Glenn Bartley
Herper & Shootist
Not being a Leo keeper I don't know if this could translate to lizards from snakes, especialy when it is an egg laying factory of a lizard, but here goes an example of what too much calcium may have done to a Gopher Snake.
Many years ago my female Gopher Snake was given two to 4 mice per week, each dusted slightly with calcium. This was when she was fed post brumation, but pre egg laying. I figured she could use the extra calcium to help form the shells of the eggs. I had bred her three years already without doing this but figured she could use the extra calcium after reading so much about it at that time. Well I was dismayed to see that that year when her eggs were laid, the eggs were covered with raised rough spots or tiny bumps. The eggs looked markedly thicker in the areas where these bumps were numerous. The next year the same thing happened, and I also had given here calcium supplementation that year. I also gave it to some other snakes that year, if I remember right a Corn Snake and a House Snake. The eggs of each of the other two types developed the same spots but not to the same degree as the Gopher Snake eggs. The gopher snake laid the same number of eggs as in years past, but her eggs did appear bulkier, and rough with these spots. Too bad for her that she had difficult laying that year. This was due to the last egg in her. After several hours longer than usual she wound up passing an abnormally very large egg that basically pulled out part of her insides. She ultimately had to be euthanized. This egg was crusted over with the bumps and was obviously thicker shelled in many areas than a normal egg. I stopped the calcium supplementation the next year next year for all my snakes, and guess what - no more uneven, thicker or bumpy eggs. Now I give my snakes some supplementation after they lay for one or two feedings and that is it for the year. Males get one or two dustings also in the summer of fall.
While I cannot prove, without experimentation, that the calcium was the problem, I believe it was. I did not use a lot either it really was a light dusting, but was given at every feeding on each mouse eaten. My mice, at that time, were often kept live by me and were also given vitamin/mineral supplementation. Too much of a good thing, and I believe that is why I lost a great snake.
Many years ago my female Gopher Snake was given two to 4 mice per week, each dusted slightly with calcium. This was when she was fed post brumation, but pre egg laying. I figured she could use the extra calcium to help form the shells of the eggs. I had bred her three years already without doing this but figured she could use the extra calcium after reading so much about it at that time. Well I was dismayed to see that that year when her eggs were laid, the eggs were covered with raised rough spots or tiny bumps. The eggs looked markedly thicker in the areas where these bumps were numerous. The next year the same thing happened, and I also had given here calcium supplementation that year. I also gave it to some other snakes that year, if I remember right a Corn Snake and a House Snake. The eggs of each of the other two types developed the same spots but not to the same degree as the Gopher Snake eggs. The gopher snake laid the same number of eggs as in years past, but her eggs did appear bulkier, and rough with these spots. Too bad for her that she had difficult laying that year. This was due to the last egg in her. After several hours longer than usual she wound up passing an abnormally very large egg that basically pulled out part of her insides. She ultimately had to be euthanized. This egg was crusted over with the bumps and was obviously thicker shelled in many areas than a normal egg. I stopped the calcium supplementation the next year next year for all my snakes, and guess what - no more uneven, thicker or bumpy eggs. Now I give my snakes some supplementation after they lay for one or two feedings and that is it for the year. Males get one or two dustings also in the summer of fall.
While I cannot prove, without experimentation, that the calcium was the problem, I believe it was. I did not use a lot either it really was a light dusting, but was given at every feeding on each mouse eaten. My mice, at that time, were often kept live by me and were also given vitamin/mineral supplementation. Too much of a good thing, and I believe that is why I lost a great snake.
