Calcium intake

[bugagasashka]

hey guys!

I have a baby veiled chameleon, he is 3 months old and his name is Rango. I got him from FLChams and I had him for about two weeks now. I'm a rookie at having a chameleon so I need some advice in order for Rango to be healthy and as happy as he can be!

So calcium - I usually dust crickets with it but are there any other ways for a Cham to get calcium?

Really trying to avoid mbd and other health problems so I'm trying my best to keep him healthy

 

[alphakenc]

hey guys!

I have a baby veiled chameleon, he is 3 months old and his name is Rango. I got him from FLChams and I had him for about two weeks now. I'm a rookie at having a chameleon so I need some advice in order for Rango to be healthy and as happy as he can be!

So calcium - I usually dust crickets with it but are there any other ways for a Cham to get calcium?

Really trying to avoid mbd and other health problems so I'm trying my best to keep him healthy

By gutloading the crickets with calcium enriched vegetables like mustard green,collard green,n u can still lightly dust ur crickets with calcium supplement daily also,along with sun basking outdoor.

 

[bugagasashka]

By gutloading the crickets with calcium enriched vegetables like mustard green,collard green,n u can still lightly dust ur crickets with calcium supplement daily also,along with sun basking outdoor.

Thank you!! That helps a lot

 

[Bush baby]

Make sure it's PLAIN calcium, and NOT Calcium with D3 added to it.

 

[bugagasashka]

Make sure it's PLAIN calcium, and NOT Calcium with D3 added to it.

Wait, I thought it was supposed to be with D3?!

 

[KapitalJ]

calcium with NO d3 daily
calcium with d3 twice a month
multi vitamin twice a month.

LIGHTLY DUSTED, NOT PAINTED WHITE! LOL..

 

[bugagasashka]

calcium with NO d3 daily
calcium with d3 twice a month
multi vitamin twice a month.

LIGHTLY DUSTED, NOT PAINTED WHITE! LOL..

Thank you!!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Natural sunlight.

Dust at every feeding for a growing animal. They can only absorb so much calcium in the gut at a time, so if you have any inkling the chameleon might be somewhat calcium/Vitamin D deficient to begin with (and I would think all commercially bred veileds are), give him calcium dusted feeders twice a day.

 

[bugagasashka]

Natural sunlight.

Dust at every feeding for a growing animal. They can only absorb so much calcium in the gut at a time, so if you have any inkling the chameleon might be somewhat calcium/Vitamin D deficient to begin with (and I would think all commercially bred veileds are), give him calcium dusted feeders twice a day.

I'm gonna start taking my Cham into the natural sun every day. For how long would be a good time?

 

[WAMBO]

black fly larva [Phoenix worms/calciworms] are loaded with calcium. But they are very small. There are a few threads about them here. I just tried them. My panther ate them all up this morning, after the 3rd try to get him to eat them.

 

[bugagasashka]

black fly larva [Phoenix worms/calciworms] are loaded with calcium. But they are very small. There are a few threads about them here. I just tried them. My panther ate them all up this morning, after the 3rd try to get him to eat them.

Did you cup feed him? Since they are so small?

 

[WAMBO]

Did you cup feed him? Since they are so small?

Yes. I put them in a plastic container that is 2" x 6" and almost 2" deep, which is an old Cracker Barrel cheddar cheese container. I put his crickets in it too, but the bigger ones will escape, so he must hunt them down. I set it at the bottom of the cage, but have two branches nearby for him to stay on while he eats.

Here's a bunch of threads about them:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/253166/?q=calciworms&o=relevance

 

[bugagasashka]

That's interesting! I usually just let the crickets loose in the terrarium and he hunts for them!

 

[WAMBO]

That's interesting! I usually just let the crickets loose in the terrarium and he hunts for them!

When a few big ones escape and start climbing the cage,my panther starts hunting them and eating them first. He will eat those in the plastic container after. So he may prefer to hunt. Maybe he's smart enough to know that the other crickets will still be available later, and is catching the free roaming crickets because he thinks they may get away, lol.

 

[jajeanpierre]

When a few big ones escape and start climbing the cage,my panther starts hunting them and eating them first. He will eat those in the plastic container after. So he may prefer to hunt. Maybe he's smart enough to know that the other crickets will still be available later, and is catching the free roaming crickets because he thinks they may get away, lol.

No, he prefers to hunt his food. It's referred to as enrichment.

 

[JGuinan007]

I don't like crickets escaped in cages. I've read horror stories of Chameleons being mutilated by crickets at night eatings eyes, and what not. I will always cup feed or hand feed them and free range other feeders.

 

[WAMBO]

I don't like crickets escaped in cages. I've read horror stories of Chameleons being mutilated by crickets at night eatings eyes, and what not. I will always cup feed or hand feed them and free range other feeders.

What do you use to keep them corraled for feeding? Got a picture of it?

 

[Bush baby]

I don't like crickets escaped in cages. I've read horror stories of Chameleons being mutilated by crickets at night eatings eyes, and what not. I will always cup feed or hand feed them and free range other feeders.

Hmmm..sounds like a bit of an exaggeratetion to me. I've been keeping Chams for about 20 years, have always free range my crickets in the enclsore and have never had them eat my Chams alive. So long as you leave food in there for them, it's pretty safe.

I'm gonna start taking my Cham into the natural sun every day. For how long would be a good time?

As little as an hour or two, twice a week is enough to stimulate D3 synthesis. I haven't changed my UV bulb for the past year (bad, i know) and don't give my chams D3 powder at all, but i do take them outside on the weekneds and they've always been just fine.

 

[alphakenc]

Thank you!! That helps a lot

U are more than welcome.
And I agree with Bush baby,I never witnessed any crickets trying to eat the chameleons,they might hop on their body and usually the chams will shake them right off,plus u can always clean out all the crickets at night time if u think they will bother the chameleon sleeping cycle.

 

[WAMBO]

U are more than welcome.
And I agree with Bush baby,I never witnessed any crickets trying to eat the chameleons,they might hop on their body and usually the chams will shake them right off,plus u can always clean out all the crickets at night time if u think they will bother the chameleon sleeping cycle.

I watched some vids from at least a couple breeders that warned that crickets left overnight may bite the chams. One was a sponsor here. Plus, that warning is at many web sites about cham care. I wondered if it was true because the crickets seem to run and hide or escape, rather than be near my cham. However, one guy specifically warned that the pray [crickets] can become the predator, and was the 'expert' and I think it was a vid from LLL or another popular company.