Vitamin A and leopard geckos

I was just reading through this thread here...

http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/89277.htm

I think a light bulb just went off in my head. I use RepCal Herptivite and I've come to learn that it does not contain Vitamin A, an essential vitamin for insectivorous reptiles.

Vitamin A deficiency in Insectivorous Geckos | Gecko Time

I have had shedding problems throughout my colony this year. At first I thought it was a change in humidity in my new house. I always keep humid hides and now I am even misting. I've looked for mites, but never see any. Still, many of my geckos still have shedding problems, particularly the babies (my first year which large number of babies). Could it be this simple? Have I been using the wrong vitamin supplements? Do any of you out there have geckos with "perfect skin"? What is your trick? What kind of vitamin supplements are you using?

Probably. I've heard of this from a few people. I use this: T-Rex Leopard Gecko Calcium Plus Supplement Reptile Food Supplements My girl always sheds perfectly - though I've only had her for about 6 months. But I know a lot of other people on here use it, and as far as I'm aware, they never have issues. And every single person I've seen posting about problems shedding doesn't use it.

~Maggot

Thanks. I might try that. I'm gonna move this discussion to the supplementation forum.

I also use Repashy Calcium Plus and gut load with Repashy Bug Burger. I keep a humid hide with eco-earth in it. My girl has never had trouble shedding. Only like twice where she had some shed stuck on her leg and foot, like a little skin glove. Nothing a little soak and some q-tip work didn't remedy though.

I use a mix of nutrobal, beaphar Vionate and calcium. cover all bases as it were
however one of my males dose have trouble shedding but i think its just total lazyness! some times he dose it fine but then others its a shambles

Thank you so much for posting this. I actually have a juvie with crusty eyes (not stuck shed). Looked up the analysis on my supplements (Miner-All indoor and Miner-All outdoor) and found that there's no Vit. A or beta carotene in either.
Should I switch to Zoo-Med's ReptiVite with/without vitamin d3? What do you all think of it? Here's the link to the guaranteed analysis...
ReptiVite? with D3

Would giving her the Fluker's Repti-aid Critical Care possibly be helpful? It has Vitamin A and beta carotene in it as well.
Ingredients:
Egg product, wheat flour, starch, isolated soy flour, corn oil, dried brewers yeast, dried kelp, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, pollen, dextrose, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, dl-methionine, lecithin, choline chloride supplement, potassium chloride, spirulina, manganese sulfate, mixed natural tocopherols (antioxidant), zinc sulfate, magnesium oxide, ascorbic acid, beta carotene supplement, niacin, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, ethylene diamine dihydriodide, biotin supplement, folic acid, sodium selenite.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein 28%, carbohydrate 37%, crude fat 20%, crude fiber 1.5%, moisture 10%, calcium 0.85%, phosphorus 0.7%, Ca 1.2:1, kcal/g 4.4.

I'd bring her to the vet, but there's no actual reptile vets around here that I trust. The closest one is over 2 hours away. The vet is in only on Tuesdays/Wednesdays, so I'd have to wait until then. I want to get her something for over the weekend. I've been using a q-tip to gently wet her eyes, but they still don't open. Fortunately, she's eating dusted mealworms when I place it by her mouth, but no idea how long she'll do this.

I also have 8 other leopard geckos. One has had trouble shedding in the past with a different owner, and had never had shed problems with me until just recently. She had stuck shed on her toes (which have most digits missing from previous owner anyways), but didn't think much of it. The other 7 are doing just fine.

GexPex said:

Thank you so much for posting this. I actually have a juvie with crusty eyes (not stuck shed). Looked up the analysis on my supplements (Miner-All indoor and Miner-All outdoor) and found that there's no Vit. A or beta carotene in either.
Should I switch to Zoo-Med's ReptiVite with/without vitamin d3? What do you all think of it? Here's the link to the guaranteed analysis...
ReptiVite? with D3

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They need D3, but some argue that giving them a regular calcium supplement with D3 could result in an overdose (whether this is true or not, I don't know). Everyone I know suggests this: T-Rex Leopard Gecko Calcium Plus Supplement Reptile Food Supplements

I dunno about the Fluker's thing.

~Maggot

I know they need Vit. D3. I was going to switch to Reptivite in general, a jar with and one without vitamin d3 will be used if I get the Reptivite line.

