Quote:
Originally Posted by Envie
As a little update for my leo, well he's not constantly licking the gelatin like I first thought. He's actually sleeping on top of it. Which would actually make more sense since leo have the ability to regulate their own calcium intake. And wouldn't intentionally overdose on calcium.
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Thats only partially true. Leopard Geckos can only regulate their calcium intake when they are licking a direct calcium source. They can not however regulate the amount of calcium ingested when eating calcium rich crickets on top of the ingested calcium they themselves have been ingesting. (I hope that makes sense. lol)
Here is a good way to look at it. If someone were to dust their Leopard Geckos prey daily with calcium, the leo would eventually succumb to a toxic level of calcium in the blood stream (hypercalcemia). The leo is not capable of regulating what and how much of that ingested calcium its body needs.
If the crickets you are giving are dusted, eating calcium, and he is ingesting additional calcium, there is a great deal of calcium being ingested. Will this lead to hypercalcemia? I truthfully don't know as the amount of calcium ingestion would need to be monitored and known for certain. is it a possibility? Absolutely.
I actually believe he is laying on the quencher because it is moist. You said you removed his moist hide, so he is using what he has available to supplement it. Since the quencher isn't actually wet, like climbing in a water dish, it is a good alternative. lol
If you want to do a small science experiment with that quencher, try this out. Take a few blobs and toss them on a plate in a warm area of your house. In a few days, check on them. They should be crystalized and hard as salt rock. Now take them and toss them in a small container with some water and leave them. In a few hours, they will be blobs of glub again. They should reabsorb the moisture they lost.
I also want to mention that a cricket will not just nibble on a reptile if there is a wound healing. They nibble when no other food is present to eat. I would leave a small slice of potatoe or carrot in with them if you are going to continue leaving them in with the leo. Its better safe than sorry as a small bite CAN get infected.
