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This is a very good web site that gives you solutions on how to help your turtle's calcium levels. I have included highlights of the site, however as you go to the web site you will see a lot more information regarding Calcium.
Calcium Deficiency in Reptiles and Amphibians (MBD, lizard, snake ...
Calcium Deficiency in Reptiles and Amphibians (MBD, lizard, snake, turtle, tortoise, frog, salamander, newt, soft, bone, swell, fracture, seizure, tremor)
www.triciaswaterdragon.com/calciumdeficiency.htm
One of the most common disorder is an improper balance of calcium and phosphorus in the diet resulting in hyper or hypo calcemia. Mbd can affect the internal organs as well as the bones.
When there is an imbalance of calcium in the diet (hypocalcemia or hypercalcemia) bones become weak and spongy. The affected bones will also enlarge, and have irregular outlines i.e. bumps and swellings. These bones will deform easily and may also fracture easily. As the calcium levels in the blood drop muscle tremors, tetany, and or asthenia occur. When the calcium level becomes critically low death from cardiac failure may occur.
If you think your reptile is calcium deficient Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Do you have a UVB florescent light over the reptile?
UVB florescent lights sold in pet stores and some health food stores such as reptisun, vitalight or iguana 5.0 produce UVB light in the 290 to 310 nm range. If your reptile is diurinal (active during the day, such as a water dragon or an iguana) you need this kind of lighting to ensure your animals health. You need this kind of light to help your reptile use the calcium in the diet properly. UVB lighting from an artificial source such as one of the tubes mentioned above, or from direct unfiltered sunlight helps the reptile make vitamin D2 in it's skin, which in turn is converted to an active form of vitamin D3. This self created vitamin D3 helps the animal use the calcium in it's diet efficiently.
The tube should be set up so that there is NO glass or plastic between the light and the reptile as these materials block the vital UVB rays. The light should also be set up so that it is no more than 10 or 12 inches above the reptile as it is most effective at that range. UVB florescent tubes only produce UVB light for 6 to 12 months. Even though they still produce UVB light, the UVB becomes greatly reduced with use as it nears a year of age. I recommend replacing UVB florescent lights every 8 to 12 months.
As always, if outside temperatures permit, getting a healthy reptile, or one that might have calcium deficiency outdoors for some exposure to sunlight is one of the best forms of therapy for the animal. If you take your reptile outdoors it should either be held securely in your hands, or in a screened cage. Never leave a reptile outdoors in a glass tank as it could easily overheat in the sun. Any outdoor cages used for reptiles should have good ventilation and a shady area so that the animal might have a chance to thermoregulate if it does become too hot. The shaded area might also make the reptile feel more secure when outdoors. 15 to 30 minutes of sun once or twice a week is recommended for a healthy animal, daily exposure would be best for one suffering from known or suspected calcium deficiency.
If the temperatures are too cool in your area to actually take the animal outdoors for some sunlight, you might try to set up a basking area in front of a sheltered (from wind) screened window. Place a heating pad in the window sill, and set up a basking lamp to warm the area and set your reptile in front of the window in the sunlight for a short while. Please make sure the window screen is secure. Metal screens are best.
I hope this helps. If you need further information, please feel free to contact me.
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Edited by JustAskTammy on September 27 2006 at 7:21pm
