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Thread: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

  1. #1
    Mrw7749
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    Default Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Hi there,
    Are there any Supplement Dusting products available in NZ? (Question mostly directed at Ebony)
    If not can you use other everyday products or anything? And how would i be able to tell if my frogs were short on nutrients and needed supplements?
    I have 2 Whistling tree frogs and they seem to be fine (apart from an eye infection)


    (I was previously the member Leethefrogman but that account was linked to my dads email for some reason, so I made a new account )

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  3. #2
    100+ Post Member Ebony's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Hi Lee. There is the Northlands Mall pet shop in Ch Ch that mainly deals in Bearded dragons and Blue Tongue lizards who I think sells it. Ive seen it on trademe as well. To tell you the truth I had never heard of calcium dusting until I joined this Forum. Ive been thinking about looking into doing this as well but want more info first. Most of the frogs I own ive had as tadpoles and now are over five years old.

  4. #3
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Well, you can order internationally for supplements or take human supplements (vitamin D3 & A, calcium) and powder them. I think you may be better off ordering them.

  5. #4
    jtay
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Hi there,

    I'm in Auckland and most pet shops with a good reptile area have dusting powders. Most of them are marketed towards reptiles but as you can read on packaging are also for amphibians.
    Fluker's is a well known one. They do a calcium powder with or without vitamin D3 - depends on your animals UV exposure and requirements. They also do a multi-vitamin spray and probably more I have not encountered. I have seen these products at Animates stores, and also at Bird Barn in Henderson. I got the calcium + D3 powder for my green and golden bell frogs - have only used it a couple times when I catch moths - they are easy to dust compared with flies!

    My understanding is that Whistling tree frogs are nocturnal so if you were to get a calcium powder go for the one without vitamin D3 as it is unlikely they require the extra D3 for calcium absorption - check on that though!
    Remember too much can be just as bad, if not worse, than not enough when it comes to vitamins and minerals (apparently especially for D3).
    If you are feeding your frogs a balanced and varied diet they probably wont need supplements, but are handy to have around when variety of food is scarce.

    Hope that helps

  6. #5
    100+ Post Member Ebony's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Hi jtay, Thanks for that info. Would you no how to tell if frogs are lacking in calcium? and if frogs were getting enough variety? I do give all my frogs a wide range of foods but not sure if that's enough.

  7. #6
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Hypocalcemic frogs have a tendency to be low in energy and spend a lot of time sleeping on the bottom of the enclosure. At least thats the case in Hylids. An radiograph will definitely show any hypocalcemia in your frog.

  8. #7
    100+ Post Member Ebony's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Hi Kurt, Sorry but what is an radiograph? What are your views Kurt, do you think i should start dusting my guys food?

  9. #8
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    I would. I am sorry, radiographs are the proper name for x-rays.

  10. #9
    100+ Post Member Ebony's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    OH...X-ray...Doh!...Thanks Kurt

    I will definitely start dusting then. When I feed my frogs flies I freeze them for a minute to sort the sizes for different sized frogs, would it work dusting them while frozen? cos they will be slightly damp then the powder would probably stick OK. Can I dust meal-worms also? Do I have to mist the bugs to get the powder to stick? Sorry for all the questions Kurt .

  11. #10
    100+ Post Member Ebony's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Kurt...Is this what i should use? Have you heard of this particular brand?

    JurassiCal is a concentrated (400,000 ppm) phosphorus free source of calcium for reptiles and amphibians.

    Herbivorous and carnivorous diets are frequently calcium deficient and phosphorus rich.

    Thus, it is of no benefit to use a calcium supplement containing phosphorus. Ideally the dietary calcium to phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio should be no less than 1.2:1 and is ideally maintained from 2:1 up to 8:1 (depending on the species)*.

    Lack of calcium in the diet can lead to metabolic bone disease and shell deformities and soft shells in turtles and tortoises.

    Jurassical is also Vitamin D3 free. Although Vitamin D3 is necessary for calcification (biological incorporation of calcium into bone, shell, etc.), excessive amounts can be toxic and may lead to hypercalcemia.

    To ensure compatibility with JurassiVite (which does contain Vitamin D3 in the safe cholecalciferol form) and to aid in maintaining the correct calcium to phosphorus ratio, JurassiCal does not contain either phosphorus or Vitamin D3.


    Guaranteed Analysis
    Calcium (min) 36%
    Calcium (max) 40%
    Ingredients: calcium carbonate

  12. #11
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    I don't know about flies and freezing, sorry. I have found that powders don't stick too well to mealworms and wetting them won't work either, as they breathe through spiracles in their exoskeleton. Wetting them and then powdering them will block those spiracles, killing them.

  13. #12
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Whats the point of calcium without D3? I have never seen a case of hypercalcemia. Hypocalcemia, yes, but never hypercalcemia.

  14. #13
    jtay
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ebony View Post
    Hi jtay, Thanks for that info. Would you no how to tell if frogs are lacking in calcium? and if frogs were getting enough variety? I do give all my frogs a wide range of foods but not sure if that's enough.
    Hi Ebony,

    Sorry about delay in reply.
    I have a book titled Keeping Frogs by Mark Davidson. It's about keeping Australian frogs in captivity. There is some info about supplements and signs of deficiencies in it.
    Here is a paragraph on Calcium Deficiency.

    "Soft bones/ Metabolic bone disease

    This occurs only when frogs are not obtaining sufficient calcium & vitamin D3 in their diets (see Feeding & Lighting). Calcium deficiency shows up as uncontrollable twitching & spasms of the back legs. Affected frogs will be obvious, as they have trouble moving about the tank. They may be hunched or twisted, but by the time this is noticed, it may well be too late for remedial treatment (it is possible though for vets to administer an injection of calcium under certain circumstances).
    Prevention in the form of calcium powder right from the start is the key."

    Another part in the book reads that D3 is in insect livers so it is not so important to include that with supplements, as an excess of D3 can lead to kidney failure & arthritis.

    In my opinion the age and appearance of your frogs indicate to me that they are healthy as. But adding calcium powder to their diet is a good thing.

    Jess

  15. #14
    100+ Post Member Ebony's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Thanks jtay, Kurt. I think i will look for the well known brand (Fluker's) that you suggested jtay. The JurassiCal was one that i saw on trade me so may not be what it should be. Thanks for your help.

    Oh Kurt, about the freezing flies... I have a fly catcher and if i put the fly catcher in the freezer for a minute it sends the flies to sleep for a short time so i can shake them out and sort the sizing for my frogs. It works really well and when they wake up they are in the enclosure and start flying around. It works with most insects.

  16. #15
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Cool.

  17. #16
    Julia
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    Remember too much can be just as bad, if not worse, than not enough when it comes to vitamins and minerals (apparently especially for D3).

    Hypocalcemic frogs have a tendency to be low in energy and spend a lot of time sleeping on the bottom of the enclosure.

    My Whites have been sleeping at the bottom of their enclosure. I read about Hypocalcemic frogs in a previous thread. So I increased the calcium dusted crickets from once a week to every feeding. Now I read that you can over do it...so my question is,

    If I feed my Whites two crickets every other night, then how often should the crickets be dusted with calcium/d3?

  18. #17
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Are there any supplement dusting products in NZ?

    I dust every time I feed. Not all the dust will make it into the frogs mouth, as I place many crickets in at a time. I have had no problems with this method.

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