# Repashy super pig...



## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Has anyone used this? Does it actually do what it says it does? Any ideas how long it takes to notice a colour enhancement?
Repashy-SuperPig


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## Lozza.Bella (Apr 24, 2010)

*I'm sorry if I'm being a little thick LOL, but I don't get it.............. :blush:
It turns everything Orange??*


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

Lozza.Bella said:


> *I'm sorry if I'm being a little thick LOL, but I don't get it.............. :blush:
> It turns everything Orange??*


It's supposed to enhance the lizards (or whatever you feed with it) colour, so a red crestie would look much more red etc. I think :lol2:


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

it concerns me they make this and also where it says can be used in high doses occasionally.

Might aswell just feed them food colouring and be done with it.:bash:


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## ..:: F1D0 ::.. (May 13, 2009)

Slurm said:


> it concerns me they make this and also where it says can be used in high doses occasionally.
> 
> Might aswell just feed them food colouring and be done with it.:bash:


Couldn't agree more to be honest.

I bet the way have the done it is how Flamingo's turn pink through what they eat - either way, the colour "enhancement" would not be in their genetics so whats the point in it?!?


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## CPT BJ (Oct 30, 2010)

Hmmm never tried this, would be interested in hearing peoples experience.


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## JamesJ (Apr 12, 2008)

I think a small amount is mixed in repashys complete diets. I asked about it a while ago and got no replys as to how well / if it worked but then I kinda took the view that regardless to it being all natural ingredients we would still be falsifying their colours so decided again trying it out.


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

It does sound very interesting but how does it actually wok like what changes the colour, is it a chemical or a natural substance or something.


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## Lozza.Bella (Apr 24, 2010)

*I think I might gutload my bugs with beetroot and go for a super duper purple morph!!! :flrt:

What do you all think?? *:2thumb:


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## sam12345 (Dec 28, 2007)

Regardless of how well it works, I personally don't like the sound of it.
The wording as Slurm pointed out is pretty worrying.
Besides surely its morally wrong to induce chemical imbalances purely to brighten up your reptile?

If it is successful at "brightening" I think the reptile community will have to watch out for a lot more "bright" animals being sold for more money and dulling after a few weeks.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

People do seem to rate the Repashy vitamins. I assume that they have done lots of tests with this one.I was quite interested about using it on my Phelsuma because a lot of these dont show the true reds and blues in captivity.

With the Day Geckos I put them outside in screen cages when the weather was warm enough and the natural sunlight enhances their colours.

Would this work with Cresties given that they are mainly nocturnal?


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

I was considering buying some to gut load my bugs with. I'm not sure now...


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

you could always take them down to you local tanning shop, there they could either have a quick spray tan or a 5 minute fry under high UV:whistling2:


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I dont think that they would sell anything that will harm your animals.

I feed my crickets on organic carrotts.They are good for Vitamin A and the carotins are supposed to be good for the red colours.I dont know but the crickets turn orange!


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

colinm said:


> I dont think that they would sell anything that will harm your animals.


:whistling2:thinks of calci sand....:whistling2:


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2012)

I think you're looking at it wrong. Firstly it's worth mentioning that 3-4% is currently in Repashy CGD, so you might already be feeding it to your geckos without knowing it (it's also found in other Repashy products). To my understanding Superpig is made up of a mix of Carotenoids which (to save you googling) are a group of organic pigments found in photosynthetic organisms e.g., various plants, algae, and even some fungi/bacteria. I believe the theory behind the Superpig is to introduce these pigments into the gecko/reptile so that they can utilize them. It sounds unnatural, but bear in mind they would probably obtain these carotenoids through their prey.

Now as to the higher doses intermittently, by that I doubt they mean feeding a 70% superpig diet to the reptile or something to that effect. I'd imagine <10% for the odd feeding would be sufficient for a "higher dose". I'd personally never go for higher than 6%. But that aside, I only use what's already in the MRP anyway. 

At the end of the day it's aim seems to be to increase the chances of the colour of the reptile improving. UVB is said to do the same; I'm more concerned about the calcium utilisation benefit that it provides, but each to their own :2thumb:

I'm sure posting something on the Repashy forums would result in a much more quantitative reply...

