Jeweledchameleons
Avid Member
I been fielding a few calls from people in the last few months regarding
their animals health issues.
Specifically:
Lack of overall muscle tone
Tongue retraction issues (swallowed tongue?)
Chameleons not "shooting" but walking up and attempting to bit prey?
After looking around and speaking to another breeder(s)
we've of the opinion that these may be symptoms might stem from a lack of
bioavailable beta carotene in the animals diet.
As well as lack of B-Vitamins
Some of the common reptile supplements are lacking bioavailable beta carotene
While others have fully formed synthetic Vitamin A
(that isn't useable by the chameleon).
Thankfully, many pet stores and cricket breeders feed and ship their crickets
with some carrot slices making up for the absence.
However too many smaller pet stores don't drop a carrot into the holding containers.
leaving the door open for future problems as the feeders "pass" all the gutload as droppings
(nutritional value decline)
The best preventative is to make sure that your animals get their feeders
that have been well gut loaded on something like carrots and high b-vitamins
If you animal starts to show symptoms
you may wish to buy some beta-carotene (vitamin A) supplements.
make sure that the source of listed on the gelcaps isn't "Vitamin A" but beta-carotene.
vitamin A's precursor this can be applied directly to the feeders
be careful to not overdose.
needless to say UV Light is also very important -make sure those lights are under a year old!
I'm not 100% sure about this as of yet (double blind chameleon studies are lacking)
Just researched a bit and thought it would be best to pass it along before
anyone else has to experience a swallowed tongue (or worse).
Thoughts and comments welcome.
their animals health issues.
Specifically:
Lack of overall muscle tone
Tongue retraction issues (swallowed tongue?)
Chameleons not "shooting" but walking up and attempting to bit prey?
After looking around and speaking to another breeder(s)
we've of the opinion that these may be symptoms might stem from a lack of
bioavailable beta carotene in the animals diet.
As well as lack of B-Vitamins
Some of the common reptile supplements are lacking bioavailable beta carotene
While others have fully formed synthetic Vitamin A
(that isn't useable by the chameleon).
Thankfully, many pet stores and cricket breeders feed and ship their crickets
with some carrot slices making up for the absence.
However too many smaller pet stores don't drop a carrot into the holding containers.
leaving the door open for future problems as the feeders "pass" all the gutload as droppings
(nutritional value decline)
The best preventative is to make sure that your animals get their feeders
that have been well gut loaded on something like carrots and high b-vitamins
If you animal starts to show symptoms
you may wish to buy some beta-carotene (vitamin A) supplements.
make sure that the source of listed on the gelcaps isn't "Vitamin A" but beta-carotene.
vitamin A's precursor this can be applied directly to the feeders
be careful to not overdose.
needless to say UV Light is also very important -make sure those lights are under a year old!
I'm not 100% sure about this as of yet (double blind chameleon studies are lacking)
Just researched a bit and thought it would be best to pass it along before
anyone else has to experience a swallowed tongue (or worse).
Thoughts and comments welcome.