GliderCENTRAL

Calcium/Phosphorus ratios

Posted By: Anonymous

Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/26/05 02:36 AM

This is sooooo Silly, But how do I know if I am Maintaining a positive Calcium/Phosphorus ratio? I understand about giving them the Calcium Supp and the Repcal Supp with thier food - but I do not want to give them to much or to little.

I look forward to your replies.
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/26/05 06:15 AM

Have you got your gliders on one of the diets from the diet links? They are all formulated to give a proper ca:ph ratio. I know the BML is around 3:1 Ca:ph, to offset the higher phosphorus foods like corn and mealworms. If they're on one of those, like Suncoast (zookeeper's secret), BML, or Darcy's Diet (Ensure), and you follow it exactly, as directed, you shouldn't have to worry unless you feed an extreme amount of phosphorus heavy items with the diet. Without knowing exactly what you feed them, it's hard to say.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/26/05 03:30 PM

Yes I follow the BML exactly. Thanks for reassuring me. I just did not know if I should sprinkle some Calcium on their snacks such as fruits and mealies.
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/27/05 01:11 AM

No, the BML especially is formulated to account for that. Even with the worms as is it still ends up an overall 2:1 in favor of calcium. No extra required. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Charlie H

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/27/05 10:47 AM

Since no one actually knows the exact calcium/phosphorus requirements of a sugar glider all we have to go on is the track record of the diets that have been around for a while. There is so much emphasis placed on the C/P ratios of diets that people seem to overlook the other vitamins and minerals that affect calcium absorption.

While the addition of calcium and vitamins seem to be critical to a captive gliders diet, I feel that we are doing an overkill with the supplements. There is no way we can duplicate the gliders wild diet. And even if we could we do not know if it would be the best diet for a glider.

Since we have seen so many gliders with damage to their livers in the past few years it leads me to believe that we are over using the supplements in our gliders diets. This is not a scientific study. Just an observation by me from reading the boards and dealing with multiple rescues.
Charlie H
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/27/05 02:46 PM

I agree Charlie. I have noticed that too. It is very confusing as having too much can be just as bad as not having enough. We all do the best we can with the info we have but we all need to be on the look out and open to changes that happen in regard to the health of our kiddos. You never really know who to trust but I think we are beginning to get some good health info out there. Scientific studies take time but give some good info. But boards like this help a lot in learning what we need to know as it helps to get info out to those who need to have it.

So stick with those proven diets but look for new info and improvements too!!!
Posted By: Charlie H

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/28/05 12:23 AM

One of the problems we have is how much is too much. We have a little female glider that was rescued with metabolic bone disease. She was very deficient in calcium and the bones had deteriorated to the point that she could not even walk. In an effort to save her mega doses of calcium were prescribed. She made a full recovery and the bones fused back together where they were broken. A few weeks later we had a blood test done and she has five times the normal amount of calcium in her blood. As a result she has an excessive amount of calcium in her liver.

We have had our vet consult some of the leading glider vets in the US and they agree that at this time we should take all supplements out of her diet and just do the wait and see.

This is where the confusion comes in. It has long been a standard practice to give a calcium deficient glider extra calcium to restore them back to normal. As we have found in this case the extra calcium was apparently too much. But what would be the proper dose? One vet informed us to not worry about overdosing with calcium. She said the glider would pass the excess through the kidneys and urinary tract. Obviously this did not happen here.
Charlie H
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Calcium/Phosphorus ratios - 04/28/05 07:29 PM

Thank you all for the great information.
© 2024 GliderCENTRAL