# Leopard Gecko supplements?



## rapid (Aug 1, 2011)

Hi everyone  I'm new here, getting my first Leo tomorrow,

And I was just wondering about the supplements you have to give them.

I know I have to dust it's food with calci dust without D3 every meal, but how often should I give it calci dust WITH D3? And how often do I need to give it multivitamins?

Oh and when I leave a dish with calci dust in its tank, do I use calci dust with or without D3?

Thanks!


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

rapid said:


> Hi everyone  I'm new here, getting my first Leo tomorrow,
> 
> And I was just wondering about the supplements you have to give them.
> 
> ...



Hey, 

Basically you want two things, Nutrobol and Calcidust by Vetark. 

In the Viv you want a bowl of calcidust available at all times. 

In terms of dusting, during the week dust the food items with Calci dust, and on the weekend's dust the food with nutrobol :2thumb:

Nav


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Hello and welcome to RFUK!

Congrats on getting your first Leo - they are wonderful animals.

The best supplementation is a matter of debate. What is not in debate is that your Leo will need a source of vitamin D3 to enable it to metabolise the calcium you supply.

The most commonly used regime on this forum is to dust insects 5 days a week with calcium. A pot of calcium (without D3) is left in the viv 24/7. Then twice a week with a mineral/vitamin supplement such as Nutrobal (which contains D3) 2 days per week. Many well respected keepers use this regime very successfully.

My regime is slightly different - depending on the age / species / reproductive status of the rep concerned.


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## sheena is a gecko (Apr 22, 2011)

We do the same, pure calcium available always but we alternate dusting between nutrobal and calcium.


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## Heeb (Jul 31, 2010)

I have read comments saying nutrobal ( containing Calcium) should be given everyday. And a bowl of calci dust should be made available if the Leo feels in need.

I currently use the 5:2 routine but Im wondering if I should change it. After all surely they need vitamins everyday not just at weekends??


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## Woz (Nov 5, 2009)

**** said:


> I have read comments saying nutrobal ( containing Calcium) should be given everyday. And a bowl of calci dust should be made available if the Leo feels in need.
> 
> I currently use the 5:2 routine but Im wondering if I should change it. After all surely they need vitamins everyday not just at weekends??


That's way too much D3. I'd lower it to the weekend routine or to three days on nutrabol. I myself only use D3 at the weekend.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Woz said:


> That's way too much D3. I'd lower it to the weekend routine or to three days on nutrabol. I myself only use D3 at the weekend.


I'm surprised it's so easy to OD on vitamin d3. I mean toxic levels for a human is 50,000IU a day. Obviously a leopard gecko is much smaller but say this exo terra calcium with D3 I have. 454g of the product contains 14,740IU. So a pinch with your fingers to dust crickets is going to likely be under one gram. So probably around 39IU each time you dust it's crickets if you use one pinch of the stuff. It takes 50,000IU a day to harm a human, I can't imagine a leopard gecko is going to overdose on just 39IU? 

I wonder if there are any papers into how much D3 is too much in any lizard species, you could at least get an idea then and compare the leos size to that lizard.


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

There have been several scientific articles published on this and the use of UV recently. I'm not going to state an opinion on this (after what happened the last few times this subject has been raised). Look the articles and read them if you're interested. If not, carry on with the dogma. If you want a scientist to explain it - I'm afraid you'll have to ask someone else. I'm totally fed up with this debate now!


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

Woz said:


> That's way too much D3. I'd lower it to the weekend routine or to three days on nutrabol. I myself only use D3 at the weekend.


Is it? How do you know? How much is too much? How much was given each day? How long does D3 remain in the body? What happens to the calcium that's taken with no D3 present? How much D3 is naturally synthesised? Has the owner been using UV? What strength UV? How long for?

You seem very confident, yet you don't know the answer to any of the above!


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

Jeffers3 said:


> Is it? How do you know? How much is too much? How much was given each day? How long does D3 remain in the body? What happens to the calcium that's taken with no D3 present? How much D3 is naturally synthesised? Has the owner been using UV? What strength UV? How long for?
> 
> You seem very confident, yet you don't know the answer to any of the above!