Chris


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Do you really think so.He has a huge reputation to keep?

I dont know I have never used his products but I am constantlt being told how good they are.The problem is that no one seems to compare them with any of the other vitamins so we dont really know.

What annoys me is everything is "super" not just normal.Perhaps I am getting old.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

that one was for Slurm


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks for the reply  maybe I'll join the repashy forum and ask. I've just started feeding the original complete repashy diet to my geckos as I've found it easier to get hold of.


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

Lozza.Bella said:


> *I think I might gutload my bugs with beetroot and go for a super duper purple morph!!! :flrt:
> 
> What do you all think?? *:2thumb:


Sounds good :no1: you might have to cope with a washed out pink gecko instead of a purple one though. The bugs are bound to dilute it :lol2:


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

colinm said:


> that one was for Slurm


thx, it might be why the new repashy mix is most not eaten by my lot.I dont think repashy is as popular as it was back in the old days of 2 part mix.
most of mine prefer clarkes and i do like the extra calcium it has.

I dont mind what colours my cresties are, i like variety and changing them all temporarily a bit more orangey is not worth the risk and effort


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

I think considering its from the repashy range, a guy with a BIG reputation in the Rhacodactylus world, I cant imagine it being harmful at all. I will agree though that its completely unnecessary, what next? geckos gone under the knife?  lets hope not ehy! 
I think it is a pretty silly and useless thing to be feeding your animals and i deffinetly wouldnt use it! they dont NEED it so I wouldnt use it. 
Lets be realistic Mr Repashy has earned his fortune through the repashy "super" foods and probably likes the taste of it.........so then came super pig! :2thumb: money money mooooney.


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

I used to use clarks, my geckos love it but I won a pot of repashy in a competition and my geckos seem to be eating that ok. Its just as good, if not better and easier to get hold of. If it already contains a bit of super pig, not sure I'll bother buying it seperatly.


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> I used to use clarks, my geckos love it but I won a pot of repashy in a competition and my geckos seem to be eating that ok. Its just as good, if not better and easier to get hold of. If it already contains a bit of super pig, not sure I'll bother buying it seperatly.


 I havent used the clarks stuff so i cant really comment on it but i think reptiles are beutifully coloured anyway especially cresties so why enhance it? In my own opinion if i wanted to enhance my animals colouration I'd add a UVB tube, not food supplements. : victory:


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## Allen Repashy (Oct 19, 2009)

Hey Everyone,

Someone pointed me to this thread so I thought I would weigh in and try to set everyone straight about my product. 

SuperPig is a product that consists of natural ingredients that are high in carotenoids. I think anyone that thinks this is just going to color up anything un naturally, really should take some time and research what carotenoids are. In short, they are many things, precursors to vitamin A, antioxidants, contributors to eye health, cancer fighters...... Anyone ever heard of beta-carotene, Lutein, Lycopene ?.... all of these are carotenoids sold as human supplements.

Carotenoids are abundant in nature and a variety of insects are full of them. Crickets and mealworms however, have next to zero, and are 90% of what most people feed in captivity. 

SuperPig has been an ingredient in my gecko diet since the first day I made it, some 15 years ago, so it is nothing new. I packaged it as a separate product about three or four years ago as a response to customer demand, specifically dendrobates breeders. 

Carotenoids in my products (as superpig) are there at levels that would normally be found in a natural varied diet. They are not dies, they do not falsely color animals, the just let them have the colors they would in nature. Ever notice why so many herps and amphibians in captivity look dull compared to those in nature..... lack of caroteniods in their diet.

Flamingos are pink because of the carotenoids in their diet. If they are not supplemented carotenoids in captivity, because they can't reproduce their natural diet, they will be snow white.... So keepers use superpig to return this natural color in Zoos around the world..... what is more natural? a White Flamingo, or one fed supplemental carotenoids to replace the dietary carotenoids they can't provide (the flamingos get them from eating heaps of tiny crustaceans.

I am the only manufacturer that has taken the time to source out so many natural ingredients that are high in carotenoids to balance out my products, and it is one of the things I am most proud of. I work like no one else researching and developing products that work. I would like to think I have built up a little trust in the community when it comes to choosing ingredients in the best interest of the animals.

