Oh no! Something is wrong with my Scooby's right front arm!

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thank you, Elizabeth. I'll give all of this a shot.

I NEVER use anything Fluker's. I use Bug Burger and Superload all the time. My bugs are fed wet Bug Burger as a staple food source in their critter cages. When I gutload them, I'll move a couple of them to another container and give them Superload along with a piece of veggie or fruit. I keep my bugs super clean. Clean the critter cages out every 3-4 days. Never use soaps. Just scalding hot water.

A note:
I mean, it's like, I only need one leaf to feed a bug, you know? I'll never cook with mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion flowers & leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress or alfalfa. And I love to cook, LOL, but none of them make my list. Haha. And they are the best for my bugs. Ugh! Can I go into a field and pick dandelions???

You're welcome.

All these are high calcium/low phosphorus: collard, mustard, turnip, and dandelion flowers/greens.

Unknown pesticides are the problem with field collecting dandelions. Could you grow your own dandelions in pots or in small garden beds?

At this time don't use ANY powdered supplements!

Please use all the hydration tips I offered today. IF Scooby is suffering from too much calcium and/or D3, that can help flush out his body and his kidneys.

GU has 2-3 similar threads currently in progress.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Well, you know, regarding hydration, I have a bit of a confession, for awhile there I might have been over-hydrating Scooby. This past winter, I ordered him a couple cups of hornworms. They grow super fast. Most times I have to throw alot of them out. I was feeding them to him inbetween other feedings...spoiling him a bit. When he eats the bigger ones, he pees. Hornworms are 80% water. He got some hydration this winter. He hasn't had a hornworm in about a month though. I was dusting the hornworms occasionally as well.

I grow a patio container garden every summer. I will grow some dandelions this year. Thanks!

I'm thinking the warm baths might help his shoulder as well. I still wonder if he dislocated it? If that's the case, movement is the only thing that will eventually pop it back into place, and that's something only he can solve, not me.

Let's wait to rule out MBD until we confirm his bone density.

Scooby could be suffering from hypervitaminosis or hypercalcemia.

 

[GeckoFanboy]

I would think I'm going to need to go back to the vet for this? They didn't draw blood or anything that I know of. I think they just did an X-ray to check for broken bones. I have no idea how they ruled out MBD, but they did. Visually from an X-ray?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I would think I'm going to need to go back to the vet for this? They didn't draw blood or anything that I know of. I think they just did an X-ray to check for broken bones. I have no idea how they ruled out MBD, but they did. Visually from an X-ray?

Yes, maybe visually from an x-ray.

Make sure the vets know how much Repashy's Calcium Plus he's been taking over the past year and maybe throughout his life.

I can't imagine taking an x-ray of just a leo's arm. Hopefully they already have a full body image.

I'm not sure Scooby needs a blood draw. That's why I recommend +++++ hydration. That image should clearly show how dense Scooby's bones are right now . . . . . . . whether he has MBD. I wonder whether that image would also show his kidneys?

It was somewhat difficult to see. In your video do you see "bending" of both front arms?


19 April 2021:
Now your YouTube video is gone.

 

[GeckoFanboy]

They used a dental X-ray device, LOL. That's what she said they use for small lizards. His arms bend normally. One is weaker than the other though. He can still bend the bad leg backward when he's laying down. You know, to me, gecko arms are weird looking, period. They're rubbery looking and rounded...strange looking appendages really, even when healthy, to be honest. I'm not a good judge of healthy gecko legs, LOL. Anyway, the vet said, "No MBD".

I should mention one other thing, a day or two before this I was holding him and he really struggled in my hand, moreso than usual. I had to put him back in the tank because he was having none of it. I hope he didn't hurt himself. He was fine the next day. I didn't hear anything pop or click. But like I said, occasionally, when he wakes from a nap I'll see a limb tremor here or there...and a couple times I've noticed his head kinda "bob"...and the last couple days maybe 3 or 4 times he jerked his head real quick like he was having an electrical shock or something...literally snapping his head...kinda weird. I don't know. I hope he's okay.

