almost there + question.

[checkersthetegu]

Checkers is almost complete with the healing of her broken leg . I had her out for some exercise and to explore a little more for free roaming. Besides that i do have a question with lizards in general since im somewhat new to them. (i have snakes which is my only reptile experience besides my father owning a tegu) Any way i know there is such thing as to much calcium but how do you tell? are there syptoms of an "overdose" of calcium?

 

[chelvis]

Over dosing with Calcium tends to be from too much D3. Thats why there is the whole controversy of do you use D3 or not. D3 is what help regulate calcium uptake by a reptile. So if there is low D3 in the system there will be poor calcium uptake by the reptile. If you switch this then there will be a larger amount of calcium uptake.

The body will regulate its own production of D3 so there is no worry about overdoesing on calcium ant extra is just simply pooped out. Its enery wise expensive to digest and absorb calcium so if its not needed easier to just poop it away. The problem in D3 is reulated by UV expsure in most diurnal animals (ourselves included). With indoor keeping UVB is lacking, this is the main wave lenght for D3 production. Because the lighitng is not aw strong as the suns rays many companies have started to make calcium with D3 to help combate hypocalcium MDB (MBD cause by too little calium being absorbed). However once feed this now by psasses the check system, there can be more D3 which means too much calcium is being absorbed, this leads to hypercalcium MBD (too much calcium being absorbed). This normally leads to hardening of the softtissues, stiffness in the muscles and joint and twitching of the eyes.

In a young healthy tegu its rare to get hyper MBD, they grow so fast that there bones can use all the calcium they can get. That being said if you are using good lighting (ie providing UVB bulbs at the distance recomended by the manifatures) and providing a calcium with D3 at every meal, this is a possibility. Back in the 90's this was a big issue with Chomeleons, people where dousing their food with d3 and having them outside and then they would just drop down dead. Scense then less D3 has been added to the calcium you by at stores. Most of it is extreamly safe, but I still would not use it more than once a week if that.

Sorry about the long post but its a complicated process. Short of it; If your using Calcium w/o D3 you can not overdose, if you are using D3 but spearingly than you fine. If you have been using D3 every meal start cutting back now that the fracture is healing.