A quick question

[Andski]

Hello everybody, i'm new to these forums, and to reptiles as a matter of fact. I've finally purchased a leopard gecko, however the calcium issue is a little confusing to me, having never owned a reptile before. I'm aware of what the calcium is needed for, and also about d3. So here's my question.

I have a product called Komodo cricket dust, which is 99% calcium and contains no d3. I'm under the impression i dust the food in this 5 days a week. Can i also leave some of this in a dish in the vivarium?

Secondly i have nutrobal, which is a multivitamin and calcium balancer containing d3. I'm assuming i use this the other 1-2 days a week and i do not put this one in the vivarium 24/7?.

People seem to have very conflicting opinions on this. I'm just after a general guideline, i don't want to be giving my gecko the wrong things D: Many thanks

I should also add, my gecko is a juvinile.

 

[roger]

Hello everybody, i'm new to these forums, and to reptiles as a matter of fact. I've finally purchased a leopard gecko, however the calcium issue is a little confusing to me, having never owned a reptile before. I'm aware of what the calcium is needed for, and also about d3. So here's my question.

I have a product called Komodo cricket dust, which is 99% calcium and contains no d3. I'm under the impression i dust the food in this 5 days a week. Can i also leave some of this in a dish in the vivarium?

Secondly i have nutrobal, which is a vitamin containing d3. I'm assuming i use this the other 2 days a week and i do not put this one in the vivarium 24/7?.

If you know any other pure calciums i can use instead of komodo cricket dust, then please let me know, as it doesn't seem to coat the insects as well as i'd like D:. Many thanks

u are giving your leo too much calcium with D3.also your leo needs a multivitamin like MINER I. I give pure calcium every other day.i give the multivitamin once a week and i give the D3 once a month


Supplements

There is a variety of good vitamin and calcium supplements out there for reptiles. Here is what you need to know.

Always have a small dish of calcium without D3 available at all times in your geckos enclosure. Your gecko will lick the calcium as it needs it. You should dust your feeders once a week with a multi vitamin formulated for use with reptiles. Vitamin D3 should only be offered once or twice a month. It is a fat soluble vitamin that can build up in your geckos system. An overdose of D3 can cause kidney and liver damage as well as hypercalcaemia.

 

[Andski]

I'm giving it too much d3? Ok well nutrobal says "Calcium balancer and multivitamin. Contains D3 plus vitamins A, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and minerals Na, Fe, Co, I, Mn, Zn, Se and Cu." So you say to give multivitamin once a week and d3 once a month, but surely this is the d3 AND the multivitamin? So how often should i give this, as opposed to just pure calcium. This is quite confusing to me, i apologise.

 

[prettyinpink]

We all have different opinions on this subject. Did you happen to take a look at the caresheets? If you scroll down to the supplement sections of each one they all talk about it. Hopefully this will help you understand.

http://geckoforums.net/articles.php?c=115

 

[roger]

I'm giving it too much d3? Ok well nutrobal says "Calcium balancer and multivitamin. Contains D3 plus vitamins A, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and minerals Na, Fe, Co, I, Mn, Zn, Se and Cu." So you say to give multivitamin once a week and d3 once a month, but surely this is the d3 AND the multivitamin? So how often should i give this, as opposed to just pure calcium. This is quite confusing to me, i apologise.

Here's what I use. I use Repcal pure calcium daily.it has the blue label.Then I use MINER I it is a multi vitamin weekly .Than I use Repcal calcium with D3 phosperous fee.It is the pink label which I use monthly.Using D3 daily can cause harm to your l
Supplements.the bottom info is from a care sheet

There is a variety of good vitamin and calcium supplements out there for reptiles. Here is what you need to know.

Always have a small dish of calcium without D3 available at all times in your geckos enclosure. Your gecko will lick the calcium as it needs it. You should dust your feeders once a week with a multi vitamin formulated for use with reptiles. Vitamin D3 should only be offered once or twice a month. It is a fat soluble vitamin that can build up in your geckos system. An overdose of D3 can cause kidney and liver damage as well as hypercalcaemia.

eo.

