Did I buy the right supplements?

[Chelspaz]

I looked at the vitamin schedule post at the top of this category and then went on Amazon and ordered my supplements. Here's a snapshot of my order on Amazon:



I ordered Zoo Med because that's the brand they've been feeding on since the beginning. A sample package of Zoo Med vitamins came with my enclosure that I bought them originally and I've been using that this whole time.

Just wanted to show the experienced people on this forum exactly what I got so I could either get a thumbs up (or maybe a thumbs down) that I got the right stuff.

(Previewed my post and realized the picture is a little small to just be sure to click the picture so you can read the descriptions! Thanks!)

[tgampper]

Vitamin D3 and Phosphorus are vital in maintaining good health of your amphibians. However, as with all things, too much is just as bad as too little. The amount of supplements to use will vary with species. I suggest serving dusted food items no more than 3 times a week. This is the protocol I used at the zoo when I cared for many different species. Vitamin D3 can also be obtained through UV-B lighting.

I also suggest the administration of one drop of liquid Vitamin A on their backs once a week. This will prevent feeding problems.

Articles of interest:
http://www.amphibianark.org/pdf/Husb...tamin%20D3.pdf
http://www.amphibianark.org/pdf/Husb...0nutrition.pdf
Do Your Frogs or Toads Have Trouble Catching Insects?

[flybyferns]

Below are easily obtainable and commonly used powdered supplements for dusting feeders:


Above - Is a powdered form of Vit A
- it should be used cautiously and/or under the supervision of a Herp Vet specific to the species of frog that may require it.

My experience with the use of this product is limited to a bi-monthly supplementation for breeding /adult dart frogs only.


Above a super ( combined Valcium / Vit D / and Vitamin )

The Repahsy products can be purchased directly from Repashy


-Pink--- is Calcium and Vit D
-Blue--- is vitamins

Both of the Rep-Cal products can be purchased from Josh's Frogs

It looks like the two products you purchased mirror the 2- Rep-cal products
I have never used them----- That does not make them 'bad'.
Perhaps read about them on Zoo Med's site.
If you have any questions ---I'm SURE they have a customer service # and would be happy to answer any questions

Enjoy the links Terry added to her reply

[Mentat]

If frogs are eating them; those two you bought will work by themselves. What frogs do you have? Myself use solely Repashy products (mostly Calcium Plus now); but there are other brands around. Keep containers in refrigerator and also watch for the expiration date .

[Chelspaz]

I have Gray Tree Frogs.

[Chelspaz]

Thanks to those of you that have given feedback! I really appreciate it!

[DigitalPunk]

Watching the expiration dates ends up being one of the most important aspects to supplementing your frogs. Most supplements have a shelf life after the seal is broken of 6 months. Sometime between 4 - 6 months you should have warning bells going off in your head and order replacements. You will end up throwing away 1/2 to 3/4 of the jars because we simply cant dust enough food to use it all in 6 months, but it is he nature of the beast.

[Lady]

I am dealing with vitamins for my first dart frog at this time as well. I know the people on this board will help with all the advice they can. Sometimes you get way more advice than you can process at one time, but after you sit down and think it will make sense.

[Lady]

Below are easily obtainable and commonly used powdered supplements for dusting feeders:


Above - Is a powdered form of Vit A
- it should be used cautiously and/or under the supervision of a Herp Vet specific to the species of frog that may require it.

My experience with the use of this product is limited to a bi-monthly supplementation for breeding /adult dart frogs only.


Above a super ( combined Valcium / Vit D / and Vitamin )

The Repahsy products can be purchased directly from Repashy


-Pink--- is Calcium and Vit D
-Blue--- is vitamins

Both of the Rep-Cal products can be purchased from Josh's Frogs

It looks like the two products you purchased mirror the 2- Rep-cal products
I have never used them----- That does not make them 'bad'.
Perhaps read about them on Zoo Med's site.
If you have any questions ---I'm SURE they have a customer service # and would be happy to answer any questions

Enjoy the links Terry added to her reply

Your pictures really helped me figure out what I need. Thanks a million.

[Chelspaz]

Okay I have a couple of questions.

This is my first time feeding my frogs the calcium powder and separating the fruit flies from the powder is virtually impossible it seems. Does anyone have any tips or tricks to helping achieve this?! The calcium just seems to come together in a bunch of little balls and when I try to dump my flies out to separate them, the balls of calcium fall right with the flies! It's so frustrating!

