Reptile Supplements. How to choose reptile supplements.

Other Links

> Home Page

>> Reptiles

>>> Reptiles Supplements

Reptile Supplements Liquid & Spray

Reptile Supplements Powder & Tablet

Shopping is easy to find the full range of products this section offers please navigate, using the menu to the left.

This information sheet has been designed to help you make an informed choice.

How to choose reptile supplements.
Researching the nutritional requirements and feeding regime of the reptile you are going to keep is very important if it is to remain healthy and have a long, trouble free life. A balanced diet will mean feeding a variety of foodstuff to ensure all the building blocks of life are provided including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. In captivity, reptiles may not get quite the variety of diet they need to provide all of these essentials in exactly the right quantities and so adding supplements to their feed may be required. Very young, old, and sick and recovering animals particularly will benefit from dietary supplements. If your reptile is under veterinary care then always seek the vet’s advice before using supplements.

Types of supplements.

Dry supplements. A small number of easy to use supplements in dry powder form are recommended for regular addition to food. These are usually calcium or vitamin additives and some combine both. The usual method of adding these powders is to sprinkle or dust the appropriate amount directly onto the food prior to offering it to the reptile. Always follow manufacturers instructions as to the amount and frequency of addition. Caution, it is possible to overdose any supplement including vitamins.

Nutrobal by Vetark is a calcium balancer, which also contains vitamins including vitamin D3 that enables the reptile to utilise calcium for bone and shell growth. This and other similar products should only be used once a week to once a fortnight if the vivarium is fitted with a full spectrum light kit. This is because these lights provide a light output called UVB (5% UVB output or greater is considered a full spectrum light source), which makes it possible for the reptile to synthesize vitamin D3 within its body. More frequent addition is necessary for those systems that do not have full spectrum lighting.

T-Rex produces two standard powder supplements. 2.0 is a vitamin and calcium supplement for carnivorous reptiles and 2.1 is for herbivores and also contains phosphorus which they may be lacking from their usual diet. Both should be used as above. Also available from T-Rex are MicroStick powder and CalciYum tablets. MicroStick is ground calcium carbonate, so fine that it will stick easily to live insects so ensuring maximum delivery and minimal waste. CalciYum tablets are cricket flavoured calcium tablets and are suitable for mineral foraging reptiles or for hand feeding directly to calcium deficient animals.

Liquid supplements. Liquid supplements are usually in the form of a pump action spray or dropper allowing easy application to prepared or live foodstuff. Recommended frequency of application will vary from product to product and you should always read the usage instructions. Lifeforceonline supply liquid supplements from T-Rex and ESU.

T-Rex manufacture vitamin sprays Bio-Vite and Bio-Vite Plus, which are suitable for all reptile types. Bio-Vite plus has the addition of Spirulina and Beta Carotine which are essentially colour enhancers and will benefit any reptile with high skin or scale pigmentation. (Doesn’t exactly make them glow in the dark but regular use of a colour enhancer will make the most of their natural colour, rather like them having their best jacket on all the time). Solar Drops, also by T-Rex is a liquid vitamin D3 supplement for those reptiles that are not kept in a system with full spectrum lighting or to help in the recovery of reptiles suffering from metabolic bone disease. (Metabolic bone disease is a consequence of not providing the correct lighting and sufficient dietary calcium).

ESU produces sprays for delivering vitamins and calcium. Carnivore Calcium, as the name suggests, is for meat or insect eating reptiles and for some reason has a strawberry scent (?? I would have thought mouse, rat or locust might have been appropriate but strawberry?). Anyway, strange scent choice aside this combination of calcium and vitamin D3 is again ideal for animals suffering from metabolic bone disease or who’s vivariums are equipped with inadequate lighting. Also available is Carnivore Vitamin, which can be used together with the calcium supplement. Herbivorous reptiles are catered for with Iguana Vitamin spray. Despite the name, this spray supplement is suitable for all plant and vegetable eaters including tortoises.

Gut loading.
Gut loading is the term used for feeding a vitamin enriched supplement or foodstuff to a live insect. Calcium plus by T-Rex can be fed to crickets ensuring that they are already loaded with extra goodness. Pro-Grub is a multi-insect feed which can sustain and gut load Crickets, Mealworms, Giant Mealworms and others.

Using supplements.
As already mentioned, it is vital to follow manufacturers instructions implicitly regarding amounts and frequency of supplement addition. There are also one or two techniques that can be utilised to ensure the supplements are delivered correctly.

Cricket dusting.
Crickets are clean insects and groom themselves with their legs. Consequently if you dump a load of vitamin or calcium powder onto them, apart from giving you a hard look, they will immediately commence their bathroom routine to remove the offending gunk. Consequently powder is wasted and the reptile may not get the required dose. To avoid this, place the crickets in a freezer bag, add a pinch of powder and gently shake. The crickets will become covered in the dust and before they can remove it, place the bag in the fridge. Leave the bag in the fridge for a few minutes and the lower temperature will slow the crickets down so they are unable to remove the powder. Add them to the vivarium and before they warm up, cricket, supplement and all will be safely deposited in a reptile tummy.

Food dusting.
Adding a pinch of powdered supplement to a dry or moist food and mixing it in will tend to poorly distribute it within the food mix. To Dust the food evenly, place a pinch in the palm of your hand and gently blow the powder over the food bowl. A little practice will ensure an even dusting over the surface.

Cautious, regular use of the supplement that is appropriate to your reptile and the way it is kept will improve its immune system response and make it more active and colourful and increase its chances of living to a ripe old age.