# Do Leopard Gecko's need Nutrobal?



## KateM (Feb 5, 2011)

I use a Komodo dusting powder to cover my food for my Gecko and also have a pot of it separate in the tank but have been reading on here about Nutrobal. What is it and do I need it!? Thanks, Kate


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## Simone1989 (Jan 14, 2009)

I've got reptivite without d3 especially for leo's, you don't need anything but that


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

With Leo's you dust the crickets/mealies for 5 days with calcium & then for 2 days you dust with Nutrabal (i used to use calcium Monday to Friday & Nutrabal Saturday & Sunday). I also had a bowl of calcium in the viv for them to help themselves to :2thumb:.


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Simone1989 said:


> I've got reptivite without d3 especially for leo's, you don't need anything but that


I'm sorry but unless you are providing UVb lighting for your Leo then you DO need a supplement with D3 to enable calcium metabolism. Nutrobal is good as it has D3 and many other vitamins / minerals. Most ppl use it twice a week although frequency of use is a matter that is debated.


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## KateM (Feb 5, 2011)

Ok thank you, no I don't have any UV lighting so I'll get some of that asap! Thank youu


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

KateM said:


> Ok thank you, no I don't have any UV lighting so I'll get some of that asap! Thank youu



Leo's don't need UV light as they are nocturnal. Just use the calcium for 5 days & the Nutrabal at weekends & you'll be fine :2thumb:.


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## KateM (Feb 5, 2011)

Cheers!


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

pop along to the manchester reptile meet on the 27th, ill happily go through any leo questions you may have.

details in the main lizard section.


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## GazzaB85 (Jun 18, 2011)

KateM said:


> I use a Komodo dusting powder to cover my food for my Gecko and also have a pot of it separate in the tank but have been reading on here about Nutrobal. What is it and do I need it!? Thanks, Kate


 me 2! been trying to find out the same since i got my leo, been using 1 that says its a complete powder(komodo premium insect dusting powder)


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## bioherp (Aug 2, 2011)

Put simply, the available (scientific) evidence suggests that crickets are a perfectly suitable foodstuff nutritionally, with the single exception of calcium and possibly carotenoids (though the requirements of these and benefits of different levels of intake have yet to be determined). Since calcium does not gut load to any useful level dusting with a calcium-only powder is the most effective (and also cheapest) way to adequately supplement crickets as insectivore food items. Carotenoids, as mentioned earlier, do actually seem to gut load reasonably, but only in black crickets and veg such as carrot seems to work as well as any (expensive) gut-loading diets.


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

GazzaB85 said:


> me 2! been trying to find out the same since i got my leo, been using 1 that says its a complete powder(*komodo premium insect dusting powder*)


I don't like this stuff. The level of calcium in it is quite low, as is the level of D3. I trialled it a couple of years ago with a few of my Leo hatchlings. They did not grow as quickly as the others who were given Nutrobal (each day) and calcium. One even looked like it was developing Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). I very quickly swapped them onto Nutrobal / calcium.

One thing to watch - if you are using Nutrobal, make sure the calcium you are using does NOT contain D3 as you could overdose them.


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