Supplementation plan, how much calcium is too much?

[kiiarah]

So since Ren has finally started eating his crickets I need to set up a plan for supplementing. I am currently using the Reptivite supplement with D3 by Zoo Med which claims to have a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. On the bottle it lists a min-max calcium content of 24.9-28%. I also have pure calcium without D3 which I have not used yet

. So one question is should I be mixing in additional calcium with the multivitamin or is the amount already contained in it enough? I watched a video that said this particular vitamin is one that will cover everything and is all you have to dust with, but I would prefer to get the opinion of more than just some guy on youtube lol. Since the vitamin is already the 2:1 ratio I don't want to accidentally overload him with too much calcium by mixing more in unless that would be recommended.

My other question was concerning that gel water product that they sell for crickets. There is one with added calcium which seems like it would be a nice way to ensure he is getting enough. Has anyone used this? Would it be dangerous to use it in conjunction with the vitamin powder, I mean could it result in calcium levels being dangerously high? I know they can develop problems if they take in too much, so I was a bit nervous about the idea of using this and dusting, and I certainly wouldn't want to use only the calcium water gel.

Also does anyone know how efficiently a cricket would hold calcium levels it consumes? I know with some species the digestive process will eliminate certain nutrients. I want to say I read somewhere that crickets do not store calcium well because they have no use for it. What do you think, does this sound like a safe and useful product, or would you guys think it is best to just avoid it. I know they make lots of products that are at best useless and at worst dangerous so any advice would be awesome.

Thank you!!

 

[indyana]

The ReptiVite with D3 is a complete supplement that does not require any additional calcium mixed in. The directions I looked up online say to dust lightly 2-3 times per week. If you do this and then keep a small dish of pure calcium (no D3) in the cage, he should get enough supplementation.

As for the crickets, I would say the calcium water gel would be overkill (and possibly kill the crickets if you're trying to keep them for any length of time). I more recommend gutloading them with healthy veggies and fruits:
Much Ado About Chameleons: The Anatomy of Gut-Loading | Ingredients & Nutritional Info

 

[Olympus]

Thanks for sharing my link Rachel!

The good thing about calcium is that it is a water soluble mineral, which means that it won't just build up in the body like other things (like vitamin D or much deadlier things like mercury) it will be excreted by the kidneys. The second thing to note is that the body needs the calcium : phosphorous ratio to be at about 1:1, and a lot of common feeders like crickets have twice as much phosphorous as calcium (so 1:2 ratio.) That's why we push calcium dusting so much, to bring that ratio to a more correct number in the body! A good calcium supplement with no phosphorous is ideal. I'm surprised to know that Reptivite has phosphorous at all, that's a new fact for me (although not surprising, it's not a product I buy so I wouldn't be familiar with the back label!)

So anyway, in summary, it's going to be extremely difficult to cause an issue with calcium, especially with normal light dustings a few times a week. So now you can sleepy more easily lol

You could certainly supplement with Reptivite 2-3 times a week lightly and then your plain calcium the remaining feedings, that would be one totally ok way to do it.

And I concur with Indyana, I don't think those gel foods are worth very much. You'll get a better calcium ratio AND a lot of other goodies out of a rich, dark leafy green like collard or turnip greens than out of that gel.