknowledge anything else as food.

We also dont know the exact age of the posters beardie so feeding daily could be overfeeding.
Along with that supers should only be offered one or two times a week at the very most to avoid addiction and other issues caused in beardies with this feeder. And only 4-5 at the most for a feeding day.

Good points. You havent offered a suggestion for OP should do right now.
Given the situation I like my idea. Obviously the goal is to eventually reduce supers.

I also never said to feed daily ;p

 

[Taterbug]

There is liquid calcium with both D3 and without. I’d recommend without. One of the mods in here sells it I believe. I’ve never heard any instances of liquid calcium, properly dosed, killing reptiles. Plain calcium without D3 is pretty safe. You could also try different calcium powders, repashy has a pretty different texture/flavor/smell.

I would not recommend feeding only supers, or more supers. If she is already happy to eat crickets finding a calcium supplementation that works for her is better in the long run for health.

Feeding dusted supers and insisted crickets, depending on the dragons age, could cause a pretty big calcium imbalance.

 

[Catzo]

There is liquid calcium with both D3 and without. I’d recommend without. One of the mods in here sells it I believe. I’ve never heard any instances of liquid calcium, properly dosed, killing reptiles. Plain calcium without D3 is pretty safe. You could also try different calcium powders, repashy has a pretty different texture/flavor/smell.

I would not recommend feeding only supers, or more supers. If she is already happy to eat crickets finding a calcium supplementation that works for her is better in the long run for health.

Feeding dusted supers and insisted crickets, depending on the dragons age, could cause a pretty big calcium imbalance.

Do some googling and youll see the cases. Like I said though, not sure how valid they are. Maybe the dragons died of other causes. I dont have experience with liquid calcium. Alot of them seem to have choked on the liquid so maybe just give tiny drops on the bose.

Curious as to how that would cause a calcium imbalance

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[Taterbug]

“ do some googling” really? How lazy. If you have links I’d be interested to read them, otherwise it’s not come up in any of my research in publications, vet texts or discussions with researches.

Calcium powders are designed to correct the calciumhosphorus ratio of crickets. Other bugs... more or less powder can adhere to them... For growing dragons most if not all insects should be dusted. Dusting half would mean on average the proper calcium ratio is not met. Older dragons who’s bones are done growing are less at risk.

 

[Catzo]

“ do some googling” really? How lazy. If you have links I’d be interested to read them, otherwise it’s not come up in any of my research in publications, vet texts or discussions with researches.

Calcium powders are designed to correct the calciumhosphorus ratio of crickets. Other bugs... more or less powder can adhere to them... For growing dragons most if not all insects should be dusted. Dusting half would mean on average the proper calcium ratio is not met. Older dragons who’s bones are done growing are less at risk.

Why are you so angry? Chill dude its a forum for lizards.

Show me a link that supports anything youve said. Calling me lazy but you wont even use google?

 

[Taterbug]

OP: message drache613, she should be able to help you out with the liquid calcium.

Catzo, I’m not angry at all, it’s just really frustrating when people on here share hear-say as advice or use the lazy response of “do your research/use google”. I asked for links because the only hits google gave me was for this thread and stuff that is not really related. I’m curious. Liquid calcium is regularly used, ive never heard any horror stories. Choking could easily be avoided by using flavored drops the dragon licks up.

Anyway. This is a good article on how calcium/vitamin supplements are formulated.
https://www.store.repashy.com/vitamins-and-minerals-in-the-superfood-products.html
If you have half of your feeders properly supplemented at a 2:1 ratio, and half unsupplemted at 1:3, on average you will be calcium deficient.

 

[Ashleymthornton1990]

Oh boy where to start.. sorry I work 3rd shift so replying isn’t easy. My rescue is 5 years old only had her for about a year and had early stages of MBD. Severely under weight. Now is at a healthy weight. This winter has not been kind to her because she has been in and out of brumation and only getting fed maybe once a week of superworms when she is awake. Now I know her body slows down when brumating. And I have fed her crickets and roaches before she will eat any live food no problem. My issue is that she will only take her calcium on super worms. I have tried all other live food and she will spit it out or not eat. She is also aggressive because she was not handled much from previous owners. If I am unable to get her to take liquid calcium then I will just have to stick with super worms as her staple food because she can’t afford to miss any calcium. I have been looking at a product called repta boost by Flukers. It can be us a staple calcium supplement and has all the vitamins needed. I have been thinking about getting this because it can be turned into a liquid supplement. Has anyone used this produc before?

 

[Taterbug]

I’ve not heard to reptiboost, but I would be a little bit wary of a liquid all in one. In part because some vitamins degrade faster than others, and because you might not always want to give the whole array of things.

That’s kindof odd about her spitting out her dusted feeders, hah what a brat. What supplements do you use? It might be a matter of switching brands.