Also, a fruit fly question...I have a couple of cultures that are a bit older but still have so many flies in them! When I try to tap the flies out of it, the media starts spilling out of it too and ruins everything! Does anyone know of a way of getting the flies out of these older cultures without getting the liquefied media spilling out as well?!

[Lady]

Okay I have a couple of questions.

This is my first time feeding my frogs the calcium powder and separating the fruit flies from the powder is virtually impossible it seems. Does anyone have any tips or tricks to helping achieve this?! The calcium just seems to come together in a bunch of little balls and when I try to dump my flies out to separate them, the balls of calcium fall right with the flies! It's so frustrating!

Also, a fruit fly question...I have a couple of cultures that are a bit older but still have so many flies in them! When I try to tap the flies out of it, the media starts spilling out of it too and ruins everything! Does anyone know of a way of getting the flies out of these older cultures without getting the liquefied media spilling out as well?!

We tap out the flies we want to feed into a separate empty deli cup to measure about how many are needed. first you put in just enough powder to coat the flies then tap in the flies from you culture and close the culture. Then shake the flies in the feeding cup around until they are dusted thoroughly. Then dump dusted flies out into the enclosure with your frog(s). Then any fly that is gobbled up before it walks off the powder is supplemented. Note that any supplement walked off in the enclosure will feed micro fauna and plants.

[DigitalPunk]

There isn't really a wrong way to do it. Here is how I dust my flies.

1 - Add some supplement powder to an empty 32oz deli cup
2 - Tap flies into deli cup
3 - share deli cup to coat flies
4 - tap flies into an empty (feeding) deli cup until the excess supplements get close to edge. Then I tap the supplement cup back on the table to knock everything back to the bottom and then tap into the "feeding cup". Usually 1 sometimes 2 times of doing this will get you all your flies and very little excess supplements.
5 - Tap feeding cup into Vivarium. If there are excess supplements in the feeding cup I try to not get it in the tank, but it happens.


If a bunch of excess powder makes it to the vivarium floor I will mist the area to wash the excess powder away after they are done eating.


As for the old media coming out. I have had this happen 1 or 2 times and it is disgusting lol. On cultures that try to run on me like that I old them at less of an angle when tapping flies out and will rotate the culture as I tap every now and then to keep the media running in the container. If it gets to bad I toss it in the trash and move on with my life. Just not worth the headache lol.

[Chelspaz]

I guess I should've mentioned that I do my powders like y'all suggested from earlier learning here on this forum. I just didn't know if there were any other ways that could help with the calcium powder that seems to ball up and get all over the place more than my vitamin powder seems to do. I guess it just comes with practice.

That sucks that I may have to throw my culture away. There are still so many flies in it that I would love to take advantage of!! I will try what you suggested though and see where I get. Lol.

[Chelspaz]

So I tried tapping the flies out EXTRA carefully this time and it's just not working well at all with the runny media. It sucks really bad because I have probably hundreds and hundreds of flies still in there! I would REALLY hate to throw it away!!

[Dendrocare]

In the early 2000s Chris van der Lingen made a study into vitamin use in poison dart frogs. By listening to some of the problems where different frog farmers ran into, such as the emergence of the spindle leg syndrome, sudden death of adult animals etc and after a lengthy comparison study between food animals in nature and food animals we farm ourselves, it turned out as expected that there were some differences in vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins created by the sun, vitamin E and D3, are hardly found in our farmed food animals. Vitamin D3 ensures proper absorption of calcium, needed for proper bone development and vitamin E helps maintaining a health endocrine system and thus good farming results.
Chris has developed a sbalanced combination of vitamin thoroughly testing it on the frogs he farmed himself, noticing farming results significantly improving almost immediately. The frogs behaved much livelier, producing healthier eggs and young frogs proved much healthier, and there were no signs of spindle leg syndromes or other anomalies anymore. Time was ripe to market this vitamin combination, bringing about Dendrocare.
Dendrocare is the missing link between food animals we grow ourselves.

see more on: Dendrocare | complete vitamin & mineral powder for dendrobates

[Dendrocare]

[Mentat]

So I tried tapping the flies out EXTRA carefully this time and it's just not working well at all with the runny media. It sucks really bad because I have probably hundreds and hundreds of flies still in there! I would REALLY hate to throw it away!!

If media becomes runny; it's pretty much ruined since tipping the container will spill the runny media into your collecting container. It happens randomly to my D. hydei cultures... no idea why.

Myself use Repashy SuperCal MeD and it's a superfine grind that is easy to work with and sticks very well to the smallest flies .