Cricket Dust Options....???

[Auntbee86]

Hello I've just looked online and noticed theres alot of different options of the dust to put on my crickets....I hae just been buying the stuff at my local pet shop and now I see theres all different kinds...whats the best and whats the pros and cons of them all...plz help I'm confused.

Examples:
Rep Cal Herptivite Multivitamin
Repti Calcium without D3
Repti Calcium with D3
ReptiViteTM without D3
ReptiViteTM with D3


I normally do mondays-saturdays with out D3 and sundays with D3...I havent done any multivitamins...I cant remember the brand I had kuz the containers were knocked off a shelf n broke n now its in plastic ziplocs and now I need to get more whats the best what do you use...plz help :-D

 

[Picasso123]

My kit came with
Reptial with beta carotene and repticcal calcium with d3. I also feed him silkworm and hornworm every other day or so.

 

[sandrachameleon]

You may find these two blog entires useful:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html

I like and use both the Rep-cal and Sticky Tongue brands of calcium

 

[sandrachameleon]

My kit came with
Reptial with beta carotene and repticcal calcium with d3. I also feed him silkworm and hornworm every other day or so.

You'll also want calicum WithOUT D3. You'll likely use plain calicum much more than the one with D3 in it.

 

[kinyonga]

Maybe this will help explain it...
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption. Temperatures needed can vary with the species and age. For hatchling panthers I keep the temperature in the warmest area in the low 80's. For older panthers I keep it in the mid to high 80's for the most part.

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.)

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://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
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.

 

[Auntbee86]

thanks everyone for all the help