One other thing...I've been Googling leo diseases and such and I can't find anything that matches his symptoms. So weird.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

4. I dust his bugs with Repashy Calcium Plus almost every feeding...sometimes I skip if the bugs are real big.

5. Yes, that version.

6. If the bugs are really big (dubias) they don't get the full snowman treatment. Most crickets do though.

Excessive supplementation is not good. I highly recommend light dusting, "not like a snowman", for any bug or worm.

IF you stick with Repashy's Calcium Plus, please consider Aliza's schedule.

GU's acpart (Aliza) has used Repashy's Calcium Plus for years. She's bred many leopard geckos and other geckos too. Currently she cares for many leopard geckos. Here are the supplement schedules Aliza recommends.

Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins
(withOUT UVB)​

Early stage metabolic bone disease (MBD) problems include uneven (lopsided) gait, bowed limbs, belly dragging, and an underbite.

1. Feeding & Supplementing HATCHLING leopard geckos - 0-2 months old & any slow-growing leopard geckos under ~6 grams ~ Feed 3x per week.

• Feed Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays
• Dust prey with Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins at every other feeding
• ALSO: Keep a bottle cap of plain calcium in the cage 24/7.
• [See dusting chart below]

2. Feeding & Supplementing JUVENILE leopard geckos ~ Feed 3x per week.

• Feed Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays
• Dust prey with Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins at every other feeding
• [See dusting chart below]

3. Feeding & Supplementing ADULT leopard geckos ~ Feed 2x per week.

• Mondays ~ feed (no dusting)
• Thursdays ~ feed & dust prey with Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins

\/ \/ \/


R = Repashy's Calcium Plus, Cc = pure precipitated calcium carbonate (withOUT vitamin D3)

Week 1 Repashy dusting (for HATCHLINGS & JUVENILES):
M-------T-------W------Th-------F-------Sat-------Sun
............R...........................................R...................


Week 2 Repashy dusting (for HATCHLINGS & JUVENILES):
M-------T-------W------Th-------F-------Sat-------Sun
..................................R..........................................​

-----> For hatchlings 0-2 months old & any slow-growing leopard geckos under ~6 grams: Aliza also places a bottle cap of pure precipitated calcium carbonate (withOUT vitamin D3) in the cage 24/7.

 

[GeckoFanboy]

So I would be #3 on that list above? Only one dusting with Repashy Calcium Plus a week? Wow. I suppose I really don't need the Reptivite do I?

So I have to get some weight off of him obviously, as the vet told me so, which means I have to drop his bug amounts down when feeding. I have 1" dubias. He eats 2 per feeding, usually, so I guess he's going down to 1 per feeding. As for crickets, he can eat about 6, so he's getting 3 now. I don't know....his appetite varies. Some days I've seen him pack away alot of food (1" dubia, 3 crickets, large hornworm). He loves to eat. He is not a picky eater AT ALL. In that respect, he's good. In other respects, he's Mr. Grumpy. So what do you think about portions?

I've left him alone for the most part. I want him to heal from whatever is going on. I only go in at night to moisten his hide and give him clean water. I'll feed him again tomorrow night. I am keeping an eye on him.

Lastly, what are symptoms of over-supplementation? Just curious.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

So I would be #3 on that list above? Only one dusting with Repashy Calcium Plus a week? Wow. I suppose I really don't need the Reptivite do I?

So I have to get some weight off of him obviously, as the vet told me so, which means I have to drop his bug amounts down when feeding. I have 1" dubias. He eats 2 per feeding, usually, so I guess he's going down to 1 per feeding. As for crickets, he can eat about 6, so he's getting 3 now. I don't know....his appetite varies. Some days I've seen him pack away alot of food (1" dubia, 3 crickets, large hornworm). He loves to eat. He is not a picky eater AT ALL. In that respect, he's good. In other respects, he's Mr. Grumpy. So what do you think about portions?

