Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if anyone has any opinons or something about giving some Calcium supplement to snakes. I lightly dusted the mice then gave 'em to my snakes. All my snakes are still growing so i figured they can use the extra calcium to help with bone developement and what not. Next week i'm planning on giving multi-vitamin. I do the same with my beardies, so i figred why not to my snakes too? I'm just no gonna do it as often...
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)
0.1.0 Jungle Carpet (Teprak)
0.2.0 Dwarf Hamsters (Tipsy and Bubblegum)
1.0.0 Rose Hair Tarantula (Goopy)
1.0.0 Boyfriend (Brian)

well, generally from what i've read snakes do not need extra supplements. they get all that from their prey items. they are not like lizards who need UV lighting and all that. plus power feeding to make them grow faster is not a good thing to do. (i'm not saying that is what your doing) i have 7 snakes ranging from 4 corns to a 7 foot jungle carpet python honduran milk and a little solomon island boa and all are fine without extra calcium.

just my 2 cents..

i used calcium with my snakes for a while and saw no difference, they are actually growing faster without it
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jake

my addiction:
1.1? normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
0.1? amelenistic corn snake (zyklon)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)
hybrid breeders association
hybrid haven

I'm against calcium supplements for snakes that eat vertebrates. Bone has plenty of calcium already, and it also has a good calcium/phosphorus ratio. Adding calcium could produce an unhealthy calcium/phosphorus ratio.

In my opinion, a good bird liquid multivitamin can be beneficial for fast growing youngsters and for breeders, particularly the females. These are the groups that need extra nutrients, compared to nonbreeding adults.

I like a bird multivitamin because it has vitamin D3. Human multivitmins have D2. D3 is the form that reptiles need, as far as I know.

A drop of vitamin in the food once a month is plenty, unless you are raising boa constrictors or Burmese pythons.

Paul Hollander

Why the difference for Burmese and Red Tails?

Just curious.

Widj

Size. The original poster was feeding his snakes mice, so I figured they were something on the order of corn or king snakes. Subadult boa constrictors and Burmese pythons are much larger than corn snakes and would need a greater quantity of supplement for the same effect.

Paul Hollander