100% calcium ?

[chamitch]

hey i noticed today that calcium u buy from pet stores isnt a 100%. i use medical grade calcium and its 100% pure. is that bad? or companys just try to rip u off? anyway

thanks

[Neo]

the stuff from the store might have other vitamins and supplements mixed into it.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

If you buy Miner-All, your far from being ripped off.If you take a look at the "Guaranteed Analysis Per Kilo" on the back of the container, you will find what is in your powder. Frankly, the stuff is just something you need to have IMO, damn good stuff. 34-36% calcium as well (2/3) in it.

[chamitch]

no i have medical calcium. but i looked in teh pet store at repti-cal, and it is only liek 30 percent calcium and nothign else as far as minerals or vitamins. so i am asking is it ok to feed them 100% calcium or is it to potent. and if it isnt to potent why do pet store brands rip u off o hard on not even pure calcium?

[eyespy]

Calcium is fairly useless to the body unless there is enough magnesium, potassium, and other electrolytes for the body to process it fully. "Pure" calcium is much mure likely to be peed away because the body doesn't have enough minerals and/or vitamin D to combine with the calcium in order to make healthy bone tissue and normal blood electrolyte levels.

Medical grade calcium is really only effective when there is a significant calcium imbalance and there's more than enough magnesium, potassium, vitamin D, and even phosphorus.

[chamitch]

well does repti-cal contain all those? i gut load my insects so i prob dont have to give calcium. as long as ther isnt a point to usign onlyu 30 % calcium. thanks

[eyespy]

30% is more than the body is actually likely to absorb and much of it gets peed away so it's no waste of your money to "only" have that much. I don't know about Reptical because I don't buy that brand, but both Rep-cal and Minerall have good mineral balances and more calcium than most herps are likely to absorb. Giving higher amounts of calcium increases the likelihood of kidney or bladder stones and/or visceral gout if there aren't enough of the other minerals and those conditions can trigger MBD in spite of high calcium intake. I don't like Reptical because it contains fat-soluble vitamins that can be toxic in overdose.

As far as gutloading goes, that depends on the type of prey. Giving enough calcium to mealworms to try to right the 1:9 calcium to phosphorus ratio is fatal to them so it's impossible to effectively gutload them. But crix, roaches, supers and silkworms can all be gutloaded with calcium quite well.

[UpscaleBoas]

alot of people don't realize that with out vitamin D3 calcium will do very little....with the use of proper uva uvb lights set up correctly this is a real problem..but the bulbs though working for light lose there properties very quickly and most set ups i ve seen have the light pass through glass that limit there affectiveness....I recommend that people have a good talk with their rept before going to 100%

[eyespy]

I did a little checking into medical grade vs. commercial calcium supplements. Are you sure that 100% measurement is by volume, and not the recommended daily allowance? That is how most human supplements are measured. Pure calcium is highly volatile and has major chemical reactions with air and water. It is available by prescription only and usually in injectable form to be used intravenously in very tiny quantities. It must be premixed several hours prior to use to avoid unwanted chemical reactions from damaging blood and nerve cells.

Calcium gluconate is often dosed out at 100% RDA, which is 400 IUs per "serving" of 5 mls, but has a volume of 9% calcium. There is far more sugar than calcium in it. So a commercial reptile product contains a higher percentage of calcium by volume than the most commonly prescribed medical grade calcium.

[ranmasatome]

yeah...i tot it was a bit weird to be using 100% calcium...like don't you get an overdose or something? too much of any nutrient etc. usually results in toxicity...so i don't see why it should be any differnt with calcium....well ..i could be wrong...just my thoughts.