I've left him alone for the most part. I want him to heal from whatever is going on. I only go in at night to moisten his hide and give him clean water. I'll feed him again tomorrow night. I am keeping an eye on him.

Lastly, what are symptoms of over-supplementation? Just curious.

Yes, Scooby is #3 on Aliza's chart.

One reason I love Zoo Med's supplements is the generous amount of precipitated calcium carbonate contained in both their D3 formulations and their Reptivite multivitamin formulations. I shared that Schedule 126 in post 17 on this thread.

For link 77 click: Gecko Multivitamins​

Scooby's diet sounds great! Feed him 2x per week. Soon his tummy will shrink. That takes the "edge" off dieting.

1. Did Scooby get his warm soak today? That's super, SUPER, important!
2. Here's a current thread on a leo who has experienced over-supplementation.

Click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...es-/87841-please-help-gecko-health-issue.html​

 

[GeckoFanboy]

Elizabeth,
I will read that thread very soon. I have alot going on right now.

Question: Scooby did get his soak today, but I'm curious, when you soak a gecko, just how submerged should they be in the water? I know it's a dumb question. Should I soak him everyday. You know, now that I think of it, one of the things he's been doing through this whole ordeal is licking his lips alot. I live with my 89 year-old Dad and my Dad kept saying "Maybe he's hungry?". Now, I'm thinking, maybe he was dehydrated. I remember the one day he wandered over to his water dish and kept dunking his mouth/nose into it, and I was wondering what he was doing it so much for. Hmmmm....

He seemed a bit better tonight. I think it's just the one leg now though. It is more swollen than the other front leg. When he lifts it up walking it tremors. He's still fat when he lays down, LOL. Tomorrow night he's getting only 3 gut-loaded crickets...no dusting. I gave them Superload and carrots, apples, bananas. Monday I will start his new schedule.

You know, he's ALWAYS spent most of his time in his moist hide. He comes out once in awhile, but it's not like he just plops down and and sits outside alot. I catch him in the other hides though. But he's ALWAYS been a somewhat reclusive gecko. He's a grumpy guy. He growls and grumbles alot. He grumbled at me tonight when I put him back into his tank after his soak. He's always growled at me since he was little. I treat him like a king. He's so ungrateful, LOL.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Elizabeth,
I will read that thread very soon. I have alot going on right now.

Question: Scooby did get his soak today, but I'm curious, when you soak a gecko, just how submerged should they be in the water? I know it's a dumb question. Should I soak him everyday. You know, now that I think of it, one of the things he's been doing through this whole ordeal is licking his lips alot. I live with my 89 year-old Dad and my Dad kept saying "Maybe he's hungry?". Now, I'm thinking, maybe he was dehydrated. I remember the one day he wandered over to his water dish and kept dunking his mouth/nose into it, and I was wondering what he was doing it so much for. Hmmmm....

He seemed a bit better tonight. I think it's just the one leg now though. It is more swollen than the other front leg. When he lifts it up walking it tremors. He's still fat when he lays down, LOL. Tomorrow night he's getting only 3 gut-loaded crickets...no dusting. I gave them Superload and carrots, apples, bananas. Monday I will start his new schedule.

You know, he's ALWAYS spent most of his time in his moist hide. He comes out once in awhile, but it's not like he just plops down and and sits outside alot. I catch him in the other hides though. But he's ALWAYS been a somewhat reclusive gecko. He's a grumpy guy. He growls and grumbles alot. He grumbled at me tonight when I put him back into his tank after his soak. He's always growled at me since he was little. I treat him like a king. He's so ungrateful, LOL.

Good on King Scooby's soak! Have the water deep enough to cover his belly (up to Scooby's back).

I recommend daily warm water soaks, because we're not sure how much he's drinking on his own. These warm soaks may also help purge his body of all those multivitamins and perhaps extra calcium carbonate he's gotten up until now.

I'm glad he seems better.

