Vitamin D is an important regulator of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis in animals. It can be acquired from the diet or synthesised de novo when skin is exposed to UVb. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a complex of diseases collectively called metabolic bone disease (MBD). Diurnal lizards without access to UVb are prone to develop vitamin D deficiency, even when dietary vitamin D₃ is provided. A trial was conducted to determine whether juvenile nocturnal lizards require access to UVb to prevent vitamin D deficiency. All leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) were supplemented with dietary vitamin D₃. One group was exposed to low level UVb radiation (33–51 μW/cm²) from hatching until 6 months of age and a second group remained unexposed. Animals were fed ad libitum and their growth and weight gain compared with non-exposed controls. At the end of the trial, blood samples were analysed for vitamin D₃ metabolites. The concentration of the vitamin D₃ metabolite, 25(OH)D₃, was higher in UVb exposed animals (61 ± 20 vs. 38 ± 8 nmol/L), confirming cutaneous synthesis with UVb exposure. Growth and weight gain were similar in both groups, and this, together with the absence of clinical symptoms, suggests that dietary vitamin D₃ alone can meet the vitamin D requirements for growth of this nocturnal gecko, during the first six months of life. It remains to be investigated whether the higher vitamin D metabolite levels holds other health benefits for this species, such as improved bone density or immune response.

维生素D是动物体内​​钙和磷稳态的重要调节剂。当皮肤暴露于紫外线时，可以从饮食中获得或从头合成。维生素D缺乏会导致多种疾病，统称为代谢性骨病（MBD）。即使提供饮食中的维生素D ₃，没有UVb的昼夜蜥蜴也容易出现维生素D缺乏症。进行了一项试验，以确定少年夜间蜥蜴是否需要使用UVb来预防维生素D缺乏症。所有豹纹壁虎（Eublepharis macularius）都补充了饮食中的维生素D ₃。一组暴露于低水平的UVb辐射（33–51μW/ cm ²），直到孵化至6个月大为止，第二组仍未暴露。随意喂养动物，与未暴露的对照组相比，它们的生长和体重增加。在试验结束时，分析了血液样本中的维生素D ₃代谢产物。暴露于UVb的动物体内维生素D ₃代谢产物25（OH）D _3的浓度更高（61±20 vs. 38±8 nmol / L），证实了暴露于UVb的皮肤合成。两组的生长和体重增加相似，并且没有临床症状，这表明饮食中的维生素D ₃在生命的头六个月内，仅此一项就可以满足夜间壁虎生长所需的维生素D。较高的维生素D代谢物水平是否对该物种具有其他健康益处，例如改善的骨密度或免疫反应，还有待研究。