For god sake, you don't know anything either, big deal you know some chemistry. But you have no idea to the way in which a Leopard Gecko's body works, and the amount of D3 it can tolerate, or how long it remains in it's system. You have done no test's to establish your "god" like knowledge about reptiles. Stop going round like you know everything in the world because you don't. 

Instead of giving a simple answer to who ever started this thread, you have to go off on a tangent to try and prove you have superior knowledge. Most of the conventional method's described ALL WORK, the 5:2 ratio is the most commonly used i guess, and i haven't heard of any problems as of yet. 

So get off your high horse, and just tell the guy what method you use.


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## Chunk247 (May 30, 2010)

sorry to thread-jack, but can you used crushed cuttlefish as pure calcium, because i can only seem to find calcium with D3 in at the moment


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

Chunk247 said:


> sorry to thread-jack, but can you used crushed cuttlefish as pure calcium, because i can only seem to find calcium with D3 in at the moment


You can use the calcidust by vetark :2thumb:


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## Heeb (Jul 31, 2010)

Chunk247 said:


> sorry to thread-jack, but can you used crushed cuttlefish as pure calcium, because i can only seem to find calcium with D3 in at the moment


I believe you can use ground cuttle fish. But im sure you could find calci dust or something similar in any good reptile shop or online!


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

All I've done is to point out that the information is available. It's not my research - and it's independent. Then I asked some questions. Sorry if you don't like questions. It shows a narrow mind.

As for God-like knowledge - thanks for the compliment, but I'm not claiming that. I do have 3 A-levels, a degree and a PhD, together with over 25 years experience as a research scientist (in Health!). I also teach biochemistry to better qualified people than you. I wasn't on my high horse before, but I am now!

MBD was extremely common in leopard geckos until the vitamin D3 issue was understood properly. I can't believe it's disputed, but it is.

Read Andy Tedder's articles on this. He won't argue on the forum, as he is fed up with this sort of thing. This is definitely my last post on the topic as well. Reply if you want, but I won't be reading it - or any other posts on supplements from now on. Persist with your ignorance if you want.


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

**** said:


> I believe you can use ground cuttle fish. But im sure you could find calci dust or something similar in any good reptile shop or online!


Vetark Calci-dust 150gm | Pets at Home

There you go. 

Nav


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## Heeb (Jul 31, 2010)

**** said:


> I have read comments saying nutrobal ( containing Calcium) should be given everyday. And a bowl of calci dust should be made available if the Leo feels in need.
> 
> I currently use the 5:2 routine but Im wondering if I should change it. After all surely they need vitamins everyday not just at weekends??


I should probably add that this was read in reference to leopard geckos kept with no use of UV lighting. I dont believe that it is too much Vit d3. There are more vitamins in nutrabol than just d3, vitamins that im sure they need daily. Im sure it says on the container to use daily. I may be wrong but im sure I read it on there.


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

Jeffers3 said:


> All I've done is to point out that the information is available. It's not my research - and it's independent. Then I asked some questions. Sorry if you don't like questions. It shows a narrow mind.
> 
> As for God-like knowledge - thanks for the compliment, but I'm not claiming that. I do have 3 A-levels, a degree and a PhD, together with over 25 years experience as a research scientist (in Health!). I also teach biochemistry to better qualified people than you. I wasn't on my high horse before, but I am now!
> 
> ...


That means nothing, my Dad has a PhD in Computer Science and is a project manager for Santander, so that mean's he knows everything about computers? No. 

Yes, your keyword being in Health, your not a herpetologist in the slightest. Maybe better qualified than me in Chemistry but overall i do not think so. 3 A levels? Wow...I have 5 so don't even try and talk down to me. 

Why don't you find some other articles published by other recognised bodies or individuals, other than people who are your friends. 

There are plenty of people on these forums, hugely respected breeders that have been breeding for a number of years, using the 5:2 method and none of their babies have suffered from MBD...I guess that's just luck right?