What to do in the meantime:

• Remove bran and broccoli from the stuff you feed the feeders. (Wheat bran is often high in phosphorus.)
• Give Scooby daily warm soaks for 20-30 minutes per day. That will keep him hydrated as best we can.
• Make sure he has good access to water. If you're not sure whether he's drinking, add a 2nd water bowl near the hide where he usually hangs out.
• Be sure to keep his moist hide moist. The moist hide should be totally over the warm end.

 

[GeckoFanboy]

Another question:
How would we know if he's gotten too much or not enough calcium? In the past, I've fluctuated the calcium. To be honest, the last couple months, I might not have been giving the snowman treatment as much because I was running low on Calcium Plus...sometimes I wasn't putting enough in the bag...it's so hard to remember...ugh, I feel so bad. I can't remember, honestly, but he was always getting "some", I just don't remember exact doses. Other than that, I'm doing everything you said. I'm just worried....what if I'm treating him for the wrong thing, LOL.

 

[GeckoFanboy]

Oops. Double post.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Well, you know, regarding hydration, I have a bit of a confession, for awhile there I might have been over-hydrating Scooby. This past winter, I ordered him a couple cups of hornworms. They grow super fast. Most times I have to throw alot of them out. I was feeding them to him inbetween other feedings...spoiling him a bit. When he eats the bigger ones, he pees. Hornworms are 80% water. He got some hydration this winter. He hasn't had a hornworm in about a month though. I was dusting the hornworms occasionally as well.

I grow a patio container garden every summer. I will grow some dandelions this year. Thanks!

I'm thinking the warm baths might help his shoulder as well. I still wonder if he dislocated it? If that's the case, movement is the only thing that will eventually pop it back into place, and that's something only he can solve, not me.

Hummmm, it seems like Scooby-Doo's "dental" x-ray would show whether or not he dislocated his shoulder.
Hornworms are an excellent treat. :drool: Hornworms are SUPER high in calcium! A healthy leo will pee out any excess liquid.

Here's a way to keep hornworms from growing too large for many sized leos. If you follow these tips, you'll be able to keep hornworms alive for 4+ weeks. It's easy.

Hornworm Tips:
When kept by the following method, it's easy to keep hornworms alive (and of edible size for many leopard geckos) for 4+ weeks. Make sure the company includes enough food. Keep extra food in the cooler with the hornworms, NOT in the refrigerator. IF you keep hornworm food in the refrigerator, the food will get too hard for hornworms to eat.

• Hornworms grow rapidly when kept at normal room temperatures!
• When the hornworms nearly reach a good size for feeding, place them (in container) into a picnic cooler or wine cooler to lessen rapid growth.
• Add 1 solid ice pack replaced 2x daily . . . . . . every 12 hours.
• Keep the temperature inside the cooler ~55*F (12.8*C).
• Turn the hornworm container upside down so that their food is on the top and the lid is the new "base".
• Elevate the hornworm container off the ground with egg flats or a couple pencils to give your hornworms AIR.
• Don't let the hornworm container touch the ice pack.
• Empty hornworm poop once a day.
• Serve the hornworms plain at first. Then try lightly dusting them with pure precipitated calcium carbonate (withOUT vitamin D3) to further balance their calcium-to-phosphorus ratio.
• Should a hornworm get mangled, clean up its green juice right away. The green "juice" is difficult to remove when dry.

For link 33 click: Hornworm Care Guidelines

 

[GeckoFanboy]

So lastnight when I went into his moist hide to pick him up and give him his warm bath, I found this little, hard, yellow pluggish-looking thing, stuck to the moist paper towel in his hide. I don't shred his paper towels, I kinda crunch them up and compress them, so it was really noticeable, hard as rock, glued to the paper towel. I suppose this came out of him. I don't know if this was calcium that came out of his butt or a hemipene plug. I have not seen him gnawing at his private parts. The last couple weeks, I'd notice sometimes he'd only drop a small amount of white poo or just black poo. It wasn't always like this though, but I never thought anything of it. Lastnight though, after finding this "thing", he dropped a huge amount of both black and white poo, which looked very healthy. Hmmm...I have no clue what that little thing was, but I suppose the warm bath did him some good. I'll keep doing the baths, but for how long? BTW. he loves his warm baths. Just sits there so calm. Spreads his back legs real wide. He still has the tremors slightly, but not in all legs.