Just because you don't know what something is, doesn't mean you should be afraid of it, it means you should take the time to do some research if it concerns you. If you don't know about something, it isn't fair that you just put up a flag and say it must be bad. The internet is full of resources and anyone who cares enough to do some research, could find all the answers they are looking for. 

Cheers, Allen Repashy


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thank you for that reply 
How much would you reccomend using mixed with repashy original complete and how often?
Can I mix it just with water to gut load insects to feed to my frogs?



Allen Repashy said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> Someone pointed me to this thread so I thought I would weigh in and try to set everyone straight about my product.
> 
> ...


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

Allen Repashy said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> Someone pointed me to this thread so I thought I would weigh in and try to set everyone straight about my product.
> 
> ...


Very interesting i may purchase some at some point in the near future as it does intrigue me, but how does it actually work. Does it alter genes in any way or is it purely a phenic thing so it only alters looks and no genetics and if so how does it do this?


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2012)

Thanks for taking the time to reply Allen, would you mind me asking a couple of questions about using Superpig? (abbreviated to SP)

Firstly, what would you recommend is the best way of providing it with livefood? I'm currently using ICB which (to my understanding contains 6% SP anyway), is it possible to provide SP along with their gutload? Or are most not utilised that way?

Secondly, what is your recommendation in providing higher doses occasionally? (i.e. percentages etc,.)

Thanks,

Chris


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I have a question.Is the SuperPig suitable for Phelsuma and will it bring out the reds in species like borbonica and inexpectata?


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Years ago I used Carophyll Red, a product that is used in the diet of canaries, to redden up some Fire Bellied Toads.They turned bright red,redder than wild ones.All that I simply did was feed it to the crickets.I have since tried this with Phelsuma but it didn`t work.


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## Allen Repashy (Oct 19, 2009)

Hey Guys,

It is already in my calcium plus, as well as all my other products except the supercal and supervite. It is in both my gutloads. You can add it to gutloads and it can be passed on. It can also be dusted directly onto insects on a once and a while basis. 

Different species are able to utilize different carotenoids. The utilization of the carotenoids is not just seen as color, as I previously pointed out the other health benefits it can have. Fish and amphibians show more color enhancement than most reptiles in general.

It is already at optimal levels in my complete diets and gutloads and no more is necessary. To supplement other gutloads, 3-6% is as much as you would need... the stuff is expensive, so don't waste it.

Carophyll Red (an ingredient I use in superpig in tiny amounts) is a super strong extract. Just using it on amphibians without scientifically figuring out the correct amount is irresponsible IMHO. 

The usage levels recommended are about 10 PARTS PER MILLION!..... so just mixing a pinch in with some cricket food would still be giving ridiculously high amounts. It is people doing things like this and seeing unnatural color changes that cause people to raise flags like everyone in this thread. Garlic is a great food, but eating a pound of it isn't going to make you feel very good. I have carefully balanced my ingredients to provide good healthy levels of carotenoids when used as directed. 

You may, or may not, see color changes using superpig with different species as they are all wired to utilize them differently. Carotenoids should be thought of as vitamins of sorts..... You can abuse or overuse vitamins just like everything else. Sure, there might be some idiot out there feeding nothing but Superpig to their animals to try and get unnatural colors..... That is the fault of the person, not the product. I have never heard of anyone getting unnatural color using SuperPig and don't think it is even possible. 


Cheers, Allen


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

Allen Repashy said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> It is already in my calcium plus, as well as all my other products except the supercal and supervite. It is in both my gutloads. You can add it to gutloads and it can be passed on. It can also be dusted directly onto insects on a once and a while basis.
> 
> ...


So what sort of volume could be used with a crested gecko sub adult of about 27g?


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I am confused as the dosage of Carophyll Red in say reptiles,it is used in much stronger quantities for canaries.Over here it has been used for years and the rule of thumb is that when the poo is red the canaries have had enough.Surely the physiology of a bird and reptile are not that different? I am not advocating producing bright red geckos because in my opinion that is producing unnatural animals.

