Bearded Dragon Related Gecko Question - Details Within.

[Menolly07]

I have a bearded dragon who has been diagnosed with microvesicular steatitis, portal hypertension and hepatic edema. Her food needs are outside the normal for an adult bearded dragon (who usually take 20-30% of their nutrition from insects). The vet has told me to pull fat and protein (insects) and swap her into an all herbivore diet with vitamin E and flax seed based Omega 3 fatty acids. He wants me to try a powdered iguana or gecko food that is based on an herbivorous herps needs.

My question is regarding what you use. I've heard decent things about Repashy in general and use their super pig for my chameleons. Aside from them I'm pretty much at a loss otherwise.

Help?

 

[Taterbug]

Repashy is the only meal replacement powder I know of that it really highly recommended. Personally I would be confident in their products based on their reputation and having read some of Allen's work. Looking at their site they have gel foods that come as a powder for herbivores and omnivores. The omnivore looks like its all plant protein and the herbivore is marketed as low protein. I think the gecko food might not be the most appropriate since Cresteds are frugivores.

I'm not sure the oxbow critical care would be balanced for long term use or not. It's the only other one I know of that is well spoken of.

Kinda strange the vet didn't have a recommendation. Good luck! It sounds like the poor dragon has a long road ahead

 

[Menolly07]

Well, the vet specifically said herbivore, powder food "like for geckos or iguanas". He did say to treat her as if she were a primarily plant and fruit eater. Luckily, she's an adult, so the protein content isn't AS crucial as if she had been diagnosed at only a couple months old.

The Oxbow herbivore critical care isn't great for long terms use. It's really hard to digest for herps, and its first ingredient is timothy hay. I was feeding it while we were determining what's wrong with her, but it just doesn't digest well for her.