Posted by:
DreamWorks
at Sat Dec 5 14:46:06 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by DreamWorks ]
It is my understanding that dragons cannot ingest too much calcium.
They will secrete the excess calcium. That is what you find as the white matter in the poop that gets hard when dried, it looks like pure white bird poop. That is excess calcium for the most part. They pass through that which is not absorbed.
Dragons should have their food dusted on nearly every feeding with calcium. And occasionally with a multi vitamin dusting. (1nce or 2wice a month with multi vitamins)
Also... I vary the types (brands) of calcium and vitamins. Have done this with every dragon Ive owned... ones that have become big beautiful adults and owned since young.
They need a variety of leafy greens offered and they get many nutrients and vitamins from these leafy greens also. I dice up all kinds of fruits and veggies following the appropriate dragon vegetables. Never spinach etc.
The multi vitamins must not be overused because vitamin A is potentially fatal if the dragon ingests too much. Some others are potentially harmful too in excess.
They also need proper intensity UVB lighting to be able to properly process the calcium and vitamin d3.
Bone density issues are common with dragons without proper uvb/uva and calcium. I use mercury vapor bulbs and repti-sun bulbs as well in conjunction. With lots of shady hiding spots. The solarmeter 6.2 is a wonderful device which will measure the UVB output.
If the dragon is still eating and hungry and is otherwise healthy aside from the leg tucking spine issue... I would say that it is having the calcium UVB bone density problems.
If it will not eat an impaction may be an issue. Having the animal kept on sand and/or feeding primarily crickets I have found to cause impactions. Very warm soaks can aid with this.
I hand raise my own roaches. They do not have as many issues with the roaches. The roaches have the barbs on their legs but they are smaller on their exoskeletons in general, and seem to be digested easier. The crickets will kick at their stomach lining if not killing totally before swallowing.
I use lobster roaches and the occasional dubia but dubia are harder to digest for the dragon I believe because they get much bigger and their exoskeletons become more dense/thicker.
good luck
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RE: proper calcium and mulit vitamin sup - DreamWorks, Sat Dec 5 14:46:06 2009