Vitamin D3 for baby beardy?

Question

i've got an UV lamp for my beardy and heard that if you have one you don't need to give D3 supplements? is that true? or maybe just in smaller doses?

Answer 1

Hi
The UV light is the D3 supplements which they would naturally get from the sun. With out this vitamin D3 they wouldn’t be able to digest calcium which then would lead to a calcium deficiency then brittle and broken bones.

Oh soz I missed out a bit you need to change the UV bulb every 1 to 2 years as they do deplenish

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Answer 2

It is still recommended that you supplement with vitamin D3 even with the use of fluorescent UV lighting. You would not need to if your dragon had regular exposure to unfiltered sunlight (not through glass or plastic which filters the UVB) but few keepers have that option.
There are just two many variables with the lamps to trust them as the only source of vitamin D3. Some brands emit very little UVB at all, they all deteriorate rather quickly and your dragon has to be quite close to them for several hours to garner the effect. The mercury vapour type UVB bulbs do not suffer these problems but are not suitable for all enclosures.

There are risks to relying only on lighting and also risks in relying only on supplements so the safe compromise is to provide a combination.

For fast growing species like beardeds I use a vitamin D3 supplement at least twice a week and plain calcium on the other days for the first few months.

Answer 3

Those D3 drops have dubious reputation...

You are best off placing the tank by a window where he can bask in natural sunlight. When that is not possible, get the best lamp you can buy. I use Mega-Ray.

Feed him well, give him calcium in his food, and nature should take care of the rest

Answer 4

you still have to mine used the things and he is 12 now!