Plain calcium...period!

[Kaizen]

I’m just wondering whether any experienced keepers have ever contemplated using plain calcium as their only dust—merely to correct the ca/p ratio of our bugs. Of course, this will demand some serious bug nutrition, but I’m curious...

 

[kinyonga]

Never have thought about only using calcium. The D3 and vitamins used twice a month are insurance/assurance.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I have always used Calcium with a supplements and shall I say insect gutload. I am not planning on changing my routine any time soon. High UVA and UVB rays with shade receive with a varied diet and occasional supplements and calcium. Then when not receiving high UVA and UVB rays D3 is added. Only a ground breaking discovery probably would take me off my scheduled.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Kaizen]

Not that I’ll be changing my regime either, but I was just wondering whether anyone had relied solely on gutloading for everything but calcium. I get that impression from what Mario Jungmann describes for his montanes, and I wonder whether it’s feasible across all species. Obviously, we’ll need to get our bug nutrition to an art form, but I find the idea interesting.

 

[JoXie411]

??? I actually rely on good gutload and pure calcium.

 

[Kaizen]

??? I actually rely on good gutload and pure calcium.

So no other vitamins or minerals, just plain calcium as your only dust?

 

[JacksJill]

@jannb

 

[jannb]

When I lived in the FL Key my vet there told me that since my guys went outside almost everyday for hours and that I gutloaded so well and used such a large variety of feeders, not to use any supplements at all. I went for four years without using any supplements except for babies a few times a week and liquid calcium for my egg laying girls when they were gravid and for a few days after they laid. My vet also told me they did not need UV lighting inside.

 

[Kaizen]

Interesting! Were your chams taking mostly wild insects when outside?

 

[nightanole]

So no other vitamins or minerals, just plain calcium as your only dust?

That would be stickytonguefarms redtop outdoor formula. Just calcium.

Still no one uses pure calcium, a thimble full would kill a horse, and it looks like hunks of solder

 

[Kaizen]

That would be stickytonguefarms redtop outdoor formula. Just calcium.

Still no one uses pure calcium, a thimble full would kill a horse, and it looks like hunks of solder

Right, sorry, I meant just only calcium dust, and nothing else.

 

[jamest0o0]

I'm on the other side, I'm a heavy supplementer, but I mix things up a lot. I like controlled chaos with my supplementing regime because I feel if you do things on a strict schedule, and one little thing is off, over time you are doomed to have an imbalance whether it be too much or too little. At least that's how I look at it.

I supplement my Parsons as much or more than I did with my Panthers(I figure he's growing, he needs it). He's had no edema or problems from it yet. I do cut d3 out during summers outside just because it's not necessary.

 

[Kaizen]

I'm on the other side, I'm a heavy supplementer, but I mix things up a lot. I like controlled chaos with my supplementing regime because I feel if you do things on a strict schedule, and one little thing is off, over time you are doomed to have an imbalance whether it be too much or too little. At least that's how I look at it.

I supplement my Parsons as much or more than I did with my Panthers(I figure he's growing, he needs it). He's had no edema or problems from it yet. I do cut d3 out during summers outside just because it's not necessary.

There might be something to that too! Do you have a rough dusting regime?

 

[DocZ]

Not that I’ll be changing my regime either, but I was just wondering whether anyone had relied solely on gutloading for everything but calcium. I get that impression from what Mario Jungmann describes for his montanes, and I wonder whether it’s feasible across all species. Obviously, we’ll need to get our bug nutrition to an art form, but I find the idea interesting.

From what I’ve heard in interviews, he’s also using about 2 dozen different feeders for variety

this is likely part of how to balance the Fat and water soluble vitamins and essential amino acids. One possible deficiency could be in mineral variety

 

[jannb]

Interesting! Were your chams taking mostly wild insects when outside?

Rarely. I would feed them a variety of feeders and still do.

 

[JoXie411]

So no other vitamins or minerals, just plain calcium as your only dust?

Yup no other vitamins in my dusting besides calcium, I just make a really nice bug salad for the insects with lots of veggies and a few fruits I like to add Hibiscus flowers to the salads as well with bee pollen on it a little. The reason I do this is because the willsii’s I got got to much supplements with the old owner.

 

[Kaizen]

Yup no other vitamins in my dusting besides calcium, I just make a really nice bug salad for the insects with lots of veggies and a few fruits I like to add Hibiscus flowers to the salads as well with bee pollen on it a little. The reason I do this is because the willsii’s I got got to much supplements with the old owner.

Hmm...that too is intriguing. I didn’t realize you were such a minimalist about supplementation. How long have you been in this regime?

 

[JoXie411]

Hmm...that too is intriguing. I didn’t realize you were such a minimalist about supplementation. How long have you been in this regime?

I’ve been doing this for a year now, it was hard at first but once I got the hang of making the salads it got a lot easier.

 

[Bigsky]

I have wondered about pulverizing calcium or vitamin supplements for humans and using them for chams.

 

[Gryllidae Per Kcal]

When I lived in the FL Key my vet there told me that since my guys went outside almost everyday for hours and that I gutloaded so well and used such a large variety of feeders, not to use any supplements at all. I went for four years without using any supplements except for babies a few times a week and liquid calcium for my egg laying girls when they were gravid and for a few days after they laid. My vet also told me they did not need UV lighting inside.

What kind of gutload did you use and what type of insects did you provide? I'm wanting to increase the variety in my leopard gecko's diet.