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perfectly replicate the natural habitat and diet in a captive situation . The very fact that reptiles are in captivity may cause stresses which can interfere with normal digestion and absorption of nutrients from their diet .
Take the example of free-living Central Bearded Dragons ( Pogona vitticeps ), which will consume arthropods , worms , small rodents , lizards , greens and flowers . A 2015 study demonstrated that their diet included approximately 60 % insect matter ( from nine different orders ) and up to 16 % plant matter . The composition of the diet can also vary seasonally depending on the availability of food items in their natural habitat . The use of supplements in captivity will assist by providing micronutrients missing from the less diverse captive diet , in addition to reddressing the Ca : P ratio .
What to supplement with and how to do it . There are a number of brands of calcium and mineral supplements on the market . When choosing a supplement , it is important to consider what may be missing in your pet ’ s diet . If you have good access to a commercial source of UVB or unfiltered sunlight , you should choose a calcium supplement that does not contain vitamin D , as too much vitamin D can cause abnormal calcification of soft tissues . Calcium supplements should also contain as little phosphorus as possible , to help maintain a Ca : P close to 2:1 .
The most commonly recommended method of getting your reptiles to consume dietary supplements is to dust them on prey items . However , this is not as simple as it sounds . Too little calcium powder and your animals risk developing deficiencies ; too much and the calcium can outcompete some micronutrients in your pets ’ intestinal tracts . In a study investigating the efficiency of calcium transfer , crickets were dusted with an unnamed product containing 11 % calcium and 3.2 % phosphorus , using one -eighth of a teaspoon of the supplement per 100 crickets . The calcium levels were measured as 0.12 % three hours after dusting and only 0.08 % after 22 hours . It is important to keep this in mind when feeding out calciumdusted crickets . The insects should be dusted immediately prior to feeding out to achieve the highest levels of calcium transfer .
References Donoghue , S ., 2006 , Nutrition , in Divers , S . & Mader , D . ( ed . s ), Reptile Medicine and Surgery , 2 nd ed ., Saunders Elsevier , Netherlands , 1264pp .
Kischinovsky , M ., Raftery , A . & Sawmy , S ., 2018 , Husbandry and Nutrition , in Doneley , B ., Monks , D ., Johnson , R . & Carmel , B . ( ed . s ), Reptile Medicine and Surgery in Clinical Practice , Wiley-Blackwell , UK , 250pp .
Oonincx , D . G ., van Leeuwen , J . P ., Hendriks , W . H . & van der Poel , A . F . The diet of free-roaming Australian Central Bearded Dragons ( Pogona Vitticepts ). Zoo Biol . 2015 May-Jun ; 34 ( 3 ): 271-7 .
Trusk , A . M . & Crissey , S . D ., Comparison of calcium and phosphorus levels in crickets fed a high-calcium diet versus those dusted with supplement , Proc 7 th Dr Scholl Conf Nutr Capt Wild Animals , 1987 : 93-99 .
Dr Tom can be contacted at the Glenorie Vet Clinic on ( 02 ) 9652 1338 or via glenvet @ bigpond . com
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There are a couple of techniques you can use to apply nutritional supplements to the exterior of the invertebrate prey . Placing the prey and the powder ( s ) together in a clean container and using the ‘ shake and bake ’ technique works in most cases , however not all invertebrates will pick up adequate amounts of powdered supplement . If the supplements will not stick to the outside of the invertebrates , you could try placing them in a shallow dish with some supplement on the bottom to encourage your reptile to eat it .
Dietary supplements are a key ingredient to maintaining a healthy and balanced diet for captive reptiles . The selection of appropriate supplements and the method in which they are applied to the diet are important factors to keep in mind .
Image by Michael Cermak .