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The main reason why we have to use
supplements is to compensate for the little variety in the diet of captive animals compared to the wide range those same animals would eat in their wild or natural habitat, also their natural diet is richer in nutrients than cultured feeder insect that we feed them.
By feeding a wide variety of foods, including “field sweepings” theoretically it should not be necessary to use supplements, but in captivity this is not always possible! This may be due to a few of factors such as, there is not always time each day to spend collecting insects and in some colder countries shortages of insects can occur during their winter
periods.
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Dusting feeder insects on a regular basis with supplement powders, specifically made for reptiles and amphibians such as Herpivite® and Rep-Cal® will help correct any dietary imbalances.
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You can either alternate dustings between a vitamin supplement and calcium supplement or you can make a 50/50 mix.
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Mixing half of each supplement will lessen the confusion when next time you try to remember which supplement you last used.
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Most if not all the better quality supplements on the market have a breakdown of their constituents listed on the labelling.
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Do not use any product that does not have a breakdown, as this product may contain substances that may prove damaging if not fatal to your animals! |
It is known that cultured feeder insects are low in Calcium (Ca) but high in Phosphorus (P). Maintaining the correct Ca:P ratio is one of the principle requirements to all animals and using a supplement will help restore this ratio. Vertebrate animals such as amphibians and reptiles require Calcium and Phosphorus in the correct ratio to assure the correct development as they grow. Deficiency of these minerals can cause bone and tissue deformities, most of which cannot be corrected as the animal grows older. The typical ratio for Calcium and Phosphorus are 2½Ca:1P.
There are minerals such as Potassium (K) that are required for to assist in fluid regulation in the body and Magnesium (Mg) which helps to absorb proteins and also needs to be present for enzymes to function correctly. Other trace elements are needed in lesser quantities, but if these are absent will lead to serious problems.
Vitamin supplements are also necessary, as a vitamin deficiency will most likely lead to
problems as well as result in a reduced functionality of the animals immune systems. With the correct vitamins the likelihood of parasites are also reduced and this in turn will reduce stress to the animal and owner.
Vitamins A, D, E and K are soluble in fat and are stored in the liver. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble and any surplus will be excreted in the urine.
 | Vitamin A, is found as a pro-vitamin in
animal fat i.e. the liver, it is also found in carotene (a natural
food colouring in carrots), a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to
eye and skin complaints. This vitamin can be overdosed which in turn
will suppress the intake of Vitamin D3.
In theory by supplementing with dried plant material i.e. paprika,
which contains a high percentage of beta-carotenes you are able to
enhance or maintain the yellows to reds in the Dendrobatids that haves
these colours.
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| Vitamin B complex is most widely to be
found in meat, yeast and pulses. A Vitamin B complex deficiency causes
skin and digestive problems.
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| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is important for
the functioning of the nervous system.
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| Vitamin C aids the resistance to disease
and is to common in fruits.
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| Vitamin D3 is a very most important
vitamin for animals kept in viviariums, as it is necessary for the
absorption of calcium and a deficiency causes similar symptoms to a
calcium deficiency. Overdose of this vitamin can lead to a build-up of
calcium in the organs and eventually poisoning. Vitamin D3 is made in
the skin when exposed to Ultra-violet light, as UV light does not
penetrate glass (but UV light does pass though clear plastic) animals
will therefore need radiation of UV-B light or additional supplements.
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| Vitamin E, functionality of this vitamin
is for fertility for reproduction and to assist other vitamins. |
If it is possible with some feeder insects, try to gut-load as this increases their nutritional value and provides a more assured way of supplying supplements to the frogs. Your animals are what they eat. If you feed them starving feeder insects or feeder insects that are malnourished, your amphibians and reptiles will end up malnourished as well. Feed your feeder insects well and you increase your chance of raising healthy animals.
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