Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was fortunate enough to get three baby Gilas this year, and they are awesome. I've always wanted to keep them, but was never able. It has definitely been worth the wait.
My little ones are doing great, eating pinkies and the occasion egg, and growing like weeds.
A quick question to the more experienced Heloderma keepers here, if I may...
Do any of you use any sort of vitamin or mineral supplementation with your animals? I know pinkies don't provide too much in the way of calcium, so when I grind up the shell into pretty tiny pieces and give to them mixed into the raw egg. Although I've never actually seen it, I assume at least a little is going in with the egg.
Thanks in advance...
Vinny

You might get some good quality calcium powder on the hind end of the pink, but once your gilas graduate to larger, more developed prey items, they really don't need any supplementation.

I have worked with both gilas and beadeds, and bred gilas four consecutive years in a row back in the late 1980's early 1990's. I have never (to my recollection) used supplements. A diet of healthy rodents is all they need. I also never feed eggs. Although they like them, its really not necessary (though they are good for enticing reluctant feeders to eat).

Where did this idea pink mice have no calcium come from? Below I make a few points to illustrate how silly this really is!

#1) Every cell in the mouses body has a bit of calcium. It is a necessary mineral for nerves and muscles.

#2) Pink mice have a skeleton, most obviously a skull to protect their brain. They are not jelly heads! Clearly these bones have calcium. I may get a vet to x-ray a day old pink mouse just for occasions like this.

#3) A day old mouse has milk in its stomach. You can see this thru the skin. Mouse milk is chock full of calcium.

#4) Baby snakes are raised on pink mice without supplement and they grow up with good strong bones.

Lastly, Steve has raised many Helodermas. See his post for his personal experience.

Enjoy your treasures!
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AMAZON REPTILE CENTER

live pinks have plenty of calcium. Never used any suplements on Heloderma. never had any problems.
Good Luck
HorridumAngeli

Horridumangeli's Heloderma Web Site