first time owner

i had a couple other questions since i'm soon going to be a first time owner. i've read that it's good to have a small dish of calcium in the tank. do you find this is a good idea? (i'm going to be using paper towel as substrate because i've read it's the safest) i got 2:0 calcium/no phosphorus thinking that would be good for in the tank.

then i got reptivite to dust the insects with since it has vitamin d-3 and a whole bunch of others ingredients. on the container it says "for new animals, use every feeding. for established animals, use every other feeding". is that good advice? when do i consider them established? are there any other vitamins/supplements that i should be using and if so, how often?

also, what is best to use in the humid hide? i saw coconut fiber expandable substrate and also coconut bark. are either of those good? anyone feel strongly against them and thinks i should use something else? thanks!
lindsay

then i got reptivite to dust the insects with since it has vitamin d-3 and a whole bunch of others ingredients. on the container it says "for new animals, use every feeding. for established animals, use every other feeding". is that good advice? when do i consider them established? are there any other vitamins/supplements that i should be using and if so, how often?

Ingorne the direction. Do it every feeding and for the supplements/vitamins do it once a week or a month... If you gutload the feeders then do one time a month and if don't then do every week. I recommends you to gut load the feeders and it is the best way to do.

The Substrate you plans to use for hidebox is great to use.. I used it for few years with good results.

Preston Berry
www.coolgeckos.com
Prestonberry@austin.rr.com

are you saying use the reptivite every feeding and then other supplements once a month (i am going to feed the crix fluker's high calcium cricket feed)? if so, what other supplement would i need for once a month?

I use a calcium dish at all times and dust the food with calcium at every feeding and use minerall O a couple of times a week and herptivite once a week. I am getting ready to swtich from the mineral/hertivite to vinoate.

Coconut fiber is great for humid hides!

i agree coconut fiber is the best i recently switched thanks to advice i got on this forum and couldnt be happier. i use vionate and think its great stuff as well. ive also read that it may be more palatble as your "in the enclosure" suppliment.

are you substituting the minerall and herptivite for the calcium or are you using it in addition to the calcium? how come you've decided to switch to vionate?

Originally Posted by LindzS02

are you substituting the minerall and herptivite for the calcium or are you using it in addition to the calcium? how come you've decided to switch to vionate?

I use all 3, herptivite has vitamins, mineral O has minerals and I use pure calcium from premiumreptiles.com

I was planning to switch to Vionate tis month since it had vitamins and minerals but am holding off on that for a bit.