Also, I talked to the vet today. She mentioned she saw some yellow stuff around his male areas, so that "thing" I saw might have been something he shed off. I don't remember what she called it. She said his X-rays looked healthy. His bones and spine looked good. They didn't look moth-eaten or bent. She said that if he tremored it could be over-supplementation, and tremoring is DEFINITELY one of his symptoms and that is a FOR SURE! She probably told me alot that day down there, but I didn't absorb it all. I was upset and worried. I think Scooby hurt his leg, is overweight, and is over-supplemented...so he's got some issues, you know? I'm gonna feed him 3 crickets tonight (no dusting), give him more anti-inflammatory (this is only his 3rd dose; only gets it after food; won't get again til Monday) and give him another warm bath. He loves his baths!

Any more advice?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

They gave me some oral take-home syringes with an anti-inflammatory, but he has to take it with food and he's supposed to take it 5 days in a row, but HE'S NOT EATING BECAUSE HE'S UPSET ABOUT ALL OF THIS. I'm not giving him this anti-imflammatory until he eats. It's no different than a person taking it. It will upset your stomach and his tummy is really little. It has a warning to look out for vomiting or black tar stools so he's not taking it til he eats...so be it. Anyway, he's still limping around tonight. Poor guy. I'm really worried about him. I have no idea what happened to him.

So lastnight when I went into his moist hide to pick him up and give him his warm bath, I found this little, hard, yellow pluggish-looking thing, stuck to the moist paper towel in his hide. I don't shred his paper towels, I kinda crunch them up and compress them, so it was really noticeable, hard as rock, glued to the paper towel. I suppose this came out of him. I don't know if this was calcium that came out of his butt or a hemipene plug. I have not seen him gnawing at his private parts. The last couple weeks, I'd notice sometimes he'd only drop a small amount of white poo or just black poo. It wasn't always like this though, but I never thought anything of it. Lastnight though, after finding this "thing", he dropped a huge amount of both black and white poo, which looked very healthy. Hmmm...I have no clue what that little thing was, but I suppose the warm bath did him some good. I'll keep doing the baths, but for how long? BTW. he loves his warm baths. Just sits there so calm. Spreads his back legs real wide. He still has the tremors slightly, but not in all legs.

Also, I talked to the vet today. She mentioned she saw some yellow stuff around his male areas, so that "thing" I saw might have been something he shed off. I don't remember what she called it. She said his X-rays looked healthy. His bones and spine looked good. They didn't look moth-eaten or bent. She said that if he tremored it could be over-supplementation, and tremoring is DEFINITELY one of his symptoms and that is a FOR SURE! She probably told me alot that day down there, but I didn't absorb it all. I was upset and worried. I think Scooby hurt his leg, is overweight, and is over-supplemented...so he's got some issues, you know? I'm gonna feed him 3 crickets tonight (no dusting), give him more anti-inflammatory (this is only his 3rd dose; only gets it after food; won't get again til Monday) and give him another warm bath. He loves his baths!

Any more advice?

A leo excretes 3 separate things: urates (usually white & small), feces (usually dark brown & well-formed), and urine.

1. Maybe that hard yellow "rock" was backing him up?

2. Sperm plugs are male things! How do the rest of his /\-shaped pores near his vent look?

​

3. IF Scooby needs to take that his anti-inflammatory medicine 5 days in a row with food, feed him smaller prey @ 1x per day with the anti-inflammatory medicine. 5 days in a row = Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday???

Is that what your vet means?

