Liquid calcium

[donprec]

I usually only gave Precious gutloaded crickets once a week (twice if she didn't finish all of the first batch up). For 2 months now, she decided she didn't like crickets so much anymore, would maybe eat 2. She gets most of her calcium through them. I never offered undusted crickets to her before but decided to try over the weekend to test her and offered them without the calcium powder...I also only bought 10 since she hasn't been eating them lately. This last time, she ate all of them. So I'm left to assume that she now doesn't like them if they're dusted. I know that she won't touch salad that has any calcium or vitamin supplements sprinkled on it. With her vitamin supplements, I dust a worm or 2 and she's never had a problem with that, at least not yet.
In the meantime, since she's been on her cricket strike, I'll dust a hornworm and give it to her, they are her absolute favorite food. But I feel like she's not getting as much calcium on one dusted hornworm as she would on 40-50 crickets. And, she did hesitate a little with the last dusted hornworm I gave her...normally she spots them from across the room and there is no hesitation at all once she gets close to it.
Now I'm thinking about getting liquid calcium instead, it would be easy enough to squirt a little in her mouth when she needs it. But I've only mostly heard of the liquid being used in extreme situations like previously neglected or mbd.
What do you all think about the liquid? Are there cons to it?

 

[PatsyB]

I've actually thought about using the liquid calcium on Dexter once a week. She's starting to drink water out of a syringe so I thought I could just mix it in. The only other time I used it was when my frog got real sick and I mixed it in with her food and syringe fed her. Dexter doesn't eat her veggies at all and she will eat one dusted worm but once she catches on that they are dusted she doesn't want them any more. I like to think that she is still getting her calcium and vitamins she needs because I always feed her feeders her greens.

I also did noticed she doesn't like her calcium powder but she does like the multivitamin.

 

[donprec]

I've read some reviews and there were stories of it getting sticky in their mouths and choking then killing pets (a bearded and a gecko). But that was pet store stuff, I'd buy from beardeddragon.co. It sounds like you really have to make sure the right dosage is given. I'll order some in a few days and give it a try.
Where did you get your liquid calcium? Was your frog ok with it, did it help? Did you notice the stickiness?

 

[PatsyB]

I used to mix it in with something called ReptiAid. It was a powdered critical care food that you mix with water and syringe feed. I used to mix it with pedialyite and the liquid calcium so I never really noticed if it was sticky or not. Unfortunately with all that work and antibiotics the frog didn't make it. It really was a learning experience though. It taught me that in a crisis just take a step back, breathe, access the situation and then do what you need to do. Now I'm like "okay little frog, you have a prolapse, let's push that baby back in!"

 

[jarich]

Liquid calcium is one of those things that best used only when its a real emergency, like with cases of MBD. Its something that needs to be measured carefully according to weight/size and is easy to get wrong quickly as its a concentrated liquid. If your dragon doesnt like the dusted crickets, what you can do is use the liquid calcium to lightly spray the crickets instead of using the powder. I think with some dragons its just the physical powder itself that they dont like, rather than that its calcium.

 

[Elemental Dragon Lord]

Feed atleast 5 hornworms a week and your dragon should be getting more than enough calcium. I cut dusting by controlling their diet and my vet was impressed how much healthier they were. A strong diet of calcium rich insects with vegies (with calcium) and you won't have problems. I also use the sun for frequent outdoor fun.

 

[donprec]

Ok thanks for all the advice! I did order the liquid and I like the idea of lightly spraying the crickets, I have a small mister that will be perfect for that. We'll try that when the liquid gets here, I'll just do it once a week. I knew the hornworms had calcium but I didn't realize they had that much. Usually she'll get a hornworm a day until one cup is done, then a couple days with no hornworms until I get a new cup. It sounds like she should be pretty ok with calcium though, I guess.