As I said previously for Phelsuma its more complex than just supplying a supplement because that would only potentially better the red colouring .It also varies from speciees to species.For example grandis are very red when bred in captivity but borbonica go a brick colour and guimbeaui go orange.Natural sunlight is much better at inetensifying these colours than any supplements that I have used through the years.

Then there is the blue colouration which fades in time ,surely the caretonoids will not affect this?


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

thanks Allen! So there we have it, super pig is all good and contains a good balance of healthy vitamins that rhacodactylus would have available to them in the wild. I only use the repashy MRP with no live foods at all and the occasional pinkie or mouse for adult ciliatus and the leachianus. Allens info on gout in reptiles is also a good read and really makes you think twice about the quality of your live foods.


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## zdoughty (Sep 23, 2011)

Ive picked it up in my local shop and thought the same.....Why would you?
Money making scam i think. Oh hang on my cresties look brighter.....No wait they dont at all.:lol2:


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

Allen Repashy said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> It is already in my calcium plus, as well as all my other products except the supercal and supervite. It is in both my gutloads. You can add it to gutloads and it can be passed on. It can also be dusted directly onto insects on a once and a while basis.
> 
> ...


Hi

I think most people on here seem to feed them clarkes as I can vouch for only a couple out of my 20 odd will touch repashy MRP. 

Your 2 mix went down really well, but this new stuff just the big pad down from my animals....

shame we cant go back to those days, i had all the flavours, why stop making cherry? its smelt so good even i would of eaten it...


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

Slurm said:


> Hi
> 
> I think most people on here seem to feed them clarkes as I can vouch for only a couple out of my 20 odd will touch repashy MRP.
> 
> ...


My leachie and crestie love repashy and have never not eaten it so i give a 100% success rate and my seal of approval here.

It is great in my opinion and i think in general there about half of people use repashy and half of people use clarkes or so i have seen.


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

im a bit biased here because ive never used clarks stuff, whos it made by, who is behind it? i use the repashy stuff 1 becuase my geckos feast on it! and thats all my geckos. 2 look at the history behind repashy foods? allen and others have specialised in rhacodactylus, especially ciliatus long before cresteds were even available to the general hobbiest, not without a huge price tag anyway! what history do clarks have? with repashy foods you know its come from a guy/ business that have a real interest in the animals and that says to me that great care has gone into these products to make them what they are today. Take a read on gout on the repashy forums and you will see the amount of research these guys do to make the products. I use them in confidence anyway.


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## Allen Repashy (Oct 19, 2009)

Colin,

Carotenoids are NOT only red. There are more of them that are yellow and orange than red, Astaxanthin, is pink. The sun does not physiologically change the color of animals...... for lack of a better word........ It is more like a sun tan which effects skin with a different method of action.... 

The rule of thumb you say is being used for canaries is crazy. Just because people are using it that way, doesn't mean it is good or even healthy for the animals. Anything over 50 parts per million is a waste and way beyond natural amounts, which has nothing to do with the design and usage of my product. You couldn't reach 50ppm with superpig if it was the only thing you fed them. 

I am not sure why some people are using this thread to go off topic and start a repashy vs. clarks conversation, as it has nothing to do with the O.P.. The two part vs. one part comparisons of my product are pretty silly, considering the one part is just the two parts mixed together. They were exactly the same thing. Other people on the forums here said the opposite and that the two part was bad and the one part was great...... go figure :gasp:

It is not my style to bash other companies products. I prefer to talk about the benefits of my products over others and show that unlike other companies, I do my own research and actually know a thing or two about nutrition.

The Crested Gecko MRP has been a labor of love for me. I developed it for my own use with no original intentions of selling it to anyone. There is no one in this hobby or industry that spends more hands on time developing and testing foods and supplements. It has become my first passion, even over breeding, and I really enjoy the challenge of it. _I put my heart and soul into every product that has my name on it.

I would encourage anyone asking specific details about carotenoids and what colors they effect, what other properties they contain, etc. spend a couple of hours on the web and read about them. I just don't have the time to do it for you and answer everyone's questions, I am working on some new product developments in the lab and am quite buried at the moment.