Good, stop bringing your stupid arugment up on every single post about supplements, when quite clearly the people is just asking for what methods people use.


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## Woz (Nov 5, 2009)

Jeffers3 said:


> Is it? How do you know? How much is too much? How much was given each day? How long does D3 remain in the body? What happens to the calcium that's taken with no D3 present? How much D3 is naturally synthesised? Has the owner been using UV? What strength UV? How long for?
> 
> You seem very confident, yet you don't know the answer to any of the above!


 
WOW, down boy! :whip: I was simply going with the more popular pattern to use D3. I am certainly no expert on the matter. I'm going off personal experience with keeping lizards and what knowledge has been given to me from here and the odd bit of reading i've done on the matter . D3 only at weekends is the most popular solution on here is it not?

Bloody hell, some people stress over absolutely nothing, thought forums where for conversation and for people to learn new things etc, not for people to act like complete *%$£?!


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

Woz said:


> WOW, down boy! :whip: I was simply going with the more popular pattern to use D3. I am certainly no expert on the matter. I'm going off personal experience with keeping lizards and what knowledge has been given to me from here and the odd bit of reading i've done on the matter . D3 only at weekends is the most popular solution on here is it not?
> 
> Bloody hell, some people stress over absolutely nothing, thought forums where for conversation and for people to learn new things etc, not for people to act like complete dicks!


Haha! Tell me about it:2thumb:

But yeah dude, that's what most people use on the whole!

Nav


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## Chunk247 (May 30, 2010)

nsn89 said:


> Vetark Calci-dust 150gm | Pets at Home
> 
> There you go.
> 
> Nav


And thats ok to dust with aswell as to put in a bowl for them?


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

Chunk247 said:


> And thats ok to dust with aswell as to put in a bowl for them?


Yep. : victory: 

5 days dusting with calcidust, and then 2 nutrobol, and a bowl of calcidust available at all times.

Nav


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## AliMak (Sep 20, 2010)

nsn89 said:


> Yep. : victory:
> 
> 5 days dusting with calcidust, and then 2 nutrobol, and a bowl of calcidust available at all times.
> 
> Nav


thats the way...uhuh...i like it :whistling2:


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## nuttybabez (Jul 21, 2007)

I use limestone flour as calcium - much cheaper and its the same stuff! I have changed from the 5:2 ratio and I now mix 2:1 - I have noticed my enigmas particularly are doing much better since I changed over.


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## leopardgeckomad (Feb 2, 2008)

nuttybabez said:


> I use limestone flour as calcium - much cheaper and its the same stuff! I have changed from the 5:2 ratio and I now mix 2:1 - I have noticed my enigmas particularly are doing much better since I changed over.


sorry but what do you use and how do you do it lol. im useless with ratio symbols. lol

brad


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## nsn89 (Jun 11, 2011)

leopardgeckomad said:


> sorry but what do you use and how do you do it lol. im useless with ratio symbols. lol
> 
> brad


All ratio's are is different proportions. 

5:2 is for example 5 grams calci dust to 2 grams nutrobol if you were to mix it. Or in this case just 5 days calci dust and 2 days nutrobol.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nuttybabez (Jul 21, 2007)

Oh sorry Brad - I use 2 teaspoons of limestone flour to every 1 teaspoon of nutrobal. I put it in a flour shaker and mix it up then I dust everything with that mixture. Hope thats helps!!


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## Mungo42 (Mar 4, 2013)

When I got my 1st lizard way back when I was advised to use nutrobal every feed, after a while my beardie started to circle and lose balance I was then advised by someone else that I was feeding too much d3 after a week off completely I started the 5.2 regime using d3 we'd and Sunday as if by magic he was cured and hasn't (touch wood) shown any lasting effects since


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## Jesterone (Sep 30, 2012)

With advances in supplements, Repashy Calcium+ is considered one of the better options now, especially for those that are not confident enough to correctly mix their supplements. 

One supplement used at every feed, as well as the customary calcium source inside the enclosure (Although since switching to Repashy I find it's rarely used). Couldn't be simpler.


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