Calcium with D3

[Shaner]

Hey all,

I have a question, I have been reading on these forums about calcium with D3 included in it, and people are saying they use it only twice a month??

Is there something wrong with using it as your only source of calcium?

I am currently using the Zoo Med Repti-Calcium with D3 as just a standard source, should I buy the other calcium without the D3 and only start using the D3 twice a month?

Where I live we are in fall right now, and it is getting cold out so I can't take my Chameleon out for a bask in the sun (unfortunatley we had a crummy summer too so I wasn't able to take it out much this year). The winters here are cold and since I live in a basement of a house the windows are too high to put the cham so the only source of UVB is thru the lights it has.

So is it ok or not? If not I have no problem picking up the Zoo Med Repti-Calcium without D3 as a main source and using the D3 stuff twice a month.
In the interim I have Jurassi-Cal, that I use for my beardie. The D3 stuff I use strictly for my Chams.

Let me know what your thoughts are please.

Thanks
Shaner

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Calcium w/out D3 should be the main source of calcium.
A little bit of D3 a couple of times a month is kind of an insurance policy.
Your chameleon is making D3 in it's body. The UVB light you provide enables him to do this, however, the light is substandard to the real sun ... so we add a little D3 a couple of times a month "just in case"
Does that make sense?
D3 can build up in the system and become (for lack of a better word) toxic. So you don't want to over supplement.

-Brad

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Is this a Panther chameleon? What age? There's alot of factors. If only kept indoors you could use a little more frequent, but if your taking outdoor D3 could have some toxic effects when mixed with the sun.

 

[Shaner]

Hey Brad,

That makes sense and thanks for that. I will start to use the regular calcium immediatley without the D3. I will supplement with D3 about 2-3 times a month max does that sound good since it is still so young.

As for the Chameleon,

it is a 3 month old Ambanja Panther Chameleon. And now won't see outdoors for about 8 months until at least May when it is warm enough out for it.

 

[kinyonga]

D3 from supplements can build up. As long as a chameleon can move in and out of the UVB light it shouldn't build up IMHO.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I the end, everyone devises their own system.
Based on research, reviewing other keeper's schedules, common sense and what feels right.
In most cases there is not a lot of exact science that accompanies supplementation.
With a chameleon as young as yours, I might do something like ... dust with D3 once or twice a week, but only on two crickets each time.
This would give the animal about the same amount over a months time, but in a "time release" fashion.
Once the chameleon is 8 to 12 months old, I would cut back to every other week ... still only dusting 4 or 5 of the crickets each time.
On opposite weeks I supplement with a drop of preformed vitamin A on one feeder.
A couple of times a month I shake a few bugs in some Herptivite and most days (I only feed every other day ... no young chameleons here right now) I dust at least a few of the bugs in Calcium with no D3.
Every once in awhile one or more of those gets forgotten.
The great thing about supplementing less is that you can pick up again without having to fret too much.
I am really becoming a believer in very light supplementation and really developing good insect gut load.

-Brad