Calcium for leo?

Question

is it better to leave in tank and dust food with calcium with d3 or calcium without d3.

Answer 1

As far as the best type of calcium to get, I would say Rep Cal. Pretty common type of calcium(its what I use).

Umm,some types of lizards will not eat the calcium if just placed alone in a pile in the cage, however, some do. My gecko(leopard gecko) just messes the calcium up and steps all over it, so I dust his meals(mostly crickets) in the calcium.

If you purchase a baby leo, try putting the calcium by itself in the cage. The baby might wonder what it is and eat it. If not though, just dust the crickets in the calcium powder. To do this just place some crickets in a bag and sprinkle a little calcium powder inside the bag. Then just lightly shake the bag and voila, your crickets are "calciumized".

Another good thing about dusting them is that when the crickets go to clean themselves, they themselves ingest the calcium powder and are now better for your gecko. Wherever you happen to keep your crickets, place a little bit of calcium inside the cage, because the crickets will eat it.

PS. It doesnt really matter the type of calcium you get, as long as its suited for your gecko and is actually calcium powder.

Answer 2

What are you feeding? And what are you dusting?

Answer 3

Congratulations on your choice of a Leopard Gecko for a pet.  These adorable and entertaining creatures can live 20 yr. and older with proper care.  And many, many kuddos for researching the animal before you obtain it!

First, let me suggest that you locate a qualified reptile vet (contact “herpetologicalsocieties.com“. for one in your area) and have the new animal examined (just as you would for any new puppy or kitten) for general health, disease/parasites.  Also, as you research, you will find contradictory care/habitat advice.  Your vet can quickly resolve the information dilemmas for you.

Never use sand/loose substrate for your gecko.  You'll see this suggested/approved on many of the sites you research (and please note that in all the pic.s on the site, they do NOT have THEIR animals on sand!), but again - a single question to your vet will end this dilemma for you.  Leos originate from rocky regions of hard packed earth, and nature simply didn't design them to ingest small particle of substrate with their food.

Another issue is UVB lighting.  Most say it's not necessary because the animal is noctural.  However, as you observe your gecko, you will note that it has brief periods of activity during the day as it moves from one hide to another, or gets a drink.  In the wild these dashes equate to SOME exposure to sunlight.  Again, this is a topic to discuss with your vet.  I use UVB on my Leos (and they also have vibrant colors).

Calcium with D3 should be provided in a small bowl in the habitat at all times.  Female geckos can produce eggs even if they never see a male gecko (they won't be fertile, of course), but egg producing/laying is very depleting on a female.  All geckos need a source of calcium, though.

Often very young geckos won't accept the calcium from a bowl.  It's a good idea to dust their gut loaded crickets before feeding with a quality reptile vitamin (ask your vet to recommend the best brands, but I use Reptivite) and calcium powder.  Be sure to refrigerate the vitamins.

Though you've most likely perused them already, I'll post a few links at the bottom which you might want to check out.  Please note my disclaimer about sand, though.

And just in case - here's a basic recipe for gut loading insects:

GUT LOADING CRICKETS for REPTILES:

The number one problem:

Dried up and malnourished pet store crickets and mealworms. These food items are essentially useless. A dehydrated and unfed cricket contains almost no nutrients at all; refrigerated mealworms are even worse. A lot of the variety in nutrients found in wild insects is actually in the stomach content - usually plant material. We need to duplicate this to provide the best for our reptiles; without the risk of illness/disease/parasites which can result from feeding our pets wild insects.

Please note that wax worms, while fattening, are not nutritious.

Basic Dry/Staple Cricket Food:

Equal amounts of dry Iguana food, dry dog food, chick starter mash, oatmeal (you can add dry baby food wheat/rye/barley, etc. as well; even shredded wheat - no sugar).

Grind these items together.  Place in a small lid/bowl for the crickets to eat.  Store the unused portion in the refrigerator or freezer, until needed.

Supplement daily with one of the following: sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, oranges, carrots, strawberries, assorted squashes (acorn, yellow, etc.), grapefruit, green beans, apples, kale, spinach, cactus pads, and just about any other nutritious item you can think of (do not use white/yellow potatoes - these are starchy and only good if used as a moisture source during shipping, and NEVER use Avacado - it's poisonous to most animals).

Provide the dry food and kale at all times (kale is readily available during the winter months, too), rotating the other food items through in succession. The key is variety, and to provide an assortment of varying nutrients. What you are trying to do is offer your reptiles crickets with guts 'loaded' with fresh foodstuffs.

The crickets should be gut loaded for 2-3 days prior to offering them to your reptiles.

Also, provide fresh clean water in a lid/bowl, adding a sponge or folded paper towel to prevent drowning.

  

Don't offer more crickets than the reptile(s) will consume within: 1.) a few hours if it’s a lizard, salamander, frog/toad, or 2.) a few minutes, if it’s a water turtle, so you know the crickets will still be full of the good stuff when eaten.

Be sure to remove any uneaten crickets so that they do not soil your pet's environment/water or bother your pet, once it is full.  Crickets CAN turn the table - and feast upon your pet! Or aggravate them, causing stress and even cessation of eating.

Enjoy your new pet!

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 4

i would dust thier crickets instead of leaving it in the cage.