 

[acpart]

As you can see, there is more than 1 way to do the supplementation. To generalize, leopard geckos need some calcium, small amounts of D3 and vitamins. How much D3 is too much is open to debate. I have read about the dangers of overdosing nocturnal geckos on D3 (since they don't get that much in the wild, being nocturnal with less sun exposure) but I have never read a report of this actually happening (that doesn't mean there is no such report, I just haven't read one). Some people think the gecko will self-regulate and take as much calcium as it needs if left in the tank; some people think the gecko will eat too much calcium. So what's to do? Pick one of the methods you've read about and use it. See how your gecko is doing with it. I'll include 2 methods I've been using. The first is what I do now and the second is what I provide to people who buy set-ups from me and what I used to do:
1. no calcium in the cage (except for hatchlings). Feeders dusted regularly with Repashy Calcium plus, which has calcium, D3 and vitamins
2. bottle cap of calcium without D3 in the cage; alternate dusting feeders with Repcal calcium with D3 and Repcal Herptivite

I hope this is helpful.

Aliza

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Since many of my geckos have different feeding needs, I found it less confusing to use Rephashy ICB Plus, a balanced all in one supplement. Babies and juvies get it daily, adults about every other feeding except pre or acively breeding females. Hatchlings have a small amount in their little dish along with mealworms. As they grow, I begin to wean them to small superworms. All our adults have superworms as their staple diet. We really like using the all in one supplement.

 

[roger]

Hello everybody, i'm new to these forums, and to reptiles as a matter of fact. I've finally purchased a leopard gecko, however the calcium issue is a little confusing to me, having never owned a reptile before. I'm aware of what the calcium is needed for, and also about d3. So here's my question.

I have a product called Komodo cricket dust, which is 99% calcium and contains no d3. I'm under the impression i dust the food in this 5 days a week. Can i also leave some of this in a dish in the vivarium?

Secondly i have nutrobal, which is a multivitamin and calcium balancer containing d3. I'm assuming i use this the other 1-2 days a week and i do not put this one in the vivarium 24/7?.

People seem to have very conflicting opinions on this. I'm just after a general guideline, i don't want to be giving my gecko the wrong things D: Many thanks

I should also add, my gecko is a juvinile.

Dont get to hung up on details.Everybodys different on the amounts.if u stay somewhat on course to what we've suggested u can tweak it your way.

 

[Dog Shrink]

I agree with acpart and orchidslave... I too use repashy calcium plus icb which is an all in one suppliment, BUT I was also keeping a dish of pure calcium in my leos tank as well. He developed a calcium bubble under his arm from TOO much calcium. I took the pure calcium out and now the bubble is all but gone. I was dusting once a week, now I do like orchidslave suggested with every other feeding and he is doing much better. I got my leo when he was 7 mos old he is now just 10 mos old.

Roger's way also works but for a first time herper I think easy is the way to go since most of the reptical suppliments need to be properly mixed as do some of the other non-all in one's (sounds like what you have is a non- all in one). If you can find Repashy calcium plus ICB or even the T-Rex brand (which is generally more widely available at local shops) is T-Rex complete leopard gecko dust you'd feel a lot more comfortable about dusting your leo.

 

[Andski]

Thankyou for all the help guys. This repashy calcium plus icb seems a very good idea. I've been reading up on it and from what i can see it, people seem very happy with it being the exclusive supplement. Being from the UK i think it's named a little differently, it's the T-rex leopard gecko dust correct? The sandfire superfoods one with the pink lid. Thankyou again for all the help

 

[Dog Shrink]

Yes. I posted a pic of it on the other repashy thread you left a message on just to confirm that was the one you meant 'cause it's also one I have mentioned on many other suppliment threads as a good repashy replacement if repashy can't be found.

 

[GeckoDude31]

Is calcium d3 different than viti d3? I have calcium without d3, and vitamin with d3 which is all I will use. This will work, right? I will use the vitamin d3 one a week and calcium every other day.