Diet Supplements for Reptiles
Nutritional problems are one of the most common reasons pet reptiles become sick. Captive reptile diets are frequently imbalanced in vitamins and minerals — largely because it is still very difficult to completely replicate natural food sources using what is commercially available. Supplements provide an important tool to fill those nutritional gaps.
Which Reptiles and Amphibians Need Supplements?
We recommend supplements for all land amphibians, lizards, and indoor tortoises and land turtles. Outdoor tortoises and turtles on an appropriate diet typically do not require supplementation. Snakes that eat whole prey do not need supplements, as they receive all necessary nutrition from their food. Water turtles and aquatic amphibians should receive all the supplements they need through nutritionally complete pellets as part of a balanced diet.
Calcium
Calcium is essential not only for strong, healthy bones but also for muscle function, digestive health, and nervous system function. Captive reptile diets are commonly too high in phosphorus and too low in calcium — a problem because the intestines absorb calcium and phosphorus in equal proportion. When phosphorus is too high, too little calcium is absorbed, leading to a calcium deficiency and eventually a serious condition called nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (metabolic bone disease).
The best way to prevent this is to dust food with a calcium carbonate supplement 2–3 times per week (daily for chameleons). We recommend Zoo Med ReptiCal. Dust onto greens or feeder insects immediately before feeding.
Multivitamins & Vitamin A
Vitamin A is critical for healthy eyes and eyelids, skin, mouth, trachea and lungs, muscles, bones, and reproductive function. Many insect-eating reptiles and amphibians do not get enough vitamin A from their diet alone.
A quality powdered multivitamin sprinkled onto food 1–2 times weekly can prevent deficiencies. When choosing a multivitamin, verify that vitamin A is listed as retinol acetate or retinol palmitate — not beta-carotene only. Research suggests that many insect-eating reptiles and amphibians cannot convert beta-carotene into usable vitamin A. We recommend Zoo Med Reptivite.
Vitamin D3
Most wild diurnal reptiles (active during the day) obtain all the vitamin D3 they need from the sun. Most nocturnal reptiles (active at night or dusk) can get their D3 from their diet. Diurnal reptiles housed indoors should be provided with UVB lighting to simulate sunlight, but artificial UVB is never as effective as natural sun exposure at producing D3.
We recommend that all indoor reptiles — both diurnal and nocturnal — receive some form of supplemental D3. Calcium supplements and multivitamins are available in both “with D3” and “without D3” forms. To reduce the risk of over-supplementation, we recommend using Reptivite with D3 and ReptiCal without D3, following the dosing recommendations above.