4. Have you read the thread I linked about gujn's leo that's hopefully recovering from a Repashy's Calcium Plus overdose?

5. The only "treatment" anyone can do for Scooby's possible excess calcium and multivitamins =

What to do in the meantime:

• Continue withholding all supplements for now!
• Give Scooby daily warm soaks for 20-30 minutes per day. That will keep him hydrated as best we can.
• Make sure he has good access to water. If you're not sure whether he's drinking, add a 2nd water bowl near the hide where he usually hangs out.
• Be sure to keep his moist hide moist. The moist hide should be totally over the warm end.

6. Keep up his daily warm soaks until he is walking normally.

7. Can you pick up some Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3? Petco carries it. It may be important in a couple weeks to give him a little vitamin D3 that is totally separate from Repashy's Calcium Plus.

Almost ALL Repashy's supplements have +++ ingredients mixed in beyond calcium, vitamins, and minerals.

8. For link 61 click: Female Leopard Gecko (very slight tremors when walking)......dbott67 + Zux

 

[GeckoFanboy]

1. I don't know, but I suppose whatever it was it's better out than in. I'm sure Scooby's feeling better without it.

2. I'll have to take a look.

3. He ate a large dubia roach on Monday with his medicine, and since then he's just been turning his head away from food. He just won't eat. He's been through alot. You know how geckos are. Normally, he loves to eat, but I've been invading his space alot lately.

Yes, that is what my vet meant...but he hasn't been eating. I told her. I don't want to give him meds without food because it warns of vomiting and black tarry stools, and says to give after eating, so he should eat with it. I told her he was getting nightly warm baths and I was letting him rest and eat when he wants and then giving him his meds. She didn't object. She told me to call her if he wasn't getting better or if he got worse. To be honest, it's almost like he has his good days and bad days. His poop looks healthy, so we can rule that as fine. But even tonight after his warm bath, when I put him back in the tank, he was still having walking issues. It's so weird. He seems like he's okay. He has energy, and he's not listless or anything, but his walking is weird. I'll try and make another video soon.

4. Yes, I read gujn's thread. There are some things in there that are similar and some things that are not.

• So withhold ALL supplements, period? Nothing? Nada? Zilch? Meaning: No white powders? And when will I know when to start again?

• I'll order some ZooMed Repti Calcium with D3?

• Should I take his calcium dish (without D3) out of his tank?

Elizabeth, I am so scared about all of this! I'm so worried. What if this is something else and I deprive him of calcium? Ugh!! Reassure me!

 

[GeckoFanboy]

Okay, Elizabeth, it's been 24 days since Scooby has had ANY calcium. He's walking much better now, but still has his little leg tremors (all four), but it's not a constant. Not as bad as before. He's still getting warm baths every night for 20 min. Sometimes, when he's crawling into his wet hide, I'll see his back leg tremor a bit as he's pulling it in. He's shedding normally and his poop looks normal. I'm worried about this calcium deprivation though. When should I put him back on calcium?

Secondly, this pandemic has ME a bit worried about buying feeders right now. I have a number of dubias and mealworms to last a couple more months, but I am leery about ordering feeders from states that are getting hit hardest with this virus (CA - Rainbow Mealworms). Scooby hasn't had a cricket in a couple weeks now. I don't know if they closed our local PetSmart yet. I've only been going out once a week. I am the sole caregiver of my 89 year-old Dad, so this pandemic has me expecially worried, as you can imagine.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Okay, Elizabeth, it's been 24 days since Scooby has had ANY calcium. He's walking much better now, but still has his little leg tremors (all four), but it's not a constant. Not as bad as before. He's still getting warm baths every night for 20 min. Sometimes, when he's crawling into his wet hide, I'll see his back leg tremor a bit as he's pulling it in. He's shedding normally and his poop looks normal. I'm worried about this calcium deprivation though. When should I put him back on calcium?

