Calcium Question

[gbwms]

Hi!
I was wondering how often I should be giving my leopard gecko calcium. I have calcium with D3, which is also the only kind available at our pet store. Should I be giving him any supplements besides calcium?
Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[GeckoManiac91]

I give my leopard Gecko Calcium+D3 every time I feed crickets which is about 4times a week. There is much debate over the whole D3 thing however this is how I do it. You may wanna read more into it and develop your own opinion I would actually greatly appreciate it if someone would give me some insight into there opinion on usingCalcium+D3 on a regular basis and maybe any advice?

I also leave just a cap of plain Calcium in my leopard gecko tank as well and then once a week I use a multivitamin to dust the crickets.

I'm by far no expert with this, this is just what I do and my preference

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi!
I was wondering how often I should be giving my leopard gecko calcium. I have calcium with D3, which is also the only kind available at our pet store. Should I be giving him any supplements besides calcium?
Any advice is much appreciated.

Hi ~

What brand of calcium with D3 have you? Each contains widely varying levels of vitamin D3.

I recommend ONLY lightly dusting with a D3 containing calcium no more than 2x weekly.

Zoo Med's Reptivite with D3/A acetate is my preferred vitamin. In that case, lightly dust with the Reptivite 1x weekly according to the instructions on the container and the calcium with D3 the other time weekly.

Check my Cricket Guidelines on GU for more complete advice.

 

[GeckoManiac91]

I

Hi ~

What brand of calcium with D3 have you? Each contains widely varying levels of vitamin D3.

I recommend ONLY lightly dusting with a D3 containing calcium no more than 2x weekly.


Zoo Med's Reptivite with D3/A acetate is my preferred vitamin. In that case, lightly dust with the Reptivite 1x weekly according to the instructions on the container and the calcium with D3 the other time weekly.

Check my Cricket Guidelines on GU for more complete advice.

Hi there, sorry to butt into this thread but while we're on this topic I have a quick question for you Elizabeth if you wouldn't mind giving me some advice

So keeping in mind the supplement scheduled I already shared on here would you think I should reduce the amount D3 I'm giving?
I have Exo-Terra Calcium and Caclium+D3 and for Vitamins I have Zoo Med Reptivite!

 

[cricket4u]

I

Hi there, sorry to butt into this thread but while we're on this topic I have a quick question for you Elizabeth if you wouldn't mind giving me some advice

So keeping in mind the supplement scheduled I already shared on here would you think I should reduce the amount D3 I'm giving?
I have Exo-Terra Calcium and Caclium+D3 and for Vitamins I have Zoo Med Reptivite!

To make it easier for Elizabeth, post pictures of the 3 bottles or search for them on the internet and paste the links.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I give my leopard Gecko Calcium+D3 every time I feed crickets which is about 4times a week. There is much debate over the whole D3 thing however this is how I do it. You may wanna read more into it and develop your own opinion I would actually greatly appreciate it if someone would give me some insight into there opinion on usingCalcium+D3 on a regular basis and maybe any advice?

I also leave just a cap of plain Calcium in my leopard gecko tank as well and then once a week I use a multivitamin to dust the crickets.

I'm by far no expert with this, this is just what I do and my preference

I

Hi there, sorry to butt into this thread but while we're on this topic I have a quick question for you Elizabeth if you wouldn't mind giving me some advice

So keeping in mind the supplement scheduled I already shared on here would you think I should reduce the amount D3 I'm giving?

Yes, definitely reduce what you have been doing! Any D3 containing supplement should be lightly dusted onto prey no more than 2x per week total.

I have Exo-Terra Calcium and Caclium+D3 and for Vitamins I have Zoo Med Reptivite!

Have you the Zoo Med Reptivite with or without vitamin D3?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-feeding-issues/68574-cricket-guidelines.html

Cricket Guidelines
Hassle-free Cricket Care
ElizabethFreer@aol.com
Geckos Unlimited/Pacific Northwest Herpetological Society
20 June 2013 (amended)
(www.GeckosUnlimited.com)

Take a suitably sized container, for instance, an extra large Kritter Keeper or a 56 quart Sterilite bin. Place a good quality all purpose poultry feed (Albers All Purpose Poultry Feed) and alfalfa hay on the bottom of the cage. Add your crickets. Next cover with a double layer of egg cartons. On top of the egg cartons place a paper towel. Spray the paper towel generously every other day. Keep crickets between 70 F and the mid 80s. They will grow faster if warmer, but do fine at 70 F. If room temperatures exceed 85 F spray the paper towel daily.