Making accusations that something I am doing is a "Money Making Scam" is ridiculous and are fighting words in my book. It is posters like this that keep people like me from taking the time to come on forums like this and share information and answer questions. I come here and post because of the passion I have for my products and to help people learn. Trolls like _zdoughty will keep me from coming back.

_Carotenoids are some of the most interesting and misunderstood compounds on the market, so don't feel bad if you don't know anything about them. But don't bash them without taking the time to do some research. For me, they have been the most interesting nutrients I have studied. In human nutrition, carotenoids are just coming to the forefront of research. Astaxanthan, Leutin, Beta Carotene, are all marketed not for their ability to effect coloration, but for their other health properties such as antioxidant, eye health, vitamin A precursers....... 

Allen


Cheers, Allen
_


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

:notworthy:


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

If you have time, what made you come up with Super Pig? Was it to enhance colouration or more for the nutritonal value in it? 

Thank

Sam.


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## Lilly Exotics (Oct 10, 2008)

Hi Allen

Thanks for taking the time to explain the product in more detail and it's benefits. Clearly most seem to understand your reasoning, but there will always be those that like to rubbish an idea or product before even trying them (ignorance/jealousy/nothing better to do I guess). Hey ho welcome to the UK forum community, you do get a lot of this but most people are pretty cool.

Keep up the good work and get back to the lab !

Cheers
Nick & Amanda
Repashy Super Foods
Lillyexotics ::crested gecko, gecko, crestie,gecko breeder,ciliatus,panther chameleon,chameleon breeder,vivarium


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Allen Repashy said:


> Colin,
> 
> Carotenoids are NOT only red. There are more of them that are yellow and orange than red, Astaxanthin, is pink. The sun does not physiologically change the color of animals.
> 
> ...


 Sorry Allen, Phelsuma kept outside do have their colours enhanced by the sun .It cannot be anything else as the diet that I feed them inside is exactly the same as outside.It is a plain fact,whether the diet allied to the sunlight has something to do with it I dont know.

It is the same with Lacerids those kept inside turn a bluey colour those that are put in the natural sunlight go a natural emerald green.

With regards to the Carophyll red I dont know whether it is used in harmful amounts for canaries or not it has been used like that for years.But then canaries are not supposed to be a bright red its only man that likes them that colour.

With regard to the internet you can find all kind of good advice and rubbish as well on the internet so its not that simple.


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## Allen Repashy (Oct 19, 2009)

STReptiles said:


> If you have time, what made you come up with Super Pig? Was it to enhance colouration or more for the nutritonal value in it?
> 
> Thank
> 
> Sam.


It all goes back to a single animal actually. In 1994, I received a wild collected male R. auriculatus and it was bright brick red. The whole body was red. After a few years in my collection, this gecko turned to a washed out brown color, and this incident is what spawned my research into what could cause this... which led me to studying carotenoids. This was around the same time I was first formulating and testing my diet, so I started researching and looking for natural ingredients that where high in carotenoids in order to try and bring the gecko back to its once natural glorious colors.

Long story short, after about five years of doing feeding trials, the gecko was back to the same bright red color that he was when I originally set eyes on him. 

The red in this gecko I am talking about is not the bright red blotches that many recognize from nice gargs. those bright red spots seem unrelated, and for whatever reason, are not effected by carotenoids. The red I am talking about is a a whole body color...... This guy is still alive, and his genes are probably now in more than half the auriculatus in captivity I would guess.

At the same time, I started learning about all of the other interesting properties of carotenoids an their effects on overall health. I really considre them the missing link when it comes to comparing captive reared insect feeders with those getting a variety in nature. 

Herbivores are another story all together.

Allen


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## Allen Repashy (Oct 19, 2009)

colinm said:


> Sorry Allen, Phelsuma kept outside do have their colours enhanced by the sun .It cannot be anything else as the diet that I feed them inside is exactly the same as outside.It is a plain fact,whether the diet allied to the sunlight has something to do with it I dont know.
> 
> It is the same with Lacerids those kept inside turn a bluey colour those that are put in the natural sunlight go a natural emerald green.
> 
> ...



