Calcium & vitamins
- Thread starter joneill
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VeiledKarma
New Member
Calcium without D3 on a daily basis. Calcium with D3 should be used twice a month and Multivitamin should be used twice a month.
I just chose a day of the week and give him the Calcium with D3 that day. And then the next week on the same day I give him the multivitamin. And just alternate it.
I just chose a day of the week and give him the Calcium with D3 that day. And then the next week on the same day I give him the multivitamin. And just alternate it.
This might help explain it...
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.
Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.
Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).
If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).
Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)
Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)
Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.
Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.
Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).
If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).
Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)
Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)
Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
It depends. For example, Does your chameleon go outside?
Check out this blog entry to get a good broad perspective on supplementing:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
The amount of calcium should be consistent...given at most feedings. The insects we use as feeders usually have a poor ratio of calcium to phos. so we dust to make up for it. Calcium is important for bones and other systems in the chameleon so its important that we given them enough. It is possible to overdo it but dusting the insects lightly at most feedings should not lead to this.
The idea of giving them the vitamin supplements a couple of time a month is to ensure that they get some without overdoing it and leaving them to get the rest from the gutloaded insects....however D3 and prEformed vitamin A are fat soluble and you need to control them more carefully since fat soluble ones build up in the system.
D3 from the sunlight or the UVB should not lead to an overdose as long as the chameleon can move in and out of either source of light because the body should only convert what it needs. The D3 from the supplements can build up in the system though because it isn't converted but is ready to go. Using the D3 twice a month also ensures that the chameleon gets some without overdoing it and leaving it to get the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB.
PrEformed vitamin A is also ready to go (unlike beta carotene, prOformed) and can build up in the system.
In addition to all of this...prEformed vitamin A and D3 are somewhat antagonistic to each other and excess vitamin A may prevent the D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD....so its important that they are in balance.
Phosphorus and calcium also affect each other and need to be in balance.
I hope this helps explain it somewhat!
The idea of giving them the vitamin supplements a couple of time a month is to ensure that they get some without overdoing it and leaving them to get the rest from the gutloaded insects....however D3 and prEformed vitamin A are fat soluble and you need to control them more carefully since fat soluble ones build up in the system.
D3 from the sunlight or the UVB should not lead to an overdose as long as the chameleon can move in and out of either source of light because the body should only convert what it needs. The D3 from the supplements can build up in the system though because it isn't converted but is ready to go. Using the D3 twice a month also ensures that the chameleon gets some without overdoing it and leaving it to get the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB.
PrEformed vitamin A is also ready to go (unlike beta carotene, prOformed) and can build up in the system.
In addition to all of this...prEformed vitamin A and D3 are somewhat antagonistic to each other and excess vitamin A may prevent the D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD....so its important that they are in balance.
Phosphorus and calcium also affect each other and need to be in balance.
I hope this helps explain it somewhat!
Last edited:
natrustell1
New Member
Vitamins
Hello I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me. i have a female veiled chameleon. and im currently using nutrobal 3 days a week is there any other vitamins she should be given?
Please PM me
Hello I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me. i have a female veiled chameleon. and im currently using nutrobal 3 days a week is there any other vitamins she should be given?
Please PM me
junglefries
Avid Member
From my experience breeding veils, natural sunlight helped more than anything. Especially with males who like a 5°f higher temp than females. Of course, the three regular supplements are definitely required with these guys and girls. With their higher metabolisms and females producing such larger clutches, you really can't cut corners with them. If you do, at about the two year mark, you WILL notice health issues.
