Calcium powder or Butterworms?

[Moosma]

Mozart, 15 months old, veiled, pretty self-satisfied, or at least that's how he looks... HATES dusted anything. I think he'd rather starve! Anyway, I bought him some butterworms, and I wonder if I can substitute them for dusting.
He seems to love them (TG).
I know they are fatty and should be a treat, but he's a smaller guy. The vet says he could stand to gain weight... he weighs 77g, and that's with me hand/force feeding him.
Anyone know if & how I can substitute the butterworms for dusting?
Thank you in advance for answers!

 

[camimom]

if you want to subsitute anything for dusting, which i dont recommend.
use pheonix worms. they are high in calcium and dont need to be dusted.

but what supplement are you using?
ive found that the repashy my guys seem tolike better than the regulra stuff.

 

[JackP308]

Gut load your feeders with Very high in calcium foods dark greens is probably your best bet which should be done anyways. I would still dust insect occasionally though. Or just feed him the greens directly.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Mozart, 15 months old, veiled, pretty self-satisfied, or at least that's how he looks... HATES dusted anything. I think he'd rather starve! Anyway, I bought him some butterworms, and I wonder if I can substitute them for dusting.
He seems to love them (TG).
I know they are fatty and should be a treat, but he's a smaller guy. The vet says he could stand to gain weight... he weighs 77g, and that's with me hand/force feeding him.
Anyone know if & how I can substitute the butterworms for dusting?
Thank you in advance for answers!

Butterworms do not need to be calicum dusted, true. And they're not as fatty as many other larva. But they wont make up for the lack of calcium in other feeders - you cant just use butterworms (or pheonix maggots) - you must provide a variety of feeders well gutloaded for the range of nutrients your chameleon needs. Terrestrial isopods do not need to be calcium dusted, and are easy to gutload with a range of nutritious foods. Gutload your other feeders with high calcium foods. Inject feeders with liquid calcium.
I actually think its unlikely a chameleon would actively dislike supplement powder - just dust lightly.

 

[Moosma]

Thank you all for the suggestions! I definitely will get liquid calcium, as soon as I find it, and he does dislike the lightly dusted worms. But he's a cutie, loving getting to know him!