UVA lighting? Vitamin overdosing?

[Sebbie2502]

So I bought a light for my soon to have leopard gecko and it’s a UVA light. And I was wondering if it will have the same effect as a UVB?

Also If it does have the same effect, would I still need to supplement D3?
Or would it lead to an overdose?

I’m getting a baby btw

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

So I bought a light for my soon to have leopard gecko and it’s a UVA light. And I was wondering if it will have the same effect as a UVB?

Also If it does have the same effect, would I still need to supplement D3?
Or would it lead to an overdose?

I’m getting a baby btw

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited, Sebbie!

UVA & UVB are different! Do you wish to use UVB from the beginning?

About how old is your young leo? Supplement advice depends so much on that.

Can you purchase a 20 long enclosure (30 x 12 x 12 inches tall or a 30 x 12 x 16 inches tall) for your young leo right from the beginning? The 16 inch tall enclosure provides sufficient room for a substrate level IF a naturalistic leo enclosure is in your plans.

 

[Sebbie2502]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited, Sebbie!

UVA & UVB are different! Do you wish to use UVB from the beginning?

About how old is your young leo? Supplement advice depends so much on that.

Can you purchase a 20 long enclosure (30 x 12 x 12 inches tall or a 30 x 12 x 16 inches tall) for your young leo right from the beginning? The 16 inch tall enclosure provides sufficient room for a substrate level IF a naturalistic leo enclosure is in your plans.

I was planning on using UVB from the start yes. But the only option I had was a UVA light
I have yet to purchase the gecko but I’m planning on getting a young one, hopefully a hatchling.

I have a 40 gallon enclosure so I’m good in that department

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I was planning on using UVB from the start yes. But the only option I had was a UVA light
I have yet to purchase the gecko but I’m planning on getting a young one, hopefully a hatchling.

I have a 40 gallon enclosure so I’m good in that department

I recommend setting up your enclosure with a proper heating gradient prior to getting your leo.

Please share the exact measurements of your 40 gallon, in inches, if possible. You may need Arcadia's 12 inch long ShadeDweller UVB with a reflective fixture + an adequate strength halogen bulb. I don't know where you can buy Arcadia products in Canada.

Often it takes a leo time to get accustomed to UVB. Until your 0-12 month old leo basks under his UVB "adequately", he'll need Schedule 124. Once he reliably basks under UVB ShadeDweller + halogen bulb, then switch to Schedule 154. Please read each schedule carefully.

• For link 124 click: Weekly Feeding & Supplement Schedule 124 for leopard geckos 0-12 months old
• For link 154 click: UVB Weekly Feeding & Supplement Schedule 154 for leopard geckos 0-12 months old

***** Find working links on this list:

Linked Gecko Care Articles

25 February 2023 (update) Hey there, Geckophiles ~ This thread, Linked Gecko Care Articles, contains random articles that may benefit your geckos or add joy to keeping them. This thread is informative only! Most other Geckos Unlimited threads are interactive. Enjoy! Liz #142 = Linked Gecko...

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​

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hello Sebbie ~

Please share the dimensions of your 40 gallon breeder. I have those lighting specs now.

What are your day & night room temperatures where your enclosure will sit? *C are fine. Google will convert them.

Setting up an enclosure with UVB + a halogen bulb for heat is expensive. Are you prepared for "sticker shock"?

Setting up your leo's 40 gallon breeder enclosure "old school" with one, preferably two, 11 x 17 Ultratherm heat mats and supplements will keep a leo healthy for years. One can always switch to UVB later. In fact, using heat mats at the beginning is much easier for a young leo. There is far less experimenting with products to get the correct ones.

1. Inkbird on/off thermostat -- one model accepts two heat mats
2. One, preferably two, 11 x 17 Ultratherm heat mats
3. 8.5 inch Fluker's dome
4. 15 watt bulb to provide a photoperiod IF your enclosure is in a darker area

 

[Keith]

I use UVB and feed unpowdered, gut loaded dubias. He has a bowl of supplemental powder in case he needs it, but I’ve never seen him use it. Going on 5 years with no issues so far.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I use UVB and feed unpowdered, gut loaded dubias. He has a bowl of supplemental powder in case he needs it, but I’ve never seen him use it. Going on 5 years with no issues so far.

Just curious, Keith. What do you use for your dubia gutload?

 

[Keith]

Just curious, Keith. What do you use for your dubia gutload?

They’re fed Repashy Bug Burger and whatevever vegetables/fruits I have around. Then 24h before feeding, I only allow them access to Repashy Superload.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

They’re fed Repashy Bug Burger and whatevever vegetables/fruits I have around. Then 24h before feeding, I only allow them access to Repashy Superload.

Here's Olimpia's Nutrition Chart I discovered some years ago right here on Geckos Unlimited.

\/ \/ \/
In addition to a balanced dry diet to cover the basics, offer your geckos' feeders some veggies and fruits from these lists.

Gutload Ingredients for Bugs & Worms . . . . . . thanks to Olimpia -- August 2013

"A commercial gut loading food like Bug Burger or Superload (both by Repashy), Cricket Crack, Dinofuel, etc. is going to make your life easier AND provide a nutritious diet to your crickets at the same time. Avoid Fluker's gutloads, as they are super feeble in their formulas.

