Crushed freshwater oyster shells as calcium- works? Avoid?

[slugs]

So, I know, as any good snail owner should, that snails need a constant source of calcium, especially as they’re growing. I also know that cuttlebone is generally the best source for this. However, I’m in a rough situation. I live very far (nearly 900 miles / 1448 km) from the nearest ocean, so cuttlebone prices are very high here. Right now, I have a paste made from finely-crushed eggshell in a small bowl in the tank. However, I don’t consume many eggs and dont offer them to my babies often either (i opt for beans as protein as mine wont touch egg). This makes eggshells not very sustainable long term for me. However, I live by many freshwater ponds and have a large population of raccoons that have learned to fish up freshwater oysters. This leaves me with hundreds of freshwater oyster shells just piled in trash bags in my basement, to be sold for crafty purposes or given to be chewed by rats and whatnot. I was wondering, if i were to crush up the oyster shells like I do the egg shells, could that make an acceptable calcium source? I know this is given to chickens, so I figured it could make a good source of calcium. Of course I would boil them for a good time first to ensure any bacteria is gone. But, as they’re both mollusks, I figured it could work? But of course its best to check with others to see if theres any success

[Liguus]

If you crush them up into a good powder and reform them into cubes it may work. I don't have any first hand experience since I could never crush them up into a fine enough powder without needing to seek out something like a "heavy duty" coffee grinder to use after manually smashing them with a hammer. The main issue is that the oyster shells are very hard, so in their natural form or even in a small gravel style form, it's something snails will not really be able to rasp at or get a suitable amount of calcium from. Should be as close to a powder as you can get it, but then you may have problems binding it all together into one block they can choose to rasp at.

Depending on your budget you could try to get limestone flour and form that into cubes. (very easy, you just add water until it's the consistency of flour and shape it then let it dry). Crayfish Empire is currently selling calcium powder 1 lb for $4 www.crayfishempire.com/collections/foods/products/calcium-carbonate-1

and also $3 for 2 lbs of calcium chips already formed if that fits the budget better. www.crayfishempire.com/products/calcium-chips?_pos=1&_sid=1afb0ff73&_ss=r

or 11oz free, just cover shipping www.crayfishempire.com/collections/foods/products/11oz-free-calcium-cover-shipping

[slugs]

Nov 28, 2020 16:40:10 GMT Liguus said:

If you crush them up into a good powder and reform them into cubes it may work. I don't have any first hand experience since I could never crush them up into a fine enough powder without needing to seek out something like a "heavy duty" coffee grinder to use after manually smashing them with a hammer. The main issue is that the oyster shells are very hard, so in their natural form or even in a small gravel style form, it's something snails will not really be able to rasp at or get a suitable amount of calcium from. Should be as close to a powder as you can get it, but then you may have problems binding it all together into one block they can choose to rasp at.

Depending on your budget you could try to get limestone flour and form that into cubes. (very easy, you just add water until it's the consistency of flour and shape it then let it dry). Crayfish Empire is currently selling calcium powder 1 lb for $4 www.crayfishempire.com/collections/foods/products/calcium-carbonate-1

and also $3 for 2 lbs of calcium chips already formed if that fits the budget better. www.crayfishempire.com/products/calcium-chips?_pos=1&_sid=1afb0ff73&_ss=r

or 11oz free, just cover shipping www.crayfishempire.com/collections/foods/products/11oz-free-calcium-cover-shipping

I found some stuff locally, its an off brand reptile calcium powder for way cheaper than I would’ve expected- most of our reptile-branded items here are way overpriced. A single 4oz jar of name brand powder is usually 20-40 USD! Because of that, never thought about it before, was just looking at hides in the isle over and it caught my eye. I’ll try the shaping method and see how that works, I’ve given any powders as a paste-like consistency before with isopods, but never offered calcium to snails before as these are my first snails that aren’t even here yet. Will update with results in a day or two

[slugs]

Update:

Formed the calcium into a little disk, snapped off a small piece and put it in the tank next to their food. They’re absolutely going to town! White poops everywhere. I’m glad its working well for them- not having a solid calcium supply was a big worry of mine.