Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin. Fat soluble vitamins are not easily excreted in urine like water soluble compounds. Because of this vitamin D3 can build up to toxic levels in leos.

However, vitamin D3 is an essential vitamin in the creation and up keep of bones, as well as immune system function. Without D3 animals can develop metabolic bone disease, even with high blood calcium levels.

Diurnal animals, such as basking lizards and crickets, can synthesize their own vitamin D3. Nocturnal lizards need to obtain their vitamin D3 through their diet, ie. crickets. But here's something to think about....Do the crickets that we use to feed our leos ever get enough sun exposure to produce adequate levels of vitamin D3?

Everyone is quick to say that calcium with vitamin D3 is bad for leos, but never seem to have any real data to back it up. Also vitamin D3 toxicity is very rare in leopard geckos. It's never been as big a problem as MBD, Cryptosporidium, or even coccidia.

I personally switch back and forth between calcium with and without vitamin D3. Leos need D3, and I am not convinced that captive raised prey have the levels needed. I also know that they don't really need a lot, so switching back and forth, or even mixing the two reduces the overall intake.

Some will want to argue with that, but none ever seem to have a solid argument. Most just try to quote what some hack website says, but none ever seem to think critically about it.

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