Vitamins? And d3?

[Novia]

What kind of vitamins are you supposed to give your Beardie? I have some t-rec juvenile bearded dragon food that's always there for him but he doesn't eat it. What else can I do?
Also, should I be using calcium with or without d3?

 

[CooperDragon]

The adults can get most of the vitamins they need from a balanced salad. For the young ones, you can offer a multivitamin dusting once a week or so (or according to the package instructions). My thoughts on D3 are to use regular calcium when you have an intense UVB source such as an MVB or T5 lighting because that should be enough to help them produce their own D3. I would use calcium with D3 when a lower intensity light such as a T8 is being used.

 

[Novia]

My little one is still a baby, so I should use vitamins, right? What kind of vitamins do you suggest?
Also, I have a reptisun 5.0 UVB compact for now (I will get a tube 10.0 when I have some money) so I should use d3? What are the D3 overdose risks that I've hear about?

 

[CooperDragon]

Yes, you will want to use a multivitamin powder. I use Repashy Supervite and like it. There are other good options available too. I would also use calcium with D3. Just follow the directions on the package for dosing. The overdoses can happen but it would take an awful lot to cause that. If you stick to the dosage recommended on the package, you shouldn't have a problem. I would consider the UVB upgrade a priority because the 5.0 bulb is designed for shade lizards rather than desert lizards. You'll want a ReptiSun 10.0 with a reflective fixture for the best result. Mount that about 6-8'' above the basking spot with no mesh or clear plastic in the way.

 

[etug87]

@ CooperDragon - if using a 10.0 desert UVB mini compact, would you still recommend using calcium with d3? I've had a bit of confusion around this as well....

 

[CooperDragon]

I would avoid using the compact due to the narrow and intense concentration of UVB, but if you do use one, I would offer the D3 supplement because their output (in general) is on par with a T8 and is lower intensity than a MVB or T5 tube.