Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have heard/read conflicting advice re supplements. What's the prevailing wisdom in terms of ratios (calcium:multivitamin) and frequency of use?

Thanks!

I have always done calcium daily(once), and multivitamin 1 or 2 times per week.

I have kept dragons for over 10 years.

I dust with a phosphorous-free calcium at most feedings to help make up for the poor ratio of calcium to phos. in most feeder insects.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene source of vitamin A. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system while beta carotene sources won't. Excess preformed vitamin A can prevent the D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD.

I dust with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder twice a month because my dragons only get UVB from linear/tube UVB lights (no direct sunlight). D3 from supplements can build up in the system, so don't overdo it. D3 from exposure to UVB should be self-regulating as long as the dragon can move away from the UVB if it needs to.

Gutloading and feeding the insects a nutritious diet will also help. Crickets can be fed a wide variety of greens (dandelions, kale, endive, collards, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrot, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.). These same things can be fed to the dragon too..as well as a little fruit (apple, pear, melon, berries, etc.)

Appropriate basking temperature plays a part too...it helps with digestion which in turn plays a part in nutrient absorption.

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are main players in bone health and need to be in balance. To attain the balance you need to look at the supplements, what you feed to the insects and what you feed to the dragon.

Hope this helps!

You can use Calcium Plus for bearded dragon bu T-rex. I hear it is a good product. It should have a picture of a bearded dragon on the front cover...it is hard to miss. Calcium Plus has the right amount of vitamin D3 in it so I wouldn't worry about overdosing it on vitamin D3 and it is completely safe. I usually dust the crickets with multivitamin in very small amount about 3 times a week and calcium about 5 times a week for babies and juvies. Crickets and other feeder insects usually have very poor calcium to phosphorous ratio. That's why I dust with caclium 5 times a week even for adult.

I am a Rep-Cal believer. I dust every live meal with calcium w/D3 except when they can get outside in the summer where I use no D3. Once a week I substitute the Rep-Cal multivitamin for the calcium.

Calcium Plus is used by Sandfire Dragon Ranch I believe, so I highly recommend it.

I've heard some bad or critical reviews about T-Rex supplements in the past, so I've always stuck with the Rep-Cal. My dragons grow very fast. My babies born 5/4/08 are already 16" and 250 grams.

Really?! What kind of bad review? The T-rex product is developed by Allen Repashy, so far I've heard nothing but good review about it. His gecko Calcium Plus really prevent MBD in gecko particularly some young, growing Phelsuma species, which are difficult to raise. I know Robert Mailloux highly recommend it. You can even order some from his website.

I expect it was the Vegetable Dust (err Dragon Dust?) BDLvr is talking about. It has a tendency to cause impaction if used excessively without sufficient hydration. I have tried it and find if you coat greens as heavily as suggested on the bottle, it acts more like wet plaster. It tries into a hard crust in the bowl which is very hard to wash out.

Other than that I haven't had any problems or heard anything bad about their other products. Their Meal Replacement Diets (crested gecko diets, gargoyle gecko diets, the two part diets etc) are super great.
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PHLdyPayne

Yes, the dragon dust. There was a poster here 6 months to a year ago that had some health issues and it was suspect to his use of the product. Also a well known breeder of my aquaintence has had health issues related to the dragon dust. I personally have not used their product although I received it from them at N/C and still have it. I have never heard any bad reviews regarding the Rep Cal product.

Just take this whole thread as opinions. Nothing here is substantiated fact. Some dragons thrive with no supplementation I'm sure, and I'm also sure that somewhere, most likely, there is a dragon that had a bad reaction to every product.

I recently had a problem with Dragon Dust and my beardies are very well hydrated. After using it a few times one of my younger girls seemed impacted and began twitching a bit. I knew it wasn't due to UV or heat issues and must be an impaction of some kind. After a few warm soaks she was fine. Was it the Dragon Dust? Who can say for sure. But it was the only new thing in her diet. I stopped using it and haven't had a problem since.
I agree...it cakes up like a paste in the bowl. Imagine what it is doing in their little bellies!

I dust all of my dragons' live meals (6 days a week) with Rep-cal calcium Phos Free w/ D3 and then 1 time a week with the Rep-cal brand multivitamin Herptivite and have had alot of success with it
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1.0.0 Frilled Dragon - Frank
0.0.1 Rhinoceros Iguana - Mo
2.1.0 Bearded Dragons - Magellan, Galileo, Lizzy
Plus babies on the way! =]