Leopard Gecko Supplement Schedule? D3 Confusion

[Jadel]

Seriously, I've been reading like crazy and just can't find a straight answer... so.. here I go

I have these:
Zoo Med Reptile Calcium without D3
Zoo Med Reptivite with D3

My original plan was keeping the calcium always available in the tank and dusting the worms with the Reptivite at every feeding, but further research shows that's probably not quite right. Do I need to buy another supplement? So confused! Primarily about the D3.

Also, I should be feeding my 7 month old male every other day as much food as he can eat in 10-15 minutes, right?

Some context -
He's my first reptile, a little skittish but I think he will tame faster than I will - since I flinch every time he blinks at me, I'm embarrassed to say lol.

All he's ever been fed was super-worms and mealworms per the previous owner. Once we are all on good terms for a few weeks, I will try to learn how to keep crickets... for now just one step at a time... please bear with me


ps yes I understand you all probably get asked this question daily, maybe even hourly... please be patient with me, I'm doing my best here lol! he's in a 20 gal terrarium, uth with thermostat, no lamp on tank, 3 hides (1 warm, 1 in the middle, 1 cool/moist), paper towel substrate for now, I think I've got the environment set up right... now all I need to do is figure out my feeding schedule and stop being afraid to touch him lol

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Seriously, I've been reading like crazy and just can't find a straight answer... so.. here I go

I have these:
Zoo Med Reptile Calcium without D3
Zoo Med Reptivite with D3

My original plan was keeping the calcium always available in the tank and dusting the worms with the Reptivite at every feeding, but further research shows that's probably not quite right. Do I need to buy another supplement? So confused! Primarily about the D3.

Also, I should be feeding my 7 month old male every other day as much food as he can eat in 10-15 minutes, right?

. . . . . .

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited! Take a deep breath and relax. Things should get easier.

• Have you a 20 long enclosure: 30 x 12 x 12 inches tall?
• Leos do best with three hides: warm dry, warm moist/humid, and cool dry.
• Supplements stick better to crickets than they do to mealworms or superworms!
• Zoo Med's supplements contain generous amounts of precipitated calcium carbonate that's sometimes lacking in other supplements.
• Too much calcium carbonate is counterproductive. It coats the digestive tract and prevents absorption of other nutrients.
• For leopard gecko research within GU, please click the Table of Contents link right below in my signature.

The 15 minute guidelines are OK. As your male gets older he will eat less. Keep the supplement schedule the same. If he's doing fine @ 13 mo, keep feeding him as much as he will eat. Reduce supplements to twice weekly as recommended in Schedule 126.

A wee pinch of Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins (with or without D3) is only meant for dusting @ 1 feeding per week! I prefer the following Zoo Med supplements, because vitamin D3 is much more forgiving than vitamin A acetate (retinol).

Vitamin D is fat soluble. It sticks around in a gecko's body. An adequate amount only needs to be consumed @ 1 feeding per week.


(click to enlarge)

Weekly Schedule 124 for Leopard Geckos 0-12 months old
(without UVB)​

Crickets or dubia >> Monday - lightly dusted with Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3
Mealworms >> Tuesday
Crickets or dubia >> Wednesday - lightly dusted with pure precipitated calcium carbonate (Zoo Med's Repti Calcium or NOW human brand calcium) without D3
Crickets or dubia >> Thursday
Crickets or dubia >> Friday - lightly dusted with Zoo Med ReptiVite multivitamins without D3
Mealworms >> Saturday
No food or free choice >> Sunday

Future weeks:
Continue on since all weeks are identical. . . . . .

For 124 click: Weekly Feeding & Supplement Schedule 124 for leopard geckos 0-12 months old

 

[Jadel]

I have the 24x18x12 exo terra
I moved the moist hide over to the warm side

I will follow that schedule and remove the calcium cap from the vivarium at the next cleaning... so... I need to buy Zoo Med Reptile Calcium with D3 and Zoo Med Reptivite without D3 by the looks of it... and not use my Zoo Med Reptivite with D3.

I think I follow, just trying to do my best here I did so much research before I got him, but then I found this forum and found a lot of things I thought was right was wrong. Like my UTH is 1/3 of the tank and I guess it's supposed to be half?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I have the 24x18x12 exo terra
I moved the moist hide over to the warm side

I will follow that schedule and remove the calcium cap from the vivarium at the next cleaning... so... I need to buy Zoo Med Reptile Calcium with D3 and Zoo Med Reptivite without D3 by the looks of it... and not use my Zoo Med Reptivite with D3.