Hi Colin, 

You beat me to my edit! LOL, as I added more info to that statement for clarification if you go back and look. In a nutshell, it is more like what we see as a tanning process. It does effect the skin, but it is a different method of action than that which comes from dietary carotenoids. Sorry about the lack of clarification off the bat. You are correct that it does effect color, but in a different way.

I agree with what you say about people liking artificial colors in canaries... and they are using outrageously high levels of carophyll red (canthaxanthin), or Carophyll Pink (astaxanthin) to accomplish this.

Canthaxanthin and beta carotene are the only "pure" carotenoids I use. Beta carotene is inexpensive, and Canthaxanthin is not commercially available in a natural sourcs as Astaxanthin and others are. This is why I use it in such small amounts.

Allen


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## Mal (Jul 22, 2007)

Thanks for your posts Allen. I will be honest, with our small collection of geckos we use both Repashy and Clarkes depending on which stockists has what we want available at order time. I wouldnt say either product is better than the other, Ive not set any criteria to judge. All I will say is that our cresties and gargs are tip top, eat their mush and seem happy content little critters. Both products seem to do the job. 

I was talking to another leo breeder some time back about using colour enhancing foods. The koi enthusiasts have been using colour enhancers for years. As far as Im aware though they use safe products that optimise the health of the fish rather than adding an extra splash of colouring. Many people feed fish flake to their feeder insects so it wouldnt be too difficult to have used similar for the geckos. Ive no idea whether it would work and had no justification for trying. However for its intended purpose among the aquarist I think it is considered more along the lines of something like Bob Martins to give your dog a sleek healthy coat. If the underlying health is boosted colours, shine etc naturally get better. If used correctly, I cant see why anyone should have any real concerns about using your product . 

My only concerns would be the results if used incorrectly but as you indicate in one of your comments, thats down individual level of responsibly .People could do a lot of damage to their animals with the most commonly used suppliments if they wanted. Is it something that could be used to give false representation ? If someone sells a gecko with superb colouration after 6 months being fed on your product is the customer going to be very disappointed when the colour fades in a few months time ?

Thanks for coming on RFUK and replying Allen. Please dont let the negative responses put you off returning too much. The lizard section doesnt often get people with your wealth of experience and knowledge visiting. I know its a bit off topic but Im sure a lot of the Rhac lovers would welcome opportunity to chat with you about many areas of your experience.


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

Mal said:


> Thanks for coming on RFUK and replying Alan. Please dont let the negative responses put you off returning too much. The lizard section doesnt often get people with your wealth of experience and knowledge visiting. I know its a bit off topic but Im sure a lot of the Rhac lovers would welcome opportunity to chat with you about many areas of your experience.


Couldnt have said it any better myself.


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## Allen Repashy (Oct 19, 2009)

colinm said:


> w.
> 
> It is the same with Lacerids those kept inside turn a bluey colour those that are put in the natural sunlight go a natural emerald green.


I think this may go deeper than you might think. I have had quite a bit of feedback from people raising Abronia, which have this same blue issue, and they have had success preventing or reversing the blue by using superpig. It does contain a significant amount of yellow carotenoids, and it would make sense, that a lack of yellow, is going to turn green to blue. 

I also had similar results with Varanus prasinus that had blued out.

Sunlight, Carotenoids, how they work separately, or possibly together......there is more we don't know about these magical components, than we do, and it will take us a long time to sort it all out. 

Allen


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## STReptiles (Feb 6, 2009)

Allen Repashy said:


> It all goes back to a single animal actually. In 1994, I received a wild collected male R. auriculatus and it was bright brick red. The whole body was red. After a few years in my collection, this gecko turned to a washed out brown color, and this incident is what spawned my research into what could cause this... which led me to studying carotenoids. This was around the same time I was first formulating and testing my diet, so I started researching and looking for natural ingredients that where high in carotenoids in order to try and bring the gecko back to its once natural glorious colors.
> 
> Long story short, after about five years of doing feeding trials, the gecko was back to the same bright red color that he was when I originally set eyes on him.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that thats very interesting!

