Supplements

[ThatOneReptileNoob]

Do I still need to dust insects with calcium/multivitamins if they’re being used as a treat?

[Noodlebasket]

Definitely not need, but I have heard that it is good practice to "gut load" any insects you feed for a minimum of 24 hours before you actually feed them. The thought process being that it will 1. flush any problematic stuff from their gut (usually referring to cannibalized friends), and 2. if you gut load them with vitamins for your pet, you don't need to dust them. The logic behind it makes a lot of sense to me but I haven't experimented with it yet as my skink is still too young to be interested in bugs / live prey. Oh and just for clarity, gut loading is just feeding the prey with stuff you want them to have inside them when they are eaten. As always I encourage you to do your own research!

[ThatOneReptileNoob]

Thanks! I wouldn’t say I know ALL about gut loading, but I’ve actually done some research on that for a leopard gecko my brother has (I try to know... all of everything ). But I do have another question that stems from your response. What about calcium? I mean, you can’t really gut load them with that, can you? Sorry if it seems like I’m being difficult, I just REALLY want to make sure I get everything right.

[splashy07]

You can dust insects with calcium.

[ThatOneReptileNoob]

You can dust insects with calcium.

Thanks!