# Herptivite Questions



## Adven2er (Aug 17, 2008)

I've read here that Herptivite supplement only has a shelf life of 6 months after opening. I purchased the Rep-Cal D3 and Herptivite a few weeks before getting my first frogs. The Rep-Cal has a paper seal that you have to peel off. The container of Hertivite had the paper seal but I did not have to peel it off, it was stuck inside the cap when I first opened it. I returned it to PetSmart and took the replacement to the counter. I told the clerk that I would like to open it at the store to make sure it was properly sealed. This one did the same thing, as well as another I opened at the store. All three containers had different expiration dates: 6/08, 4/09 and 12/10. I assume these are from differnt batches/shipments. They had no problem refunding my money but I have no Herptivite to give my frogs now.

Is this normal? Am I being too paranoid about the quality of this product? Has anyone else had this issue? I know many of the sponsors here regulaly sell this item. Have any of you had any problems with this happening? I would like to at least have some peace of mind before I give my frogs a potentialy ineffective supplement.

Thank You,


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Hi Rick,

Ideally you want one that has a seal still on it (I just got one in the mail today and the seal is still tight on the Herptivite) as this tells you when it was first exposed to air (as you open it). I can't explain why they are all opened in the store unless someone has been sampling them (maybe to dust insects for the animals in the store?). 
Ideally the supplements would have a manufacture date as this would tell you how long the material has been sitting on a shelf somewhere. 
If you want the freshest supplement you should purchase it from somewhere that you know has a high turnover of stock which is why I ordered mine from a place I know has a high sell rate (the expiration date on it, is the end of 2011) so it would be fresh. (and I tend to be conservative on supplements (especially if you search my posts...)) 


Hope this helps,

Ed


----------



## Adven2er (Aug 17, 2008)

Thanks Ed,

I got a new one from a reptile shop locally. The first one I picked up there was also opened previously. I did find one that was still sealed. It must be a common practice in some pet stores. I will order mine from one of the board sponsors from now on.


----------



## mongo77 (Apr 28, 2008)

Should we be throwing away our supplements after 6 months? Those with small collections ( 1 or 2 tanks) will not even be close to useing the container. I haven't come close to using mine and I also use it to dust the crickets for my leapord gecko ( I admit though that I don't use it for every feedind! )


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The reason there is a six month recommendation is that the vitamins do begin to degrade as time passes and after six months the consensus was that there may be sufficient levels of degredation and to replace the supplement. 
If you want to try and extend the shelf life of the supplement, seperate into several air tight containers with as little air in the container as possible and place them into the freezer. This should slow down the oxidation but no studies have been done to show at when supplements stored in the freezer should be discarded. When you warm it up to room temperature you want to avoid any moisture buildup in the container as this will speed decomposition of the supplement and potentially allow for bacterial growth that could be a problem for the animals. 

Ed


----------



## CHuempfner (Apr 27, 2008)

mongo77 said:


> Should we be throwing away our supplements after 6 months? Those with small collections ( 1 or 2 tanks) will not even be close to useing the container. I haven't come close to using mine and I also use it to dust the crickets for my leapord gecko ( I admit though that I don't use it for every feedind! )



Mongo-
I wouldn't say I have a huge collection, but I have several vivs and 20+ frogs and I am still throwing out more than 1/2 of my supplements. However, I did find some relatively close frog friends from this forum that I split my supplements with. We are on the same 6 mo schedule so we trade off buying them. Just a suggestion, if you can find a close by frogger!

Crystal


----------



## Drew (Nov 9, 2006)

I replace mine every 6-9 months or so. Considering what we spend on our frogs, set-ups, etc it isn't al that expensive to do so.


----------



## adunne (Oct 7, 2008)

Do you guys keep your supliments in the frig?


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

See my post above. 

Ed


----------



## adunne (Oct 7, 2008)

I did, i more meant in general... so youve got your supliments that you use daily, everyother day etc... do you keep those in the fridg?


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Dang typed my response into the wrong thread since I had too windows open 

see http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/ge...6-vitamin-shelf-life-split-code-ethics-3.html

see my comments on warming it up and shelf life still apply regardless if it is kept in the fridge or the freezer portion of the refrigerator... (last I checked... freezers were often integral parts of refrigerators...)

Ed


----------

