Reptilinks and calcium/d3

[Shaunb]

Hi, I recently started feeding my ij reptilinks. While on the website it says you don't need to add calcium and d3 because they use whole animals carcuses. Do you guys think this sounds right or would yall still offer the calcium and d3. I do use a uvb light also.

[Claudia&Louie]

I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but vitamins and calcium that uses animal carcasses, while that sounds kind of scary, are probably beneficial. Bone, organs, connective tissue, etc have a lot of important nutrients and vitamins that human-grade meat (meat that we eat) doesn't have. As long as the carcasses don't rot or anything, which I'm sure they don't since that would probably be illegal.

Edit: this is also a good reason why people feed snakes whole mice. I... think. There are probably lots of reasons, but I'm pretty sure that's one of them.

[splashy07]

If proper diet is followed, there isn't any need for extra supplementation for adults with the exception of gestating females and occasionally animals coming out of brumation. Fast growing babies and juveniles of course, I would supplement.
And the snake thing, whole prey is what they eat, not just what we elect to feed them. Although I once had a bullsnake that ate raw chicken legs.