How much calcium? And do I need vitamins?

[mylifeismyown66]

Hey everyone i was just wondering how often i should dust the crickets with my T rex dragon dust? It does contain D3 and as of right now im not using an MVB just a reptisun 10. My BD is 7 months and ive been giving her about 30 large dusted crickets every other day and she gobbles them up right away. It does say this contains all foods vitamins and minerals, but i just wanted to make sure i needed addition vitamins or anything like that. Thanks!

 

[ashesc212]

Hi there, I really think your beardie needs to be fed once or twice per day, rather than every other day. It's best to offer some greens (collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens) as well as protein. Is the Reptisun 10.0 a tube light or a coil light? Because it is a 7 month old beardie, and because the Reptisun provides the beardie with the D3 (so long as she can get within 8" of it), you really should use the RepCal Calcium without D3 instead. Otherwise, you might be forcing your beardie to absorb too much calcium, which could be toxic. I dust with calcium 5 x per week and with multivitamin 2x per week.

Hope this helps.

 

[mylifeismyown66]

She gets veggies and a few meal worms every day and 36 crickets every other day. I am using a reptisun 36" tube for her.

 

[twyliteskyz]

Hi there, I really think your beardie needs to be fed once or twice per day, rather than every other day. It's best to offer some greens (collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens) as well as protein. Is the Reptisun 10.0 a tube light or a coil light? Because it is a 7 month old beardie, and because the Reptisun provides the beardie with the D3 (so long as she can get within 8" of it), you really should use the RepCal Calcium without D3 instead. Otherwise, you might be forcing your beardie to absorb too much calcium, which could be toxic. I dust with calcium 5 x per week and with multivitamin 2x per week.

Hope this helps.

ack, is this true? i have the calcium with d3, but i read you need d3 if it isnt a mvb bulb. i also have the reptisun 10 36" and he gets within 8inches of it. does that mean i need to ditch the d3?

 

[mylifeismyown66]

yeah twylite, thats exactly what I have read as well...

 

[beardie parents]

My understanding of the d3/no d3 thing is this:

If you use the Mega Ray or T-rex (Mercury Vapor Bulbs) you use calcium with no D3.
If you use the fluorescents (reptisun 10 tube, reptisun 5 tube, reptiglo 8 tube) you use calcium WITH D3

All calcium must be phosoporus free.

 

[ashesc212]

I disagree, the tube UVB would have no purpose if it weren't to help the beardie to produce D3, which is what causes the beardie to properly digest calcium. In fact, I used to use Calcium w/D3 and when I explained my lighting on this board, I was told to use without D3 and I have a tube light...but maybe that person was wrong, who knows?

Anyway, I'll try to research this a little more just to be sure in case I'm wrong.

 

[ashesc212]

This article is interesting:

http://www.anapsid.org/uvd3.html

In an experiment, one group of iguanas were given calcium with d3 and a minor amount of UVB lighting. The other group was given a tube light (like Reptisun) and NO D3. Both groups did fine and were healthy. However, after the end of the tube light's useful life (6 months), then the group without D3 started having problems.

Although this is only one source, it shows that so long as you keep your tube light for no longer than 6 months, it is ok not to supplement with D3.

I'll try to do some more research though.

 

[ashesc212]

Okay, I did some research and talked with Tracie too. If they are getting tube lighting, and are still a juvenile it's calcium with D3 5x per week but if they are an adult it's 3x per week. However, in the first 3 months of tube light usage, they are effective enough where you wouldn't need the D3.