Do I still have to dust?

[Bling_my_leo]

Hi.

I switched my leos from crickets to meal worms. I have too put a dish of d3 calcium in their cages...

Do I still have to dust their food with d3 twice a week?

Thanks!

 

[Gecko Ranch]

You have to supplement insect food. Use a well proven supplement like Calcium Plus/T-Rex leo dust or mix 50/50 RepCal ultrafine with D3 and Herptivite. I prefer Calcium Plus because there is no mixing and it is a more advanced supplement IMHO.

 

[Bling_my_leo]

So do I still have to dust their food. I leave a dish of meal worms and a dish of d3 calcium in their cages at all times...

Do I still have to dust?

 

[Gecko Ranch]

So do I still have to dust their food. I leave a dish of meal worms and a dish of d3 calcium in their cages at all times...

Do I still have to dust?

Yes, see my above answer for what to use. Scientists have spent years trying to get this right as insects alone that we supply are not adequate in the vitamin and mineral dept. I think Allen Repashy is getting real close to having it right with Calcium Plus.

If you think about it, we are not mother nature (as much as that may shock us seemingly omnipotent beings!). We cannot duplicate our geckos' natural diet, so we need supplements to finish the job as best we can. When I started out I was scraping a cuttlebone for calcium....we have come a long way since then about three decades ago!

 

[Bling_my_leo]

Alright. I will keep dusting their meal worms. Every Tues. and Thurs. So pretty much all I have to do is spray the mealies with water then put soem d3 on e'm?

Thanks!!

How do you dust you mealies?

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Alright. I will keep dusting their meal worms. Every Tues. and Thurs. So pretty much all I have to do is spray the mealies with water then put soem d3 on e'm?

Thanks!!

How do you dust you mealies?

Scroll up to reply #2. I like Calcium Plus (also sold as T-Rex Leopard dust). You do not need to spray your mealies with using Calcium Plus as it sticks well. Besides, getting mealworms wet makes them croak in my experience!

You cannot just put D3 or just calcium on them. You need a whole supplement that contains the proper ratios of Calcium, Phosphorus, vitamin D3, vitamin A and other essential elements. These ratios are critical to the gecko's health. The products I mention have the proper ratios.

I think this will help you:

http://www.geckoranch.com/supplementgutloadclinic.html

 

[Bling_my_leo]

I see. Thanks!

I am not going to get this stuff. I am going to stick with the d3 calcium I already have.

A few people on here have done the same thing, spray their mealeis lighting with water then put the d3 on. That is what I am going to do.

I thank you for all the help!

Emma

 

[Gecko Ranch]

I see. Thanks!

I am not going to get this stuff. I am going to stick with the d3 calcium I already have.

A few people on here have done the same thing, spray their mealeis lighting with water then put the d3 on. That is what I am going to do.

I thank you for all the help!

Emma

I did not help you then if you don't understand you need a whole supplement and not just a couple of the components your gecko needs. I'm not trying to sell you anything, just offering you helping hand down the right path. Buy RepCal with D3 and mix it 50/50 with Herptivite or buy T-Rex Leopard Gecko supplement, buy it from anyone who carries it for your gecko's sake. These products and regimen are well proven all across the country and around the world. Continue what you are doing and you risk metabolic bone disease.

Of course I may not know what I am talking about, so feel free to ignore me.

 

[Ccrashca069]

Emma you also need to also give your leopard geckos vitiams. I use Rep-Cal Herptivite. It is the one with the Blue Label. It gets dusted on your feeders.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Emma you also need to also give your leopard geckos vitiams. I use Rep-Cal Herptivite. It is the one with the Blue Label. It gets dusted on your feeders.

Thank you John, here's a further clarification.

From the Rep Cal website:

Dosage: We ask that you mix Rep-Cal with our vitamin supplement Herptivite. If we premixed the products, the "beadlets" of beta carotene in Herptivite may possibly be damaged during manufacturing by the calcium in Rep-Cal.

The rest of that page:

http://www.repcal.com/supp.htm#Ultrafine Calcium

I don't like doing the mixing since Calcium Plus (T-Rex) lets you avoid all that. I still recommend RepCal and Herptivite because IT WORKS. Calcium Plus works better IMHO otherwise I'd still be using RepCal and Herptivite.

I've been maintaining a large (300+ geckos), diverse collection of geckos for about 15 years full time. A few supplements have come and gone in that time period as they have evolved. For certain geckos, like Phelsuma, it has really been hard to get it right until the last version of Calcium Plus, or if you prefer, mixing 2:1 RepCal to Herptivite works for that particular gecko. Leopard geckos are not anywhere near as sensitive to supplementation as Phelsuma, however, the same basic principles apply.

How did I learn all this stuff? Starting studying lizards when I was about 6 years old, attended symposiums and herp society meetings (founding member, Global Gecko Association, frequent speaker on geckos), countless shows and hours networking with folks in the USA and around the world. Doing research, asking questions from the leading breeders. Working with UC Davis Veterinary School on medical issues. Writing books and numerous articles on geckos. Working with a mentor who was a retired Zoo curator and expert on Phelsuma as well as many other reptiles and amphibians.

I know everyone looks the same on the internet, however, there are few that have equal parts passion and hard-earned experience on the subject at hand. Most will not set foot in internet forums as their teachings are often summarily dismissed, leaving them feeling unappreciated as I have been today. Hopefully I will not look "the same" now.

 

[Ccrashca069]

My Pleasure Julie. I don't know why she thought she still didn't have to dust her feeders. I mix the Rep-Cal w D3 and Herptivite together when I dust. I also keep normal calcium in the tank 24/7.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

My Pleasure Julie. I don't know why she thought she still didn't have to dust her feeders. I mix the Rep-Cal w D3 and Herptivite together when I dust. I also keep normal calcium in the tank 24/7.

I think that this is just another urban pet shop myth that you don't have to use anything but Calcium with D3 to supplement your insects. Another myth I have heard a lot is that you do not have to supplement your insects if they are gutloaded. Our work is never finished until the pet shop myths are slain!

 

[Bling_my_leo]

I have strted again to dust my feeders. Thanks everyone for helping and answering my questions.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

I have strted again to dust my feeders. Thanks everyone for helping and answering my questions.

Good deal! :main_thumbsup:

 

[Bling_my_leo]