Recommendations for tongue health?

[Andee]

As we know Neptune is a super old man and these last two years have come with a myriad of age related health issues. He is currently struggling with shooting his tongue and potentially the stickiness of it. He can still shoot it a very short distance. Anyone have any recommendations for supplements or something that can support his tongue health? He isn't really a hand feeder. His trust levels are really low no matter what I have tried to do. And I try not to push him too much anymore with his age.

 

[nightanole]

Calcium(its not just for bones, its what the muscles use to contract)
Vitamin D
Vitamin B complex


So if you want a bit of a booster, you can crush up a people vitamin B complex and powder the feeders. Since B is water soluble, its impossible to give too much. A B boost also helps with shedding if you give it before the poofing.

There is also magnesium(reverses calcium effect on muscle so they relax) and potassium(nerve firing and muscle contraction endurance/length) but they generally dont require supplementation unless there is a really bad underlying condition thats causing them not to get absorbed or needed boosted(liver failure etc).

 

[Andee]

Hmmm I am guessing vit B would help he is definitely having more issues shedding the last few months! I have some vit B here for myself but I need to see what I type. I think its only B12. Do you think having the full range would be more helpful? Thanks so much as always <3. Just trying to keep him as healthy as possible as he ages with as minimal intervention i can. Sadly he is such a grumpy boy

 

[nightanole]

Hmmm I am guessing vit B would help he is definitely having more issues shedding the last few months! I have some vit B here for myself but I need to see what I type. I think its only B12. Do you think having the full range would be more helpful? Thanks so much as always <3. Just trying to keep him as healthy as possible as he ages with as minimal intervention i can. Sadly he is such a grumpy boy

Yes thats why i said B complex. The Big players are B6 and B12, but i know B1 is used to. And im not sure which B is used for shedding, the Complex is a cheat code for individuals that are known to end up with stuck sheds even with perfect humidity. I only have the pills so i just crush them in my mortar and pestle and have bright yellow feeders running around. The tegu is even easier as i can just hide an entire pill in a meatball or hunk of fruit.

 

[Andee]

Lol tegu's and skinks are so easy to pill. Ok I know he gets some b12 in his multi vit but pretty sure from the looks of it thats the only b vit he gets. Thanks for the list so much! He still seems to eat larger feeders easier and those that have more texture like soft bodied worms. So I am assuming its easier to chomp them with minimal shooting and his eyes can pick them up easier too. He is still gaining weight enough to put extra in his fat stores so I am pretty happy about that

 

[jamest0o0]

Calcium(its not just for bones, its what the muscles use to contract)
Vitamin D
Vitamin B complex


So if you want a bit of a booster, you can crush up a people vitamin B complex and powder the feeders. Since B is water soluble, its impossible to give too much. A B boost also helps with shedding if you give it before the poofing.

There is also magnesium(reverses calcium effect on muscle so they relax) and potassium(nerve firing and muscle contraction endurance/length) but they generally dont require supplementation unless there is a really bad underlying condition thats causing them not to get absorbed or needed boosted(liver failure etc).

Good info, but I’d note that b6 can be overdone and can cause the problems that it’s supposed to alleviate. Sometimes I wonder if unsteadiness, uncoordinated tongue, etc are due to b6 overdose. Over supplementing with it is said to cause nerve damage even though it is water soluble.

Also insects are already very high more or less in B vitamins.

 

[Andee]

Hmmm I had been adjusting his supplements lately.

Been doing repetivite calcium plus low D 3 times a week and plain calcium the rest of the time. He has been doing amazing on it for the later... wanna say 6 years of his life until the last two years but maybe he just needs something different. Or we are just finally running into his age being too much and he may be coming upon his last year with us. Its hard to tell a lot of the time. Currently he still have more good days than bad.