[Hannibal]

I was wondering if anyone has tried the Rapashy SuperPig with their Phelsumas to see if it actually enhances their coloring? I'm getting 2 baby grandis this week from Tony (Terradas) and will be giving this a try with them and my other geckos.

[hexentanz]

I got some a few weeks back for my laticauda and nigristriata, so far I must say I'm pleased.

[Hannibal]

Thanks Maureen! I'm really looking forward to trying this. Since I love to photograph my geckos, will take before and progression photos to see if I can document any color enhancing.

[colinmelsom]

This wil be interesting to see.In my experience grandis colour up well anyway.It would be interesting to see if it works on other species where the blues and reds are not very bright.

[daggekko]

Is the superpig supposed to help enhance blue coloration as well?

[terradas]

Originally Posted by daggekko

Is the superpig supposed to help enhance blue coloration as well?

My understanding is it mainly brightens reds, oranges and yellows. I could be wrong though.

Andi, let me know if you have any luck. I have a mostly un-used bag I bought for my rhacs. I must have added too much to their MRP because when I add it in the food gets mostly ignored.

[lauraleellbp]

The superpig is already inside the other Repashy foods.

[daggekko]

My understanding is it mainly brightens reds, oranges and yellows. I could be wrong though.

Andi, let me know if you have any luck. I have a mostly un-used bag I bought for my rhacs. I must have added too much to their MRP because when I add it in the food gets mostly ignored.

Yeah I thought that it was really used for the red, orange, and yellow. Ever try adding less to see how they like it?

The superpig is already inside the other Repashy foods.

Yes, but from my understanding it is a very small amount. If you want better results you can use more of the superpig. I could be wrong as well!

Does anyone have good knowledge on spirulina? It has been a while since I've looked at the stuff, but from what I remember it is supposed to help blue and green colorations. I know fish products have it in them quite often. I used to add it(powder form) to my fruit fly cultures when I kept Mantellas. I'm not sure if it made a difference, but I wonder if you could mix a tiny amount to repashy foods and hopefully get bright blues and greens in the Phelsuma. The big question is if it would be ok in their diets.

[Istel]

Repashy Day Gecko Diet does contain small amounts of spirulina as well.

"Ingredients: Dried Honey, Whey Protien Isolate, Whole Dried Egg (denatured), Pea Protein Isolate, Rice Protein Concentrate, Dried Fig, Dried Date, Alfalfa Leaf Meal, Flax Meal, Dried Kelp, Spirulina Algae,..."

Repashy Superfoods - Day Gecko Meal Replacement Powder (MRP) - theGeckoBox.com

Considered a super-food of sorts it definitely would be interesting to see the long term effects of spirulina on Phelsuma. Just wanted to make another note on coloration in terms with SuperPIG, geckos and other reptiles;

Amphibian and reptile skin contains three kinds of color cells called chromatophores. The chromatophores occur in three discrete layers; the top most layer being generally made of xanthophores bearing yellow pigments. The middle layer consisting of iridophores, an iridophore being an iridescent chromatophore capable of a variety of colors. Lastly, the bottom layer contains melanophores, which is a pigment-producing cell that contains melanin - the darker pigments.

To keep it simple, reptiles and other animals can control color change in various degrees by the expansion or contraction, and in some cases the manipulation of all three of these distinctive layers as light passes through them. The vary of manipulation depends on the species as well as the health and overall husbandry of the animal in particular. Just like humans get a "glow" when they are happy and healthy it can be related to reptiles as well.

When providing a rich diet or supplementing with a color-enhancing additive such as SuperPIGyou are "enhancing" the yellow, orange or red abilities of these layers. In tern this benefits the overall coloration abilities since all light reflected back must travel through the up most yellow filter. This process goes into exceptionally more detail as you research it. Also, lighting is another vary important variable. But perhaps another topic.

In conlcusion; happy, healthy gecko = beautiful gecko. Same rule can apply in all walks of life

More Reading: Animals | Causes of Color

-Istel

[mcadoo]

Superpig definitely seems to brighten the red and orange color of my pumilio dart frogs and don't think it any effect on the blue or green frogs. I'm using now on my phelsuma and am hoping it will keep the pasteuri orange markings bright but I don't expect anything on the blue and green?