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I have calcium supplements, retocal with d3 and rep-cal with no d3 which should I feed my baby sav? I keep both UVA and UVB on my lizard. I've heard its not good to overdo the d3.

>>I have calcium supplements, retocal with d3 and rep-cal with
>>no d3 which should I feed my baby sav? I keep both UVA and
>>UVB on my lizard. I've heard its not good to overdo the d3.

Since no one else is answering ...
Information I've picked up from other sources (including this forum):
[1] Successful monitor keepers and breeders do not need fancy supplements or UV light. Monitors get all the vitamin D they need from their prey.
[2] UV-B light is mostly safe, in the sense that it is impossible for the critter to overdose on D3 since it can regulate the amount produced. Dietary D3 can be overdosed, leading to painful and debilitating calcification. In this sense, UV lighting is preferable to supplementation if you insist on providing an extra source of vitamin D3. Extra calcium in the diet probably doesn't hurt, though.

My personal experience:
[1] I've raised maybe 50 monitors from hatchling to adulthood. Only one, a rapidly growing young female argus monitor, showed any signs that could be interpreted as a vitamin D3 deficiency. She was cured after several treatments under a medical grade UV-B light and supplementation with extra calcium (note that correlation does not imply causation - she might have just gotten better on her own no matter what I did, but she also might not have).
[2] Mercury vapor UV lights produce a very pleasing light that looks far better than the dingy yellow of halogens/incandescents or the sickly greenish flickering of fluorescents. The lizards may not care, but I do.

Note the distinction between calcium and vitamin D3. Calcium is a mineral needed for building bones and making muscles contract. D3 is a hormone that regulates calcium absorption (among other things - it has also been shown to assist with cellular repair and regeneration).

Luke

I keep the UVB long bulb on for maybe 4 hours and he is usually sleeping under his hide spot at this time. The UVA light is on for 12 hours though. He baths under the light when he eats thats about it. From your post it sounds like he doesn't need the D3 supplement. I guess I am more concerned when they are growing as he was born this year.

I have raised hundreds upon hundreds of monitors of many species. They grow very very fast and normally reach sexual maturity within 18 months(all sizes).

All individuals and all species are raised with incandesent bulbs. No UV bulbs of any sort.

The key is, decent husbandry. Not UV bulbs or D-3.

A good temp range is key, as well as security. That is, places to hide in all temp ranges.

Its my experience that Stress is the killer of varanids. Stress is what causes all manner of problems, including calicum problems.

Also repcal with D-3 does not cause problems, I tested it with monitors that were kept outside, exposed to real UV and never had any overdose or any problems. I also tested inside without problems as well. Of course, I never tested it with UV bulbs as I have felt a need for those things.

For insect feeders like ackies, I use a mix of vitamins and calicum, 50/50 or anywhere near that is fine. For rodent feeding species, I do not bother with any additive.

Again, we have had ackies grow up and reproduce as fast as six months of age, and mid sized monitors like Flavis or goulds, do the same. Such species as lacies reached sexual maturity successfully at a year. And small species like kings and caudos and gilleni as fast as four months of age.

Varanid health is more about conditions then some additive, like UV bulbs etc. To me, these types of additives(UV bulbs etc) are bandaid fixes that should not occur on a normal basis.

Like Luke mentioned, if you perfer the look of UV bulbs, then go for it. I perfer to put that money towards CHOW, as monitors need lots of groceries. Good luck

Thanks FR do you feel that savannah monitors are insect eating monitors? In the wild they apparently only eat insects... rodents rarely or never. Insects are apparently much more common then the rodents in their home range.

I am not talking about what they feed on in nature, I am talking about what is important, that is, what we are feeding them.

If your feeding mostly insects, then I would recomend dusting with vitamins and calicum. If your feeding mostly rodents, then there is no need for dusting.

Keep in mind, I have raised insect feeders without dusting, but they seen to take stress better when their food is dusted. That is, I had some fail when raised in big groups. But if they were in small groups and had plenty of attention, I had no problems.

Remember, I often was taking care of hundreds of monitors at a time. You most likely have a few, so giving them individual attention should not be a problem. Cheers

I'm feeding mostly insects to my monitors. They also get rodents and ground turkey. The bulk of their diet is insects for sure..so I guess I will keep feeding the calcium.