vitamin d3 - OnlineGeckos.com Gecko Breeder

This is a commonly asked question among leopard gecko hobbyists. People often ask, “should I get calcium with D3 or without?” Or, “what leopard gecko vitamin supplements should I buy?” Also, “how to dust insects with multivitamin powder?” Before we start, understand that there’s not just one right way to supplement. However, we will go over the most common methods that should work for all general gecko hobbyists and breeders.

To D3 or not to D3? The answer is simple. Yes, for leopard geckos living in captivity, you need to supplement with vitamin D3 unless you utilize UVB. UVB is a whole other discussion entirely so let’s just assume you don’t use UVB like most leopard gecko hobbyists. But to quickly go over UVB, in order to use UVB properly, you need to have a large enough terrarium (20-40 gallons minimum). The tank must have lots of shades and hides to allow your gecko to hide away from light. Continue reading “How to supplement gecko diet and dust feeder insects – Leopard gecko vitamin supplements”

Did you know that leopard geckos are crepuscular?

It has long been thought that leopard geckos are a nocturnal species. But leopard geckos have been observed to come out at fading light during dusk & dawn, the very definition of a crepuscular species. Where as nocturnal animals only come out at night, and they shy away from light completely. Nocturnal species also have distinct features such as very large eyes and ears so they can see & hear at night. So the next time someone tells you leopard geckos are nocturnal, you can correct them by saying leopard geckos are crepuscular, they are most active around dusk & dawn during twilight.

What about diurnal species?

Leopard geckos are very much different from diurnal species such as iguanas, bearded dragons, and chameleons. Diurnal species are awake during the day and sleep at night. They bask under full spectrum sunlight, using UVB for Vitamin D3 synthesis. They absorb light and heat through their backs.

Since leopard geckos are crepuscular, do they need basking light?

Do leopard geckos require basking light? The answer is no. They get very limited exposure to sunlight in the wild, as they are only active during dusk/dawn and at night. So the little UVB they get, they would get during fading light. Leopard geckos burrow deep under ground to sleep during the day, and they wake up in the afternoon/evening to go hunt for food. They are also able to navigate at night using natural moonlight. Continue reading “Did You Know? Leopard Geckos Are Crepuscular”