"If you opt for making your own gutload at home, here's a list of great ingredients to use:
BEST: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion flowers & leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress, and alfalfa.
GOOD: sweet potato, carrots, (oranges), mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy, and green beans.
DRY FOOD: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed, and organic non-salted almonds.
AVOID AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates."

 

[Keith]

Here's Olimpia's Nutrition Chart I discovered some years ago right here on Geckos Unlimited.

\/ \/ \/
In addition to a balanced dry diet to cover the basics, offer your geckos' feeders some veggies and fruits from these lists.

Edit to add: oops, didn’t realize this was just for gut load, not staple diet! For gutload I only use Repashy superload with no other supplementation.

What is that based on? I’m not sure how much I agree with that list and believe it may be a bit outdated. The currently accepted wisdom and research demonstrates that Dubias are excellent at picking their own food based on need. As long as you feed a diverse diet, they will avoid bad foods and stick to what’s needed. Our table scraps to them consist mainly of bread, sweet potato, zucchini, apple, banana, orange, oats, jalapeños, onion and broccoli.

Of course, if you only feed dog food, they will eat the dog food Out of necessity. I also think powdered foods aren’t the best for all feeding since they can’t pick and choose what they need. If blending, it seems best to leave all foods grain sized so they can pick out what they want. My 2c.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Edit to add: oops, didn’t realize this was just for gut load, not staple diet! For gutload I only use Repashy superload with no other supplementation.��

What is that based on? I’m not sure how much I agree with that list and believe it may be a bit outdated. The currently accepted wisdom and research demonstrates that Dubias are excellent at picking their own food based on need. As long as you feed a diverse diet, they will avoid bad foods and stick to what’s needed. Our table scraps to them consist mainly of bread, sweet potato, zucchini, apple, banana, orange, oats, jalapeños, onion and broccoli.

Of course, if you only feed dog food, they will eat the dog food Out of necessity.�� I also think powdered foods aren’t the best for all feeding since they can’t pick and choose what they need. If blending, it seems best to leave all foods grain sized so they can pick out what they want. My 2c.

Sorry for my long delay, Keith. I don't know what Olimpia's source was.

I assumed Olimpia's recs were for general feeding of bugs and worms (a staple diet), NOT for a particular gutload 24 hours prior to feeding those off to geckos. For the 24-hour-prior-to-feeding-off diet (gutload), some folks increase the calcium content of that mix way beyond a healthy amount to keep feeders alive.

In the past some folks mixed dog and cat food into their insect gutloads! Some people even used fish flakes!!!

I think USDA has "kept" oat levels at the same levels as when I created this link despite the fact that the USDA (now FoodData Central) has a new link!

EXAMPLES OF HIGH PHOSPHORUS MEALWORM BEDDINGS!
Click: FoodData Central
Enter some food like wheat germ
Scroll down for calcium and phosphorus per 100 grams and compare

• Wheat Germ -- https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=wheat germ
  phosphorus 842
  ratio: 1 part calcium : 22 parts phosphorus
  
  
• Wheat Bran -- https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=wheat bran
  calcium 73
  phosphorus 1,013
  ratio: 1 part calcium : 14 parts phosphorus
  
  
• Oats -- https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=oatmeal
  calcium 54
  phosphorus 523
  ratio: 1 part calcium : 10 parts phosphorus

I'd love your help, Keith! IF you spot a particular food on Olimpia's list that doesn't seem correct, maybe a current USDA link can set things straight for adding or subtracting items, or just removing the link/info itself.

Since ~2015 I've finely ground Zoo Med's Natural ADULT Bearded Dragon Food for 24/7/365 feeding of all my crickets. I use the finest setting on my large Krups grinder. It still seems like my crickets "kick aside" what they don't prefer. What I've been doing seems to "build a better bug".

 

[Keith]

Sorry for the delayed response. I don’t have any studies to back anything I say up. I question it because I feed my dubias a lot of the fresh foods on her avoid list and my dubias breed and multiple fast. I don’t worry about anything being passed on to my gecko either since they’re loaded on only Repashy’s Super Load prior to feeding.

Interestingly, not a lot has been said about mushrooms. I grow mushrooms at home, and my dubias absolutely devour my old agar covered in mycelium and pins!

 

[icatsang]

Hi, please be aware that protein roaches counsuming beyond their immediate needs, is converted into uric acid and then stored in their body. Excess intake of uric acid by reptile animals can cause gout.

RESOURCES :: Reptile Articles :: Can Feeder Insect Diets Contribute To Gout In Reptiles? - Repashy Ventures - Specialty Pet Products

The Roach Revolution Revelation A theory about Reptile Gout The current trend of the increased usage of Cockroaches as feeders may have some unforeseen effects on Reptile Nutrition There are several reasons that Roaches have increased in popularity as feeders First the Cricket virus that nearly

www.store.repashy.com

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Sorry for the delayed response. I don’t have any studies to back anything I say up. I question it because I feed my dubias a lot of the fresh foods on her avoid list and my dubias breed and multiple fast. I don’t worry about anything being passed on to my gecko either since they’re loaded on only Repashy’s Super Load prior to feeding.

Interestingly, not a lot has been said about mushrooms. I grow mushrooms at home, and my dubias absolutely devour my old agar covered in mycelium and pins!

Keith ~
I think I discovered the source of Olimpia's chart! Scroll down this url to find it!

Click here: http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2014/07/the-anatomy-of-gut-loading-ingredients.html