Did I purchase the right calcium for my Panther Chameleon?

[Mom]

Hey everyone. I just recently got my Panther chameleon (today actually lol) and I want to make sure I have all the right calciums. I read the Panther care sheet, so I know there is a calcium they get everyday (without phosphorus and D3), and the D3, and the multi vitamin. This is what I found at my pet stores and bought:

Zoo Med's Reptivite Reptile Vitamins with D3
Rep-Cal Phosphorus-Free Calcium with Vit. D3
Rep-Cal Herptivite with Beta Carotene MultiVitamins

I'm not sure if I got the correct items and want to know before I feed him any of this. Thanks guys!

 

[Andee]

Actually what you need is a Reptile Vitamin without D3, a Calcium with D3, and a Calcium without D3.

Feed the Calcium without D3 everyday

Reptile Vit 2X a month

Calcium with D3 2X a month

 

[Mom]

So I can use the Zoo Med's Reptivite Reptile Vitamins with D3 or Rep-Cal Phosphorus-Free Calcium with Vit. D3 for the calcium with D3. What about the Rep-Cal Herptivite with Beta Carotene MultiVitamins? Should I use those at all? And what kind do you reccomend using?

 

[kinyonga]

You need a phos.-free calcium powder to use almost every day/feeding. This helps to make up for the usually poor ratio of calcium to phos. found in most of the feeder insects we use. (Calcium is a mineral BTW).

You need a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder to use twice a month to ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamin D3 without overdoing it and leaving the chameleon to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB light.
D3 from supplements builds up in the system and leads to health issues while D3 produced from exposure to the sun or the UVB light will not produce an overdose as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it at will.

Then you need a vitamin powder. I recommend one with a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A since prOformed sources will not build up in the system. This leaves it up to you to decide how much prEformed vitamin A you want to provide for the chameleon. PrEformed sources can build up in the system and lead to health issues.

Appropriate temperatures are important too since they allow for proper digestion and thus play a part in nutrient absorption.

Its also important to feed/gutload your insects well. Insects such as crickets, locusts, superworms, roaches can be fed/gutloaded with a wide assortment of greens such as dandelions, collards, endive, escarole, kale, etc. and veggies such as carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, etc.

Hope this helps explain it all.

 

[Alex21]

Careful with the d3. I killed my last chameleon by giving him too much d3. My panther now I dont give him d3 at all or multivitamin. I feed his feeders well and get him outside when I can. Hes now 9 months old and doing well(had him since 3 months)

 

[Mom]

Thanks for the advice every one!