Supplements for baby geckos

[Muffins94]

We have repcal calcium with d3, one without for inside the cage, and the herptivite vitamin. For a baby gecko, what would be a good schedule for coating the feeders? For our adult gecko she gets calcium with d3 once or twice a week, and vitamins once a week along with calcium without d3 in the cage constantly. For a hatchling would it be the same? I know it varies by brand and product, and our adult has different brand stuff so that how's I know what schedule she should get. But I'm new to repcal products. Any help would be lovely

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I'm not sure about scheduling, but just as a side note, make sure you're providing the feeders with something high in vitamin A, since neither of your products contain any.

~Maggot

 

[Muffins94]

I'm not sure about scheduling, but just as a side note, make sure you're providing the feeders with something high in vitamin A, since neither of your products contain any.

~Maggot

The herptivite doesn't? Oh it doesn't. On the bottle is says it doesn't due to possible vitamin A overdose, that it contains beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A. What would be a good thing to provide the crickets that's high in vitamin A. We currently have the calcium water gel for hydration and for food I usually feed whatever veggies we have. I see they also now sell orange cubes for crickets.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

The herptivite doesn't? Oh it doesn't. On the bottle is says it doesn't due to possible vitamin A overdose, that it contains beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A. What would be a good thing to provide the crickets that's high in vitamin A. We currently have the calcium water gel for hydration and for food I usually feed whatever veggies we have. I see they also now sell orange cubes for crickets.

There's some very good evidence to suggest that leopard geckos can't convert beta carotene to vitamin A. I talked to one person who had used Herptivite and their gecko developed an ulcer on its lip from a vitamin A deficiency (vet verified). I know of another person who had used it without issue for a long time, but as soon as they stopped gutloading their feeders with carrots, their geckos started having bad sheds. Not saying you can't use it, but keep it in mind. The only food I know high in vitamin A is carrots, but I'm sure there are others out there.

~Maggot

 

[Muffins94]

There's some very good evidence to suggest that leopard geckos can't convert beta carotene to vitamin A. I talked to one person who had used Herptivite and their gecko developed an ulcer on its lip from a vitamin A deficiency (vet verified). I know of another person who had used it without issue for a long time, but as soon as they stopped gutloading their feeders with carrots, their geckos started having bad sheds. Not saying you can't use it, but keep it in mind. The only food I know high in vitamin A is carrots, but I'm sure there are others out there.

~Maggot

Okay thank you. That's the main thing I actually feed, carrots. Anyone else if they could give me how many times a week to use calcium and the vitamin??

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Okay thank you. That's the main thing I actually feed, carrots. Anyone else if they could give me how many times a week to use calcium and the vitamin??

Carrots are NOT good to feed the feeders because of their 1:2.3 ratio of Ca. That is totally the opposite of the 1.5-2.0:1.0 Ca ratio we wish to achieve in the feeders we give our leos.

Supplementation questions are complicated. Please check the recently updated section in my Leo Caresheet. Too much to repeat right here.

For good ideas about feeding and gutloading crickets and dubia click right here: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-feeding-issues/68574-cricket-guidelines.html