Vitamins w/o D3?

[FaaFaa]

I have a MVB bulb and I use the calcium w/o D3 but what about the vitamins? Do the vitamins have to be w/o D3 too? Will Herpivite Multivitamin w/ Beta Carotene work? I cannot tell from the petmountian website if it has D3 in it or not....

Jen

 

[Embee]

I have a MVB bulb and I use the calcium w/o D3 but what about the vitamins? Do the vitamins have to be w/o D3 too? Will Herpivite Multivitamin w/ Beta Carotene work? I cannot tell from the petmountian website if it has D3 in it or not....

Jen

The multi-vites are fine. As they are only given 1 - 2 times per week (as opposed to 5 times per week for cal), it's a small enough dose not enough to cause accumulation issues. We use a MVB, and our multi-vites have D3. It's never been an issue.

The best,
Em

 

[FaaFaa]

OK so now I feel a little silly, that makes sense! Thanks!

Jen

 

[Twobeardieguy]

No need to feel silly, it was a good question!

 

[Embee]

No need to feel silly, it was a good question!

I quite agree... I believe I asked it myself once upon a time. :mrgreen:

 

[FaaFaa]

It's funny. When you think you know it all a beardie comes along and puts you right back in your place! Everytime I think I've got it figured out along comes another question!

 

[Embee]

It's funny. When you think you know it all a beardie comes along and puts you right back in your place! Everytime I think I've got it figured out along comes another question!

Oh, I so hear ya! We thoughts, "Ah, he's so cute." I had no idea it would take us months to figure everything out! :wink:

Somewhere along the line, the information locked in, thank goodness! :mrgreen:

Em

 

[surefire423]

I have been feeding my sons two dragons crickets and worms with a calcium supp w/ D3 and a pinch of vitamins that have D3 everyday that they are hungry (not everyday) while using MVB lighting. What are the possible problems that might occur? Should I stop immediately? Note, they will not eat veggies or fruit in any form.
Thanks

 

[FaaFaa]

I believe that they get the D3 they need from the MVB. If it were me I would toss out the calcium w/ D3 and get the one w/o D3 now. Aslo keep in mind that it's calcium once a day 5 times a week and vitamins once a day 2 times a week.

 

[Embee]

I have been feeding my sons two dragons crickets and worms with a calcium supp w/ D3 and a pinch of vitamins that have D3 everyday that they are hungry (not everyday) while using MVB lighting. What are the possible problems that might occur? Should I stop immediately? Note, they will not eat veggies or fruit in any form.
Thanks

As Jen pointed out, the stronger UVB output of the mercury vapor bulbs is such that the dragons will produce D3 on their own. It is neither necessary nor preferred to provide a D3 supplement for dragons under MVB lighting. You will definitely want to get some calcium withOUT D3 such as: http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-health/105556/rep-cal-ultrafine-calcium-without-vitamin-d3.html. An overage or over-accumulation of supplemental D3 is not unlike any other vitamin overage; a dragon can become ill in any number of ways from low appetite, to digestive issues, sleepiness, etc.

It can be challenging to find the cal withOUT in store, so if you need to order it online, you can go ahead and use the Cal with D3 for that time, but in smaller amounts. Are the dragons babies or juveniles? If so, I'd go with 3 meals per week then. When you get the cal w/OUT, you will want to resume dusting 5 meals per week. Dust with multi-vitamins 1 - 2 meals per week (on the days you don't dust with cal).

*(If the dragons are beyond juvenile (1 - 1 1/2 years old), please let me know and I'll give you a slightly different regimen to follow).

If your son's dragons do happen to be babies or juveniles, keep in mind that babies and juveniles tend to be hard wired for large amounts of protein and rapid growth. They will often turn up their noses to veggies. It's normal. Just keep offering and time usually takes care of it. Here is an excellent food resource list for dragons (can give you some ideas on things to try): http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html.

May I ask, what are the ages of the dragons, and are the dragons housed together?

Thanks,
Em

 

[surefire423]

Great help. Thanks. Just when you think you are getting a handle on this stuff....The juvenile is 4 months and lives in a 13x36x13 high home and the one and a half year old is in a 18x36x14 high home.

 

[Embee]

Great help. Thanks. Just when you think you are getting a handle on this stuff....The juvenile is 4 months and lives in a 13x36x13 high home and the one and a half year old is in a 18x36x14 high home.

I hear ya! For the 1 1 /2 year old, I'd take down the cal to twice a week for now, and when you receive the cal withOUT, resume to 3 meals per week (multi-vitamins should be given only once per week at this age). The four month old, as I advised above. Given the age span, I imagine the 4 month old is probably eating a good bit more than the 1 1 /2 year old, which stands to reason.

Good luck finding the cal withOUT D3!

Em

 

[surefire423]

To date I have been using Rep-Cal Calcium with Vit D3 and Rep-Cal Herptivite in a 3:1 mixture for dusting on average 4 to 5 days per week.

 

[surefire423]

As far as eating, the juvenile eats far less than her big brother. She might eat 5 large crickets every other day. He will eat 6 crickets and 6 super worms or variations of every day. We have been putting out veggies and fruit two or three times a day as well, but haven't seen either eat anything in these dishes. The juvenile will eat dragon bites from time to time.

 

[Embee]

As far as eating, the juvenile eats far less than her big brother. She might eat 5 large crickets every other day. He will eat 6 crickets and 6 super worms or variations of every day. We have been putting out veggies and fruit two or three times a day as well, but haven't seen either eat anything in these dishes. The juvenile will eat dragon bites from time to time.

Hm, that's curious as juvies are usually ravenous eaters. What is the juvie's size? And as to the MVB you're using, what is the brand, wattage and how close is he to the bulb at the basking area? How are the tank temps running, and what are you using to gauge temps?

The other thing might be the large crickets. Are they larger than the space between his eyes? If so, they may be perhaps too larger a feeder for him, and he needs to consume less than he would if he were eating a smaller/more safe size for his body size.

Let me know!

Em