They all currently have bowls of Miner-All Outdoor (no vit. d3) in their cages for free access, and I dust every other feeding with Miner-All Indoor. But since neither have Vit. A, I'm switching to something else.

I'll look into the T-rex supplement.

GexPex said:

I know they need Vit. D3. I was going to switch to Reptivite in general, a jar with and one without vitamin d3 will be used if I get the Reptivite line.

They all currently have bowls of Miner-All Outdoor (no vit. d3) in their cages for free access, and I dust every other feeding with Miner-All Indoor. But since neither have Vit. A, I'm switching to something else.

I'll look into the T-rex supplement.

Click to expand...

The joy of that stuff is that you don't have to worry about having two different ones or regulating when they get it and when they don't. It's designed to be used every day. Dust every feeder they get, and that's it. Nothing else to worry about.

~Maggot

What about supplements for a calcium dish? I'd be worried about Vit. D3 overdose, even though it's rare, it's possible. D3 is stored in the fat and can build up over time. So I'll definitely stick to a calcium w/o D3 supplement.

Any idea if the T-Rex supplement is sold at a place "Where the Pets Go" or another big-name pet store? Couldn't find a guaranteed analysis/ingredient list of the exact bottle, though.

GexPex said:

What about supplements for a calcium dish? I'd be worried about Vit. D3 overdose, even though it's rare, it's possible. D3 is stored in the fat and can build up over time. So I'll definitely stick to a calcium w/o D3 supplement.

Any idea if the T-Rex supplement is sold at +++++? Couldn't find a guaranteed analysis/ingredient list of the exact bottle, though.

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I don't think most people who use it provide a calcium dish. You can if you want, but since it's designed to be used daily, I doubt it's necessary. I had one in my enclosure for a while and she never touched it. Also never had any issues with shedding or anything else.

Yeah, it is. I bought mine there.

~Maggot

I have at least one female that will lay MANY eggs (fertile and infertile, amount of eggs doesn't depend on whether or not she was bred) throughout breeding season, so I provide a calcium dish for her. She actually uses it too. The others, not so much, but occasionally I'll find lick-dents in it lol.

If I was just dusting daily, I'd use just that supplement, but with Kensi needing her calcium bowl, I won't chance it.

Thank you for your help, though I'll be heading over there tomorrow.

I meant I don't think it's necessary when using the Repashy stuff. With other types of calcium supplements, then yes, I believe it is necessary. Or you could use the Repashy to dust and then just use the stuff without D3 that you already had for the calcium dishes in the setups. That would probably be the safest bet.

~Maggot

Embrace Calamity said:

Or you could use the Repashy to dust and then just use the stuff without D3 that you already had for the calcium dishes in the setups.

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Precisely what I was thinking

Mine had a lip ulcer because of a vitamin a deficiency we think.

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=92621

A little bit of info I learned from this ordeal. My dusting I looked is repcal herptivite mixed 50 50 with repcal calcium as directed on the label. The herptivite has no vit a as well as crickets have no vit a. So in the 8 weeks I have had her the only vit a was from the few Dubia she ate.

Went out today to get Reptivite with vitamin d3, but they were out, so I did the Repashy Leopard Gecko Calcium Plus. Also picked up Fluker's Repta-Boost and Repashy Bug Burger (and dang that stuff gels quickly!). Fed 0.5cc of the Fluker's to Alex through syringe with IV catheter as a tip (the syringe by itself was too large and kept placing huge drops of the Fluker's on her lips). She licked it all up like a champ. Cleaned her cage as well. Fortunately, she's still pooping and poops look normal. As I was cleaning her cage, her eyes opened on their own. They look cloudy/goopy still, so I took a wet q-tip to try and get most of it out. Also placed dusted/gutloaded mealworms into her dish once I noticed that she was tracking the movement for a few seconds. (The clear mealworm bin was next to her kritter keeper when I was cleaning her cage). I will be repeating the Fluker's and q-tip eye wipes 2-3 times daily and hope she shows improvement.

By the way, approximately how long will it take for her to show improvement if she's now getting vitamin A? I'm hoping that she'll at least show some improvement before Tuesday (vet appointment). How long does it usually take for geckos to heal from a vitamin A deficiency? I know it depends on the amount of vit. A administered, but just wondering how long this may take. If it takes weeks, I'm ok with that, but I just want to see my lil girl feeling better soon.