Proper Supplementation for Leopard Geckos
Proper Supplementation for Breeding & Growing Leopard Geckos
If you are thinking of breeding leopard geckos it is crucial to have a proper supplementation schedule. Leopard geckos are some of the most prolific species of lizards in the world and while you may have short term success with an average calcium supplement, if you are a serious breeder or just want to provide the best possible nutrition to your leopard gecko, read below!
Why do we need to supplement? There is nobody supplementing insects in the wild!
This was a question I asked myself years ago and if thought about superficially, it can make logical sense to think that our insects do not need supplementation. Wild leopard geckos are consuming a variety of wild insects that are exposed to UVB and that eat a variety of plant material that naturally gut loads them. The feeder insects in the trade are typically not chosen because of their nutritional content but instead because of how readily available they are. Most reptile feeder insects need calcium supplementation because they are naturally deficient in calcium and contain an unbalanced, high level of phosphorus. An improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio can cause a serious and irreversible condition called metabolic bone disease (MBD) in these geckos and other reptiles.
Do I really need a calcium dish? Or can I just dust my feeder insects with calcium?
It is common practice to provide a calcium dish for leopard geckos, specially those that are growing or breeding. Although, I do know of people that have maintained their geckos exclusively on dusting the feeder insects, consider this; It is thought that Leopard Geckos may be geophagus in the wild, which means that they will ingest soil, dirt or sediment to extract nutrients. This hypothesis came about from the frequent observations that when given the opportunity, leopard geckos will readily take a few licks from a calcium bowl when they feel they need it. Just like we provide a water bowl so the animal can drink water on its own free will, we should provide a calcium dish (specially for breeding animals). You can provide the calcium supplement in a small shallow dish.
What are the exact supplements we should give to our Leopard Gecko?
There are a wide variety of quality supplements out there for you to choose from. Here is what we use:
Calcium dish: Miner-All Calcium/Mineral Supplement
Dusting Feeder Insects: Repashy Calcium Plus
"To slightly improve the mix, and add some additional vitamins, add a little Bee Pollen Powder (about 5% of final mix) and some Repashy Vitamin A Plus (about 3-5% of the final mix)." - via GeckoBoa
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We hope you found this blog useful! If you did, feel free to share amongst your fellow leopard gecko enthusiasts or anyone interested in these wonderful geckos! Supplementation is one of the key pillars to proper husbandry and these animals deserve our upmost attention when it comes to their care!
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