One of the things that all chemical compounds must supply is a sheet of information for safe handling. This sheet is referred to as a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

While I was in the union, we had to familiarize ourselves with these sheets because of the various chemicals we used during construction. I decided to do some research on calcium carbonate and seek out a MSDS on it.

This sheet is provided by Mallinckrodt Baker Inc. (J.T Baker)

Mallinckrodt Baker is a global manufacturer and supplier of chemicals with customers in some of the most advanced and demanding technology fields of our day, including laboratory research, microelectronic devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology therapeutics.

This is what they have listed on their MSDS sheet.

Inhalation:
Excessive concentrations of a nuisance dust may cause nuisance condition such as coughing, sneezing, and nasal irritation.
Ingestion:
Non-toxic.
Skin Contact:
Not expected to be a health hazard from skin exposure.
Eye Contact:
No information found, but presumed to cause mechanical irritation.
Chronic Exposure:
Excessive oral doses of calcium carbonate may produce alkalosis and hypercalcemia.


Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES; LAB COAT; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES

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Here we have employees dealing with this mineral being instructed to wear protective gear to help limit exposure. How is it that we can place our reptiles on this stuff, with no protection, and expect them to not have any diverse reactions to the constant exposure.

When these companies began processing pure calcium carbonate for use with reptiles, they simply "assumed" it would be the ideal substrate as it was made of the very mineral that many reptiles lack the proper exposure too. They never took the time to sufficiently investigate the adverse reactions that could transpire from constant exposure and ingestion.

Since it isn't safe for humans to have constant exposure to, why would anyone believe it would be "ok" for reptiles to have constant exposure to?

Just thought I would toss out this random info for those that would like to know. lol

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Very good info. Knowledge is power.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

Oh my, that is a little absurd! People are supposed to wear protective gear when handling this stuff, but its ok for your reptiles to be in it 24/7? That sounds a little ignorant to me, lol.

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

I am still extremely interested in continueing this discussion. I am also VERY interested in aquiring information from experiences with anyone that may have had vet visits that resulted in a diagnoses of impaction or hypercalcemia from this stuff.

I would greatly appreciate it if everyone who knows ANYTHING about this stuff or people that have had bad experiences with it to please chime in.

If you have medical documents, or can get them from your vets, please contact me. Of course, the medical documents would have to be of your animals care so I can use them for what I am preparing.

I am also working with a local animal hospital to aquire permission from some patients to use their medical documents.

I need as much info as I can get my hands on.

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The only question I have is if they're talking final product, or if the MSDS is for the chemicals as they're being processed.

If it's the final product, that's a scary thought. Although, in their flimsy defense, anything having to do with chemicals at all usually have warnings such as those so that if someone not in gear gets hurt, they aren't legally responsible.

All told, though, I want to stay as far as humanly possible from it.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

All chemical compounds are required to have these sheets. If there are no diverse reactions to the compound though, thats all it says. It won't list anything unless there are known or related issues.

The true issue with most compounds comes from repeated exposure in unsafe conditions. That is actually the essence of why I dislike this stuff so much.

If people were using it as a temporary substrate that they already had, it likely would have almost no effect on the animal as the exposure would be very limited.

The issue is with the repeated use and exposure. Constant ingestion of calcium, in any form, is actually toxic. This stuff is calcium in one of its purest forms. These animals are subjected to repeated ingestion and dust inhalation daily. Its the long term effects that most people will see, if at all.

Lets say someone has been using this stuff for 8 years and their leo dies one day. Since their leo died at 8 years old, most herpers would believe that their leo lived a long life and died of "old age". The fact is, a leo that dies before the age of 15 (which could still be questioned) has expired early. It wasn't a "long" life.

Most people don't follow up with a necropsy or blood tests to find the reason for the early demise.

Those are the same people that jump online and talk about how safe the stuff is. After all, their Leopard Geckos or dragons, etc. have been on it for 5+ years and they are fine. The truth is, they likely are not fine. They likely have already lost massive amounts of their lifespan and I would be willing to bet that every animal kept on this stuff for 5+ years has a developing impaction of some sort. I would also be willing to bet that they all have hightened calcium in their bloodstreams and are borderline hypercalcemia.

I guess I look at things from a rational perspective. When we tell people to supplement their animals with vitamins and calcium, we suggest "x" amount of supplementation per week. Why in the world would allowing the animals to ingest this stuff regularly be safe when we all know that actually supplementing calcium more than x times a week can be lethal?

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Here is a kicker,,, you go to the pet store and buy your baby Bearded Dragon and all of the recommended things they tell you, you need to have. So you buy your calci sand AND the calcium supplements they recommend you have. So now they are ingesting the stuff and more calcium is being put on its food. what a very interesting thought. I know, back in the day, when this happened to me I was supplementing the food too with the calcium. This whole thing has me in very deep thought, lol

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead