Your caution is understandable and too much D3 is toxic to any animal, not just reptiles. The main reason its good to use regular supplementary D3 with baby dragons (or other diurnal reptiles) is due to their extremely fast growth rate. You don't want them to be low on D3 due to the standard low levels typical commercial UVB bulbs put out. Once dragons reach 12 months, dusting with calcium containing D3 (or calcium powder without D3 and just having the D3 included in a multivitamin powder) can be reduced to once a week or even once every other week.



What isn't known yet (or at least I haven't found any reference to it) is exactly how much D3 a dragon needs daily to be able to utilize calcium and perform other body functions relying on this vitamin. In humans its 1000 I.U. per day. So its a balancing act between providing enough D3 and not too much and not knowing exactly how much is needed.



For dragon owners who can expose their dragons to unfiltered natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes several times a week dietary D3 isn't needed. Unfortunately many dragon owners don't live in parts of the country or other countries which stay warm enough year around to allow this.



As you provide both natural sunlight and UVB bulbs for your dragons, they are getting the exposure to UVB they need to naturally produce all the vitamin D3 their body needs. There isn't any need for you to supply it with supplements. For myself, I may have 2-4 months where the weather is warm enough to bring my dragon outside for natural sunlight. Though this is further complicated by the fact I live in an apartment who's balcony only gets exposed to sunlight for about 2-4 hours a day depending on the time of year. Thus I can't rely on natural sunlight for my dragons and use vitamin D3 a few times a month for my adult dragon. She of course has all the UVB she can get from her UVB bulb which I change regularly. This summer however I provided more calcium with D3 as she was laying eggs.



As a note for others, dusting insects means a very light dusting over each insect, they shouldn't look like they are coated in white powder. Typically a pinch of powder is all that is needed for a feeding of insects.
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PHLdyPayne

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