Making Calcium Powder

[CrowsCaw]

None of the pet stores around me sell calcium powder without d3. And the calcium powder readily available here is made from ground oyster shells. So I was wondering if I let egg shells dry and bought a cuttlebone and ground them up if that would be a good enough calcium source for my Argentine black and white tegu and my two beardies. And how would that stack up against other calcium powders? What is better; cuttlebone, oyster shells, or egg shells? I am also feeding them small mice. Fuzzies for all of them since my tegu is only 8 in from nose tip to vent.

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If I spread a liquid calcium out on wax paper and let it dry would I get a reside I could turn into powder? They refuse any food with the liquid in it. Or could I coat the eggshells in it, let it dry, and then grind them up? I could even bake the shells to remove any bacteria

 

[james.w]

Just order it online.

 

[Thelegendofcharlie]

It can be had on eBay pretty inexpensively.
If you do choose to make it yourself, eggshells are the best and easiest bet.
Oyster shell is almost insoluble and is notorious for being contaminated with heavy metals which can wreak neurological havoc among other things.
It should be stated that the same is true for cuttle bone but to a lesser extent.
As for calcium content it runs about the same with egg shells having slightly more calcium content than cuttle bone.
If you do get one online I would recommend zoo med as it is a soluble source (bonemeal) not likely to be contaminated and having a comparable calcium content.
If you decide to make it yourself,
Happy blending!

 

[Dubya]

None of the pet stores around me sell calcium powder without d3. And the calcium powder readily available here is made from ground oyster shells. So I was wondering if I let egg shells dry and bought a cuttlebone and ground them up if that would be a good enough calcium source for my Argentine black and white tegu and my two beardies. And how would that stack up against other calcium powders? What is better; cuttlebone, oyster shells, or egg shells? I am also feeding them small mice. Fuzzies for all of them since my tegu is only 8 in from nose tip to vent.

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If I spread a liquid calcium out on wax paper and let it dry would I get a reside I could turn into powder? They refuse any food with the liquid in it. Or could I coat the eggshells in it, let it dry, and then grind them up? I could even bake the shells to remove any bacteria

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Bone meal can be had from feed stores or online.

 

[Dana C]

I have used ground egg shells for a while now. Between them and bone meal, the calcium from them is pure calcium carbonate. I dry them with the membrane intact and use and electric coffee grinder to powder them. If your tegu gets plenty of UVB you shouldn't need extra D3. I have read that oyster shell calcium is harder to utilize in both our and their systems. I am sure that cuttlebone would be fine but it seems like it would be a chore finding it and grinding it.

If your tegu is a yearling or a little younger, chicken wings separated at the joints are a great source of calcium as they are largely bone. Then there is the fun factor of watching a tegu postition it so it can be swallowed.