Sam.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Mal said:


> Thanks for your posts Allen. I
> I was talking to another leo breeder some time back about using colour enhancing foods. The koi enthusiasts have been using colour enhancers for years. As far as Im aware though they use safe products that optimise the health of the fish rather than adding an extra splash of colouring. Many people feed fish flake to their feeder insects so it wouldnt be too difficult to have used similar for the geckos.
> .


Thats interesting.I have used the colour enhancers that they use for fish with my crickets,this was in the days before SuperPig.I didn`t notice any perceivable effects with my Phelsuma.But I guess that these colourants are best fed straight to the animal and not the feeder insects.

I do however feed organic carrots and dandelions to the crickets and I think that this is very good.The crickets certainly go orange.Again whether it just gives me ease of mind or is better for the lizards I am not really sure but it can`t do any harm.


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## Liam17 (Jul 20, 2008)

I have heard of people eating vast amounts of carrots to enhance their natural skin tone.....

Which logically speaking, would result in vast quantities of beta-carotene and vit A. The beta-carotene could then be deposited in the skin and will eventually be visible as an orange hue. So you get the natural tango'd look  Not particularly relevant but thought I would bring it up, as an example that our diet effects our skin colour too.


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

This is something that is really interesting, especially for those of use that work with WC species that loose their colour upon captivity. 

Is there a UK distributor of this product as my google searches only identified US stores. I've also never seen it on wholesales list not that i've looked to hard or would have known what it was untill today. 

I presently I use a range of lighting to help bring out colours in reptiles. I've had great success using the Arcadia T5 tropical pro tube. Simply the tube provides light at a certain wavelength which helps promote the colour and pigmentation issues in reptiles. I've used it with a few reptiles recently and its having a definite effect. Certain species appear to have a much brighter colour when comparing pitures as do the plants too lol. I would be extremely intersting in trialing this product along side it. 

Allen have you trialed it on other species aside from cresties? Whats i the most effective method? 

Jay


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## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

I use this product regularly with my geckos. It's made a hell of a difference


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## Kiel (Aug 20, 2009)

Pro necro.


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## YoshiHCG (Feb 21, 2012)

i know this is an old thread but just ordered some of this to see what it's like! this thread was very helpful  can it be fed to other geckos apart from cresties and gargs? like leachies?


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## Bradley (Aug 26, 2009)

YoshiHCG said:


> i know this is an old thread but just ordered some of this to see what it's like! this thread was very helpful  can it be fed to other geckos apart from cresties and gargs? like leachies?


Can be fed to literally anything.


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## YoshiHCG (Feb 21, 2012)

Bradley said:


> Can be fed to literally anything.


Thanks, will see what my geckos think of it!


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## Muz333 (Aug 14, 2013)

YoshiHCG said:


> Thanks, will see what my geckos think of it!


I'd be intersted in hearing how they get on. I would imagine any excess chemicals introduced in the diet would simply pass through without being absorbed so I don't think this could cause harm.

Would be nice to see if it really does bring rise to brighter colours in reptiles.


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## Chris18 (Mar 22, 2009)

YoshiHCG said:


> Thanks, will see what my geckos think of it!


You do realise it's already in Repashy CGD so your Cresteds have been on it a while if that's what you feed them.


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## YoshiHCG (Feb 21, 2012)

yes i was aware if that, i have read this thread, just supplementing slightly to see if it helps raise their colours as allen said it helped bring back some colour to one of his to its original wild caught colouring.


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## Chris18 (Mar 22, 2009)

YoshiHCG said:


> yes i was aware if that, i have read this thread, just supplementing slightly to see if it helps raise their colours as allen said it helped bring back some colour to one of his to its original wild caught colouring.


Allen claims a lot of things that aren't true :lol2:


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## YoshiHCG (Feb 21, 2012)

fair enough, i'm happy to try it though as many people have said through personal experiences it's enhanced their geckos natural colours. Plus allen does have ALOT of experience with NC geckos and knowledge on them. But each to their own what they believe


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## Robynleanne (Mar 31, 2013)

I use it every now and then on my crestie and it does his colouring wonders. I just mix a bit into his normal repashy and he turns briiiiight orange.


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## Bradley (Aug 26, 2009)

Repashy created gecko diet does contain something like 4% super pig anyway.


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