# Calcium Drops and Injections



## Ichigo (Sep 7, 2011)

Hello,

Everytime my Cockatiel lays eggs she gets very weak to the point I have to take her to the vet to get calcium injection.

My question is, is there a way for me to get that calcium injection supplement emergency cases that when that happen I can take care of it myself? which will cost me much less then a trip to the vet and spending each time hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

There is a shop owner that told me that I can buy those injections, however I didn't understand him so well, it cost about $40, but I think he said that it's different then those normal liquid calcium drops that you buy.

Someone know about this? could someone please explain it to me better?

I am aware that there is this liquid calcium drops which you put in water, but I am unsure if such treatment is effective enough in a daily recommended dose for her to avoid feeling weak due to laying eggs..

Could someone please enlight..


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Obviously something is missing out of her diet/environment that is causing her to have issues when laying. What is her diet like? Does she get FSL or natural sunlight that's NOT through a window? The calcium drops for birds would probably be a good idea for her but since she has issues, it would also be a good idea to prevent her from laying in the first place. http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330 This sticky explains hormone control techniques.


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## Ichigo (Sep 7, 2011)

Thanks for your answer!

I tried some things to avoid raising her hormones such as the day/night hours but none seem to have any effect. usually I know that she is about to lay eggs when she is flatting her back and making strange noises. actually the previous days I noticed her doing that every morning for a very long time on top of the cage where I put the calcium bone, she always did those streches and noises when she puts her butt on it sometimes. so when I moved it she stopped doing it, so this might have been what raised her hormones this time. but previous times she just did that everywhere so I can't rely just on that now. actually today she laid a second egg so probably she have to finish this clutch, luckily she doesn't really feel weak. previous time which was about 3 weeks I had to take her to the vet, 3 weeks after that which is now she started laying eggs again.. maybe because previous time she didn't lay more then 2 eggs and even didn't sit on it that she continues now. so I will just have to keep an eye.

I never have putted her at sun light.. can that help in stopping her laying eggs? how long should I at least put her there so she won't be baked? 

Her diet is simple from the usual you buy in pet stores.. nothing like vegetables.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It wont stop her laying eggs but it would help her so that she wont get weak when she does. You can leave her outside in her cage for about 30min a day. 

As to her diet she needs veggies as they're healthy for her. http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27479 This sticky has the best diet for cockatiels. It really does sound like she's missing something and this may help so that egg laying doesn't weaken her anymore.


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## Ichigo (Sep 7, 2011)

Are full spectrum bulbs proofen to work also? if so is there any product recommendation?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I use featherbrite for my birds and yes they work just as well as natural unfiltered sunlight.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Are full spectrum bulbs proofen to work also? if so is there any product recommendation?


You have to be careful to get a FS bulb that actually emits UVB. "Full spectrum" is a marketing term not a well-defined specification, so some FS bulbs provide the UV and some don't. There's detailed info in the sticky at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27549

P.S. There are calcium drops made for birds that will provide both calcium and D3 in an easily absorbed form. From http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-tieldiet.html#breeders :



> A liquid calcium product made specifically for birds may be helpful. There are several different brands (Calcivet is the best known) but they all seem to have the same formula: Liquid Calcium Borogluconate 33g/L with Vitamin D3 (2500 Lu/L) and Magnesium (MG ++7) 2g/L. It's good to have liquid calcium on hand when your birds are breeding; it can prevent calcium deficiency in your hen if she doesn't have access to other good sources of calcium and vitamin D, and a drop of liquid calcium placed directly in the beak will sometimes relieve egg binding. This type of calcium is very easily absorbed by the body. It's possible to overdose on calcium however, so liquid calcium should be used with caution.


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