Spraying the paper towel is a good way to provide moisture for your crickets and save them from perishing from too much moisture.

Feed crickets an All Purpose Poultry Feed (Albers' contains about 16% protein, 3% fat, & vitamin A acetate), alfalfa hay (“Hay-Kob”: 800-332-5623), collard greens, and dandelion greens. General Mills' dry cereal whole grain TOTAL can be used in a pinch.

To make the alfalfa hay easy to chew for young crickets, soak the alfalfa hay in water prior to adding . However, be careful not to let the moist alfalfa hay mold.

Do not feed insects puppy, kitten, dog, and/or cat biscuits/food OR tropical fish flakes. Those are way too high in protein and fat and potentially could cause hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease).

Do not feed freeze-dried or canned crickets to your geckos. Any gecko gets moisture from well-hydrated prey as well as the nutrients such prey provides.

By following these recommendations it is quite easy to keep your crickets alive and thriving easily one to two months past purchase.

Formally "gutload" crickets 48 hours prior to feeding off to geckos with T-REX Calcium Plus Food for Crickets.

Gutloading the Feeders versus Feeding the Feeders 24/7
The term gutloading causes some confusion. Feed your feeders a nutritious regular diet all the time to build strong feeder bodies. Then only feed a special GUTLOAD product to the crickets, for example, 36-48 hours prior to feeding the crickets to your geckos. T-REX Calcium Plus Food for Crickets is a proven gutload food. Maybe, top off the crickets by lightly dusting with a multivitamin containing D3/vitamin A acetate no more than 1x weekly and according to the directions on the container.


2 March 2013:
Captured directly from Hilde's post #134, 27 Feb 2013, on "spoiled by crickets" thread in the crestie forum:
"If you feed the insects a decent diet full time, not just a day before feeding them off, you really improve the nutrients they'll provide - build a better body, not just fill the relatively short intestinal tract."
Last edited by Elizabeth Freer; 06-23-2013 at 03:12 AM.

 

[GeckoManiac91]

Have you the Zoo Med Reptivite with or without vitamin D3?

I believe without.... Not 100% sure. I have this trial sized bag that I got with the Zoo Med shed aid!
So I should only use D3 once a week and then use regular calcium normally?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I believe without.... Not 100% sure. I have this trial sized bag that I got with the Zoo Med shed aid!
So I should only use D3 once a week and then use regular calcium normally?

Important to find out . It is highly recommended that your leo get some vitamin A acetate weekly for healthy eyes and skin. Reptivite with or without D3 contains A acetate. Recently the Zoo Med folks amended the Reptivite instructions advising only a certain number of crickets dusted per week. The exact instructions are on the container.

So if you're going that route, lightly dust with a "very tiny pinch" of Reptivite with D3 1x weekly and then the other time lightly dust with calcium carbonate containing D3.

If you do that, only leave the plain calcium carbonate in the tank 24/7 for backup only. Even that is controversial.

However, my reptile vet strongly suggests gutloading the crickets as per my Cricket Guidelines for 48 hours prior to feeding with T-REX Calcium Plus Food for Crickets and not using Reptivite at all. Of course, you need to use a 24/7 food for the crickets similar to what I use. The Albers Poultry Feed does contain vitamin D3 as well as a little A acetate.

 

[GeckoManiac91]

Important to find out . It is highly recommended that your leo get some vitamin A acetate weekly for healthy eyes and skin. Reptivite with or without D3 contains A acetate. Recently the Zoo Med folks amended the Reptivite instructions advising only a certain number of crickets dusted per week. The exact instructions are on the container.

So if you're going that route, lightly dust with a "very tiny pinch" of Reptivite with D3 1x weekly and then the other time lightly dust with calcium carbonate containing D3.

If you do that, only leave the plain calcium carbonate in the tank 24/7 for backup only. Even that is controversial.

However, my reptile vet strongly suggests gutloading the crickets as per my Cricket Guidelines for 48 hours prior to feeding with T-REX Calcium Plus Food for Crickets and not using Reptivite at all. Of course, you need to use a 24/7 food for the crickets similar to what I use. The Albers Poultry Feed does contain vitamin D3 as well as a little A acetate.

Thank you so much! I will look into the information you've given me and possibl change a few things!
You are just so very helpful Thank you again!