I think I follow, just trying to do my best here I did so much research before I got him, but then I found this forum and found a lot of things I thought was right was wrong. Like my UTH is 1/3 of the tank and I guess it's supposed to be half?

Glad you found Geckos Unlimited! Often the internet's a zoo for leo info.

Sometimes pet stores accept returns when the item does not meet your pet's needs.

Warmth from the heat mat generates the humidity your leo needs in the warm moist hide. A warm moist hide is especially necessary if your ambient room humidity dips below ~45-50% on a regular basis.

If you wish, try out the 1/3 size heat mat. For a 24 x 18 x 12 inch Exo Terra an 11 x 17 inch Ultratherm heat mat works well! Place the 17 inches along the 18 inch width. Paperbacked Nashua aluminum tape works well to stick the Ultratherm heat mat to the glass.

When you heat half the floor your leo may be more active. Heat drops off quickly right off the heat mat. What you're left with is a large cool area. Ultratherm heat mats are TOPS! Ultratherm also recommends sandwiching the mat between the glass underneath and a styrofoam sheet. Exo Terra's are naturally raised above the stand. That provides good ventilation.

Vitamin D has a wider margin for safety than does vitamin A acetate (retinol).

I prefer to have D3 in my calcium supplement, not the multivitamin supplement.

You'll need

1. Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitaminis without D3
2. Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3
3. (Zoo Med's Repti Calcium without D3 like you already have or NOW brand human plain calcium. 12 ounces is fine, because plain calcium never expires.)
   • 

Amazon and the Reptile Supply Company based in California (info@ReptileSupplyCompany.com) stock Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins without D3.

For 132 click: Why I use and highly recommend Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 & Zoo Med's ReptiVite multivitamins without D3?

For 77 click: Gecko Multivitamins

For 112 click: Updated Cricket Care Guidelines II -- July 2018 update

 

[Jadel]

I did do enough research to get the ultratherm I think I’ll upgrade the heat mat in the future, but for now I will go with the one I have. He seems pretty active and he’s been eating great despite only have him a week. He’s a little skittish but for his age I think it’s totally fine. Just taking my time and hoping by the time I need to do the tank clean out he’ll let me hold him long enough to move him into a temporary tank without too much fuss!

Thank you so much for your help! I have ordered the correct supplements and will just hold on to the old multivitamins in case some emergency I can’t foresee arises. I bought it quite awhile ago from Amazon and I have already opened it anyway.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I did do enough research to get the ultratherm I think I’ll upgrade the heat mat in the future, but for now I will go with the one I have. He seems pretty active and he’s been eating great despite only have him a week. He’s a little skittish but for his age I think it’s totally fine. Just taking my time and hoping by the time I need to do the tank clean out he’ll let me hold him long enough to move him into a temporary tank without too much fuss!

Thank you so much for your help! I have ordered the correct supplements and will just hold on to the old multivitamins in case some emergency I can’t foresee arises. I bought it quite awhile ago from Amazon and I have already opened it anyway.

You're welcome, Jadel.

Best wishes for long lives together!

 

[Jadel]

Are there any other UTH brands you recommend? Apparently my math is awful, the one I have is not 1/3, it’s 8 x 6, and it’s Ultratherm, not Reptitherm... I can’t find an 11 x 17 Ultratherm on Amazon so I was thinking of going with Flunker’s 11 x 17? Or another Ultratherm if I can find it in that size. Would really like to order from Amazon but will shop around at local pet stores first - but I’ll be happy to order from a website I don’t know if you recommend it!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Please search Amazon again or phone them. Amazon has carried UltraTherm's 11 x 17 heat mat in the recent past. Fluker's 11 x 17 is not the same quality. The other place I know does not accept returns on any electrical products.

 

[Jadel]

It was out of stock when I looked yesterday, but is listed today at $34 + $5 s&h. I don’t mind paying that but it seems steep? I found it in beanfarm.com for $26 so I may just take the risk... never mind it’s sold out lol. I’m having bad luck.
I can find aluminum tape but none note paperbacked, does it matter that much? I was gonna grab the Nashua 322 multipurpose tape.

Thank you for your patience... will be getting something as soon as I can. I'm hoping the local ma & pa pet store will have them in stock but it seems all we have around here are Reptitherm.

 

[Jadel]

I went ahead and ordered the Fluker’s, when I tried Ultratherm it went out of stock again. I have a thermostat so i’m sure it will be fine, I’ll watch it very closely.

Thank you so much for pointing out the UTH, I seriously thought I was fine but your comment got me questioning it. My math is awful, can you even tell I have a degree?? He’ll have a new heater on Wednesday and be a much happier lizard. Soon I will start researching keeping crickets