Well, the rodents that snake's eat have all the necessary calcium that a snake needs for egg production under normal circumstances. When the shells of certain snake eggs are underdeveloped, or are otherwise abnormal looking(lumps. pits, translucent, etc...)it doesn't necessarily mean there is a calcium deficiency, as there can be a whole host of other reasons the shells didn't develop correctly that can also lead to calcium not being synthesized correctly. But it doesn't hurt if you want to use a supplement for snakes from what I've read, as long as it is ONLY calcium, and it DOESN'T contain vitamin D.

Here is just a little paragraph from a Q and A section of Dr. Linda Randall's D.V.M. website. It goes as follows........

Is it possible to overdose a herp on calcium?

"I have never been able to overdose a reptile with just calcium, nor have I spoken to a veterinarian who has. Reptiles are able to regulate the amount of calcium their body absorbs, and the rest is excreted in the feces. The problem begins when Vitamin D is added to the calcium mixture. This vitamin encourages the reptile’s system to absorb excessive calcium, which eventually leads to hypercalcemia, a serious condition. The calcium to phosphorus ratio is also very important when looking at calcium levels in the food offered to reptiles, and when reading blood chemistry results. If you have a herp that requires calcium supplementation, make sure it is only calcium that you are using. (At our hospital we use calcium carbonate, which is inexpensive and comes in a fine powder.) For anything else, consult with your veterinarian first to ensure you are feeding your particular pet correctly. When you read labels, you will find that many of the products sold as calcium supplements have Vitamin D3 added. This is not necessarily a bonus!"


best regards, ~Doug

-----
"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

[ Hide Replies ]

• Adding Calcium to the Diet - scaledverts, Mon May 19 20:54:15 2008
• RE: Adding Calcium to the Diet - colubridman, Mon May 19 21:25:19 2008
• ***Attention Colubridman*** - rodneyj, Tue May 20 21:59:40 2008
• RE: ***Attention Colubridman*** - colubridman, Tue May 20 22:38:53 2008
• RE: ***Attention Colubridman*** - rodneyj, Tue May 20 22:49:03 2008
• RE: ***Attention Colubridman*** - colubridman, Tue May 20 23:20:49 2008
• Ditto that!..haha!....n/p - DMong, Wed May 21 00:17:51 2008
• RE: Adding Calcium to the Diet - DMong, Mon May 19 22:00:20 2008
• RE: Adding Calcium to the Diet - cn013, Mon May 19 22:36:38 2008
• RE: Adding Calcium to the Diet - charleshanklin, Mon May 19 22:53:01 2008
• RE: Adding Calcium to the Diet - bobassetto, Tue May 20 06:50:10 2008
• RE: Adding Calcium to the Diet - Tony D, Tue May 20 10:10:34 2008
• What kind of CA do you use? - RG, Tue May 20 08:37:46 2008
• RE: What kind of CA do you use? - shannon brown, Tue May 20 12:14:05 2008
• RE: What kind of CA do you use? - charleshanklin, Tue May 20 13:25:29 2008
• Another consideration. - exposito, Tue May 20 14:24:04 2008
• I get mine from a local breeder... - RG, Tue May 20 14:51:58 2008
• RE: I get mine from a local breeder... - shannon brown, Tue May 20 17:38:08 2008