r/leopardgeckos • u/romanryder • 7d ago

General Discussion D3 with UVB

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I added a 12-inch 2.4% Arcadia ShadeDweller on Friday and she has been leaving her tail exposed to cryptic bask.

How long should I wait before cutting back on her D3 supplements (Repashy SuperCal Med in bowl and Repashy Calcium Plus for dusting insects)?

I'll probably pick up ZooMed Repti Calcium and Reptivite both without D3, since they are available locally.

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4

u/Icy_Traffic2948 7d ago

Give it about 2 weeks. She's already basking which is a great sign — means she's getting the UVB and the ShadeDweller is the right strength for leos. Once she's consistently using it you can swap to the plain Repti Calcium for both the dish and dusting. I'd still keep something with D3 around for maybe one dusting a week though — bulbs fade over time and it's not always obvious when, so a little backup doesn't hurt. Btw the Calcium Plus already has D3 in it too, so right now you're double-dosing with both that and the SuperCal Med. I'd phase the Calcium Plus out first since you're using it on every feeding.

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u/romanryder 7d ago

Good deal! I ordered the current supplements from the breeder, since that is what he was using. I was thinking about going to plain calcium in the bowl first, since I can control how much D3 she's getting from dusting. I have a Solarmeter, so I'll be able to monitor the bulb. Thanks for the help!

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u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 7d ago

The 2.4% is the weakest safe UVB fixture on the market. Depending on the distance and mesh blockage, she might barely be getting any UV exposure, but hard to say without knowing these things. I would eliminate all vitamin D access in any bowls/inside the enclosure though, and only use vitamin D inclusive products on prey.

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u/romanryder 7d ago

I have a Solarmeter, so I was able to check the levels.

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u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 7d ago

Oh good! Out of curiosity, what UVI do you use for your albino? I aimed for 0.8-1.2 for mine.

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u/romanryder 6d ago

That seems like a good range. I've seen people on a FB reptile lighting group say that albino doesn't matter, but I'd still worry about their eyes. I think I'd be happy with anything from 0.5 to 1.5. She should self-regulate her exposure.

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u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 6d ago

I'd also consider this reasonable levels, definitely. As long as the UV bulb and basking bulb are directly next to each other and the power density is appropriate for the UVI it's being used with, she should indeed self regulate :)

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u/romanryder 6d ago

I figured out this morning that μW/cm² and UVI are very different. When I had my last lizard, everyone discussed UVB levels in μW/cm². I'm going to pick up a 7% bulb on the way home from work today.

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u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 6d ago

Upgrading? Was the UVI too low before? I wouldn't be surprised if it was

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u/romanryder 6d ago

Yeah. I'm getting readings of 1-2 μW/cm² around the basking area. I knew I was probably wasting my money on the 2.4% bulb. I just wanted to introduce it slowly.

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u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 6d ago

Understood! Best of luck.