What's the deal with vitamin d3?

[Patrick19]

Ok, I have been doing some research, looked over the internet, and have found that some people say that calcium with vitamin d3 is very good and should be used a lot. Others, however, say that it is bad and should be used very sparingly.

So, since I see the people on this forum as some of the most knowledgable gecko owners (hoping the flattery will get more response ), I was wondering what your guys take on it is?

Is it ok? Not ok? How much should I use the stuff?

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

There are lots of posts here on the forum about Calcium with Vit.D.

Essentially, Vit.D is a fat soluble vitamin that helps in assimilating calcium. All nocturnal reptiles need it because their skin is not adapted to absorb Vit.D from natural sunlight like many other reptiles.

I use calcium w/out Vit.D in the mealworms bowls, and give calcium with Vit. D weekly along with a multivitamin supplement. Females laying eggs get Vit.D more often.

 

[david13]

I have pure calcium with nothing else in it and then vitamin supplement with D3.. I don't know if the D3 is supposed to be in the vitamins or not but nothing has gone bad

 

[Stevie]

Actually vitamin D3 isn't a vitamin at all but more like a hormone. It's not absorbed from sunlight, but (under the influence of UV-light) created by special cells in the skin of almost all animals. Even nocturnal animals are able to create vitamin D3, but won't do it that much, because they're not in contact a lot with UV-light. Most nocturnal animals however are active during dusk and dawn and using that bit of sunlight to create vitamin D3. you should give your animals a vitamin D3 supplement by dusting the preys. Some gecko owners use it daily, some less.... this is because it is not known how much vitamins a gecko needs. I think some is better than nothing, so....

Greets,

Stevie

 

[Green_Snake]

I've only been able to find calcium with Vit. D-3. Should I use plain calcium for humans?

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I used to use calcium with D3 at every feeding, and never had any issues. My vet recommends VitD3 for ALL nocturnal species, and says he has never seen a case of hyper-vitaminosis D3 in a leopard gecko in the nearly 20 years he's been a reptile vet.

 

[fallen_angel]

I always thought that the reason you needed two different kinds of calcium is because the geckos do need the D3, but they can overdose on it (supposedly). They cannot overdose on Calcium, though, so you can offer that all that you want, just be more sparing on the Calcium with D3.

We keep calcium without D3 in the enclosures at all times, and we buy crickets about twice a week, so the first time we get crickets in the week, we dust with Calcium with D3, the second time we get crickets, we dust with a multi-vitamin

So essentially, the calcium with D3 is given once a week and the multi-vitamin is given once a week. There is nothing wrong with 2 or 3 times a week, especially for laying females, I just wouldn't reccommend offering those daily :main_no:

 

[fallen_angel]

I've only been able to find calcium with Vit. D-3. Should I use plain calcium for humans?

There are many kinds that are just pure calcium, we use Jurassi-Cal, and it's not clearly marked as being "without D3" but if you read the ingredients on the back, it says "Jurassi-Cal is also Vitamin D3 free" in really small text.

 

[liljenn]

Has anyone ever read (factual proof) of a case of overdose of Vitamin D3 or Vitamin A (both fat soluble vitamins) in geckos?? I understand the concern & it is possible in VERY high doses, however, like both Stevie & Marcia stated, it is a necessary vitamin & some is better than none. Truly, IMO, I think there are more issues with UNDER-supplementing than OVER-supplementing.

Everyone has there own system- here's what I do: I have human-grade calcium carbonate powder (available at healthfood stores) in a small cap in my tubs & I "dust" my mealies with T-Rex Leopard Gecko ICB developed by Alan Repashy at every feeding. After reading about his formula, I believe it is high quality, well balanced, & my leos like it better than with Rep-Cal (I did a taste test! ). I try to keep things simple.

 

[rjehh!]

yeah I was wondering about this as well.
I usually buy some mealies from petsmart that come in the container
and once I get home, I spread some calcium with vit d3 on the top layer of oat meal (or whatever it is) and some one the mealies.
but when its actually feeding time, I put the works in her feeding dish, along with another good sprinkle of the calcium w/ d3, and after she eats the mealies, she eats slot of the calcium.

Do you think thats too much calcium d3 intake??

 

[zzz888]

I think there isn't really big different between calcium with or without D3, because most of multi-vitamin powder contains D3.

If you dust your mealworms with supplement, I think you don't have to add a calcium dish or vitamin dish in your cage, keep in mind that gekcos are very small and they don't need suplement as much as we do!!!

 

[reptileluv13]

I used to use calcium with D3 at every feeding, and never had any issues. My vet recommends VitD3 for ALL nocturnal species, and says he has never seen a case of hyper-vitaminosis D3 in a leopard gecko in the nearly 20 years he's been a reptile vet.

how do you feed your leopard gecko D3?
do you put it in a bag with calcium and shake it, so it gets mixedup with the crickets/mealworms? and how much does it cost?

 

[catvettech]

Actually vitamin D3 isn't a vitamin at all but more like a hormone. It's not absorbed from sunlight, but (under the influence of UV-light) created by special cells in the skin of almost all animals. Even nocturnal animals are able to create vitamin D3, but won't do it that much, because they're not in contact a lot with UV-light. Most nocturnal animals however are active during dusk and dawn and using that bit of sunlight to create vitamin D3. you should give your animals a vitamin D3 supplement by dusting the preys. Some gecko owners use it daily, some less.... this is because it is not known how much vitamins a gecko needs. I think some is better than nothing, so....

Greets,

Stevie

Thank you for clarifying that leos can in fact absorb vit D through exposure to UV-light (UVB). My old leo was returned to me with MBD and I in fact bought a UV-B bulb to assist him in the absorption of calcium/D3. He is doing well.

 

[reptileluv13]

can anybody tell me what D3 is please?

 

[brad.a.c]

Look in the earlier posts in this thread and you will find out.

 

[Euphoric]

I thought that since they were nocturnal they didn't need d3 or a uvb light.
So how does a gecko get MBD?
Just from not dusting?

 

[brad.a.c]

A gecko gets MBD from not enough calcium, so their bones get weak and don't grow properly. So, in effect, yes, they get MBD from not dusting or not getting enough calcium.

 

[Euphoric]

Oh okay, now that I re-read that I feel like an idiot but I was always told
there was no need for supplement.
Okay, dusting here I come!

 

[brad.a.c]

 

[Tommy13b]

lol some time this year i looked at my milks at school and i noticed it had D3 in it.. very strange i thought it was a reptial vidamin >.>