Calvin and MBD

[mandaxx3x]

Calvin has been sitting in the sun for a few hours the past few days. She's more active than she was last week, and climbing again. My only issue is that I can't get her to eat. So I know she's getting vitamin D, but she's not getting any calcium. What can I do to get her to eat or get some calcium?

 

[Andee]

Have you not been doing a liquid diet or have liquid calcium? I don't remember or know what's wrong with her can you remind me?

 

[mandaxx3x]

She has MBD and isn't eating. She's hydrated, and I've been trying to mix calcium into her water but she doesn't always take it.

 

[Andee]

She needs a liquid calcium suspension which you can only get at a vet. And she likely won't be able to eat on her own for at least month and likely much longer depending on how bad her MBD actually is. Powdered calcium stirred into water will not do the job.

 

[mandaxx3x]

She actually has been eating a couple crickets here and there, just not when I try to hand feed her.

 

[Virgil1972]

You should take her to the vet to get liquid calcium.

 

[mandaxx3x]

You should take her to the vet to get liquid calcium.

I've been trying. No one has openings for about 3 weeks or so.

 

[Virgil1972]

I've been trying. No one has openings for about 3 weeks or so.

Then I would get the soonest appointment you can get. Until then getting her as much sun as possible is good and try to get her to eat calcium dusted feeders if you can.

 

[mandaxx3x]

Then I would get the soonest appointment you can get. Until then getting her as much sun as possible is good and try to get her to eat calcium dusted feeders if you can.

She's been in the sun since 9am. Its currently almost 6. This week is easy because I have all week off so I plan on being outside as much as possible.

 

[Andee]

Why are you trying to hand fees her if she won't eat that way?

 

[mandaxx3x]

Why are you trying to hand fees her if she won't eat that way?

She usually eats worms out of our hands, so I figured crickets wouldn't be any different. I've been putting a couple into her enclosure, I just wasn't sure if they were actually being eaten or not.

 

[Virgil1972]

She usually eats worms out of our hands, so I figured crickets wouldn't be any different. I've been putting a couple into her enclosure, I just wasn't sure if they were actually being eaten or not.

I wouldn't be free ranging the feeders now. I would stick with cup feeding or hand feeding so you can keep track of what she is taking in.

 

[Andee]

I agree cup feeding is what you should be doing only. Especially since he tongue may not be working enough to shoot but she could eat them otherwise.

 

[bobbydigital]

What about feeding high calcium feeders such as butterworms or silk worms?

 

[Andee]

BSFL would be a better choice than either of those with calcium intake but honestly it's not going replace liquid calcium.

 

[kinyonga]

Can you not buy liquid calcium sandoz or calcium gluconate at a pharmacy in the States?? (We can in Canada.)

 

[Andee]

Idk if you can or not, but it would be human strength not reptile strength and it's really easy to cause burning and heart attack with an overdose of liquid calcium

 

[kinyonga]

I never had any problems with the one I used. You do have to watch when you buy it though that it doesn't have any sugar in it. I checked with my vet about it first.

 

[Andee]

Yeah but the US has way different standards for even food than most other countries... I don't trust half the things we offer XD