Am I supplementing right?

[SilverWolf]

5 month old male Jackson Chameleon. This is how I provide his vitamins. He eats about 4 - 6 crickets a day. I only dust the crickets with calcium, no d3 twice a week. I dust them with multivitamins once a month.

Is this good for a jackson chameleon?

 

[Lathis]

Does his multivitamin have D3? If so, that's about what I use as a schedule. I have found that what I feed my bugs is just as important as supplement. I gut load crickets and superworms with fresh veggies and Bug Burger. You should also start rotating in other feeders - superworms, silkworms, hornworms, and dubia roaches are all popular feeders. Jax love flies, so blue bottle flies are another great option. Check out the sponsors on the forum - we have some great bug suppliers here.

 

[SilverWolf]

The multivitamins do have d3. I am glad I am not the only one using that schedule. I only feed him crickets right now, but yes I should go ahead and get some blue bottle flies soon. I am just not sure if I'd be so willing to take care of the flies, especially with gut loading them lol but of course I'll give him some eventually.

I feed the crickets cilantro, and occasionally carrots.

 

[Lathis]

You don't have to gut load flies, keep the pupae in the fridge and hatch out 10 at a time. They will keep for 2-3 weeks. They are a pain and make a mess if you feed them.

You should be able to get superworms and maybe calciworms from a local pet store. Depending on where you are , you might have access to other feeders. I don't locally, so I have to order online. I also raise snails and I'm going to try raising isopods again. My Jax enjoys both of those.

For the crickets, mix in carrots, turnip/collard greens, butternut squash, apples, peppers, and other stuff. I blend it up and freeze it in an old ice cube tray. Very easy and keeps forever.

 

[SilverWolf]

Sounds good then. Until I get the other ingredients do you think just putting cilantro and carrot pieces with the crickets will be okay for now?

And that is a relief with not having to feed the flies. I'll go ahead and order them in the next few days then, probably next week. How do you "hatch 10 out at a time?" Do I just take it out of the refrigerator until I notice 10 hatch? Then feed it to my chameleon right then just like that?

 

[Lathis]

It's fine for today, but you want to start gutloading better as soon as you can.

I prefer the pupae over the spikes (maggots). They come in a tiny deli cup. I keep the deli cup in the warmest part of the fridge (door) and take out 10-15 pupae at a time. Put them in a dry place inside the cage, and over a day or two, they will hatch. My Jackson's chameleon goes crazy for flies. I order from Mantidpets.com

 

[junglefries]

Lathis is correct on flying insects. Jax love moths, butterflies, honeybees (- the stinger), etc... it is a real treat for them. You'll probably get a thank you card in the mail from your cham.