Secondly, this pandemic has ME a bit worried about buying feeders right now. I have a number of dubias and mealworms to last a couple more months, but I am leery about ordering feeders from states that are getting hit hardest with this virus (CA - Rainbow Mealworms). Scooby hasn't had a cricket in a couple weeks now. I don't know if they closed our local PetSmart yet. I've only been going out once a week. I am the sole caregiver of my 89 year-old Dad, so this pandemic has me expecially worried, as you can imagine.

I'm sorry I've not gotten back with you for ages.

I'm happy Scooby's gait has radically improved. I don't know how long it takes to flush out excess calcium from Scooby's body. That's why I strongly recommend continuing Scooby's nightly 20 minute warm soaks.

1. Have you ordered Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 yet?
2. Lightly dust Scooby's prey with that for 1 feeding only.
3. Watch what happens during the following days.
4. If all looks good, repeat #2 2 weeks from now.
5. Again watch Scooby's reaction.
6. How did he react?

I still plan on ordering crickets from Armstrong's when I run out. Then there is Timberline's Crickets.

Here's a link specifically regarding tremors. I haven't read it in a long time and can't do so right now. Maybe this link will help Scooby too?

***** For link 135 click: UVB lighting for leos & beardies; shaky leo legs "cure"......Zux -- March 2017​

As far as I know PetCos and PetSmarts remain open to serve our critters. Here's a recent link.

Click: PetSmart and Petco Address COVID-19 Concerns
​

I send healthy wishes for you, your dad, and Scooby especially during these super stressful times. Hang in there! Having adequate daily vitamin D3 levels in our blood may improve our chances of winning against covid-19.

Click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=128&v=W5yVGmfivAk&feature=emb_title
Click: https://www.rocketcitymom.com/this-...akGhBjJiwd-BhcXdklKTr_BjCuIa7YQhsCoRd-YEv9Hmk​

 

[GeckoFanboy]

Hey Elizabeth,
I just wanted to give you an update on Scooby. It's been a year since his over-supplementation. I just wanted to add that I've made some changes in his diet and he has finally gotten rid of the tremors in his legs. I had been feeding all of my bugs Repashy Bug-Burger (which they claim is just food for bugs, period), but I was then gut-loading them with Repashy Superload (with fruits and veggies). I stopped doing that over the last year and just started feeding all of my bugs a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, period.

I have been using ZooMed Repti Calcium w/D3 and Reptivite to powder his bugs with. And I'm using ZooMed Repti Calcium (without D3) in a small dish in his tank. I still have two water dishes in his tank though. A small one near his moist hide and the larger one over in the corner of the cool side. On a side note, I have noticed the ZooMed powder is way more clingy on the bugs than the Repashy Calcium Plus. Because of this I have been powdering only half the bugs I feed him. He's doing very well.

I also finally bought him the Arcadia Pro T5 light. It's hovering over his warm hide. I just switched it to 13 hours the other day (spring is here).

PS - Didn't you tell me you can gut-load bugs with Bee Pollen? I was thinking of buying some with my next order of dubia roaches. I have also gotten into pet praying mantids, and I know that they like their bugs gut-loaded with bee pollen as well.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I would think I'm going to need to go back to the vet for this? They didn't draw blood or anything that I know of. I think they just did an X-ray to check for broken bones. I have no idea how they ruled out MBD, but they did. Visually from an X-ray?

Please take a 60 sec video of Scooby walking around on some solid surface like a carpet. I'd love to see his progress.

These x-rays are YOURS. Will they email you copies? I think that any bone x-ray would show it's density.

Hornworms are super-high in calcium!

Hornworms: Approximate nutritional content of hornworms (source Mulberry Farms)

• Protein: 9%
• Fat: 3%
• Calcium: 46.4mg/100mg
• Calcium : phosphorus ratio is 1:3. That ratio is quite low compared to other worms! [Phosphorus impairs calcium absorption. Serve plain or lightly dust hornworms with pure precipitated calcium carbonate (withOUT vitamin D3) to rebalance the calcium and phosphorus even further.]
• Moisture: 85%